A challenging week for Chancellor Rishi Sunak saw Conservative MP Lee Anderson defect to the right-leaning Reform party and troubling remarks attributed to prominent party donor Frank Hester.

Frustration brews over Sunak's management of the situation, highlighting broader issues such as dismal poll forecasts predicting a severe general election loss.

Despite expectations, the party's deficit against Labour hasn't shrunk, and discontent lingers as the latest budget failed to shift voter sentiment even with significant tax reductions.

With Sunak ruling out a general election on May 2nd, local elections that day have Conservatives bracing for potential setbacks, fearing Sunak's waning popularity could hinder their campaigns.

Reports of Boris Johnson's return to campaigning offer some hope, yet also emphasize dissatisfaction with Sunak's stewardship. Speculations of a leadership change focus on Penny Mordaunt, despite skepticism around a concerted revolt. While some MPs dismiss the idea of another leadership shake-up as outlandish, others sense an undercurrent of interest.

Amid the leadership rumblings, Senior Minister Damian Green and Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch dismiss the idea of another prime ministerial change and urge party unity.

Nonetheless, Sunak persists, presenting a positive economic outlook in Coventry, calling for resilience among MPs. With potential legislative successes on the horizon and impending inflation data suggesting rate cuts, the political atmosphere could shift.

Easter recess will pause any immediate plotting, but eyes turn to post-local election dynamics to determine Sunak's fate as Tory leader. Yet, pessimism lingers as a Tory member expresses a bleak outlook for the party.