British PM faces pressure to shift further right after rout in local polls

Tories urge exit from human rights court, immigration cap ahead of general election

LONDON British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is facing calls from Conservative lawmakers to adopt an immigration cap, as he comes under pressure to move his party further to the right after it was routed in local elections earlier in May.

While internal critics of Mr Sunak decided against trying to replace him, prominent party members renewed their attacks on the leader after the Conservatives lost almost half the local council seats they were defending.

Mr Keir Starmer's resurgent Labour Party also won 10 out of 11 mayoralties up for grabs, increasing its vote share in London and toppling the popular Tory mayor Andy Street in the West Midlands by just 1,500 votes.

Now, Mr Sunak is facing calls to consider policies including an immigration cap and a withdrawal from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), even though the Prime Minister has urged the party to "stick to the plan" ahead of a general election expected in the second half of 2024.

Although many of its seats were captured by Labour and other leftleaning parties such as the Liberal Democrats and the Greens, some Conservatives worry the populist Reform UK founded by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage poses a bigger threat.

Former home secretary Suella Braverman said during an interview with the BBC that she regretted backing Mr Sunak to become prime minister in 2022, although she stopped short of calling for a new leader.

She criticised the government's failure to make a "bold offer" of tax cuts to voters and said Mr Sunak needs to put a cap on legal European migration and pull Britain out of the ECHR.