Penny Mordaunt has given a staunch defence of Rishi Sunak, claiming the Prime Minister “doesn’t just get Britain, he represents the best of Great Britain”.

The Commons Leader sought to rouse support for the Prime Minister just days after senior Tory Sir Simon Clarke called for him to be replaced to avoid a Conservative “massacre” at the general election.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer claimed the revolt demonstrates the Conservative Party is bullying the Prime Minister, as the pair clashed during their weekly encounter at Prime Minister’s Questions.

The Opposition leader has claimed Mr Sunak “simply doesn’t get Britain” because of his wealthy background and career in finance, and on Wednesday accused him of “making millions betting on the misery of working people during the financial crisis”.

In similar language, former minister Sir Simon wrote in the Telegraph newspaper that Mr Sunak “does not get what Britain needs”, adding: “And he is not listening to what the British people want.”

But Ms Mordaunt defended the Prime Minister, claiming he had chosen a “life in public service representing God’s own country” despite having “many career options”.

She said her boss had “protected this nation” through his work as chancellor during the pandemic, and pointed to his patronage of community pubs, football clubs, a brass band, and his “quietly” giving to charities.

Ms Mordaunt added: “He doesn’t just get Britain, he represents the best of Great Britain, the greatest things we have to offer and what they mean to the world and our values: hard work, enterprise, taking personal responsibility for yourself and helping others.

“He is in no way confused about where his duty lies. You won’t find him taxing education or denying others the opportunities he has had, or voting against strengthening our borders, or siding with militant trade unions against the public, or compromising our energy security or our nuclear deterrent.

“Or opposing the deportation of foreign criminals, scratching his head about the monarchy, ducking difficult issues, or supporting the member for Islington North (Jeremy Corbyn).”

Echoing the Prime Minister’s own words about Sir Keir at PMQs, Ms Mordaunt added: “If the leader of the Opposition is a weathervane, our Prime Minister is a sign post. He knows what he stands for, he knows where the country needs to go, he has got a plan to get us there and that plan is working.”

Shadow Commons leader Lucy Powell had earlier drawn attention to reports that a No 10 pollster had quit the Government over concerns about the Conservatives’ chances at the next general election.

She said: “The Prime Minister’s own pollster, having concluded they are not providing the bold, decisive action required and that the Conservatives, and this is his words not mine, are ‘heading for the most almighty of defeats’.

“Many agree. So can she just put everyone out of their misery and get on and call general election?”

The Labour frontbencher had also asked about ministers’ plans to bring forward a ban on MPs entering Parliament when they are arrested for violent or sexual offences.

Ms Powell said: “It has now been over a month since the publication of the House Commission’s proposals on risk-based exclusions of Members of Parliament.

“When will the leader bring forward a motion on this important issue? It was first promised before last summer, and then before the end of 2023. The commission is in agreement, the proposal has wide support across the House and others are looking on us to take action on the culture in this place.”

Ms Mordaunt replied: “She will know because she is on the commission, as she says, we agree with the proposal that has been brought forward.

“We were waiting on a motion to be brought to us by the House. That has happened, and it happened late last week, and we will very shortly be tabling that motion for members to see and bringing it forward.”