Kwasi Kwarteng said Rishi Sunak will be “very much responsible” if the Tories suffer a “massive defeat” on July 4.
The Tory former chancellor said that no one person would receive all of the blame but he pointed out that the timing of the contest was entirely a decision made by the Prime Minister.
His comments were in response to Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, suggesting that Liz Truss would be to blame if the Conservatives lose the general election.
“If there is a defeat, blame will be apportioned to lots of different people,” Mr Kwarteng told GB News.
“But this idea that Rishi Sunak could call the election when he did, when no one was expecting it, least of all the party it would appear, who has been front and centre of the campaign, under whom Reform has risen to nearly 20 per cent, the idea that he had nothing to do with any of that is wrong.
“When I left office, I was just checking, actually, the polls just now, Reform were on about 4 per cent. I think when Liz Truss left in October 2022, they were 4, 5 per cent.”
He added: “If you suffer a massive defeat, clearly the leader is very much responsible for that. What proportion? I don’t know. Obviously there were other mistakes done by other leaders. He called the time of the election.”