Rebel Tory MPs pushing for Rishi Sunak to quit before he is deposed

Some said to be lobbying for PM to resign to avoid spectacle of coup, while others are waiting for outcome of May local elections

Tory MPs critical of Rishi Sunak's leadership are hoping he will stand down voluntarily to avoid the spectacle of a damaging coup and are looking to May's local elections as a potential crunch point, the Guardian has been told.

A former minister said several Conservative MPs had contacted Graham Brady, who heads the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories, to say they want the prime minister to quit, but that they had not sent in letters of no confidence yet.