Rishi Sunak is expected to remain leader of the Conservative Party even if, as polls suggest, Labour win the keys to Downing Street.

It's reported that cabinet ministers have directly appealed to the Prime Minister to remain in charge until September, at least, to avoid infighting and further party conflict.

There are fears that a battering at the polls could tempt Mr Sunak to leave immediately, while there are no guarantees that he'll even retain his seat.

That has raised concerns that the Conservative Party could descend into 'civil war' as it looks to reset itself as an opposition party for this first time since 2010.

Suella Braverman, who is expected to stand to become leader whenever Mr Sunak steps down, said on Wednesday the party must "read the writing on the wall" and "prepare for the reality and frustration of opposition".

Penny Mordaunt, another name tipped to lead to the Tories, may well lose her seat, with a number of polls suggesting she'll finish a distant second in her constituency.

But senior Tories hope a change in leadership is a smooth transition.

One cabinet minister said: "We are seeking to persuade Rishi and his team to stay on and provide some continuity.

"We want him to, at the very least, do what Michael Howard did in 2005, and remain in place until the leadership election is complete. Once we get through election day, that will be communicated to him very clearly. We don’t want him to do a David Cameron."

A senior minister added: "He needs to stay on for a while for the good of the party. Not doing so would be an unfortunate end to a difficult time and would have an impact on his legacy.

"The reality is that in a few years, he may be seen as someone who went through a very difficult period and provided stability and there’s honour in that. But that would be a more difficult thing to argue in the event it was an immediate goodbye."

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