Rishi Sunak should not call a general election just because there is pressure from the public, a government minister has said.

Dame Andrea Leadsom said that the prime minister should resist making a decision on a date for the election “just because there is a particular mood or a particular situation.”

She said: “We have periodic general elections, and the Prime Minister has set out quite clearly an autumn timeframe. You don’t call a general election just because there is a particular mood or a particular situation, that very, very rarely happens.”

It comes as polling reveals Conservative voters only narrowly back Mr Sunak to lead the party into the next general election.

On Wednesday, Jeremy Hunt has hinted that the next election could be held in October, after Mr Sunak ruled out a vote on May 2.

Mr Hunt, the Chancellor, appeared to suggest the election would take place in autumn as he set out the Government’s approach to the next Whitehall spending review.

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