Rishi Sunak insists he is ‘absolutely confident’ ahead of 2024 general election

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Rishi Sunak has insisted he is “absolutely confident” ahead of the 2024 general election, regardless of being 20 factors behind Sir Keir Starmer within the polls.

The prime minister instructed ITV’s This Morning that he was prepared for the competition and stated Britain has “turned a corner”.

Mr Sunak’s assertion comes amid warnings from main pollsters that he faces a 1997-style election wipeout, and regardless of a number of relaunches of his management failing to make a dent in Labour’s ballot lead.

“We have clearly been through a tough time over the last year as a country,” Mr Sunak stated.

He added: “We are still dealing with the legacy of Covid, backlogs in the NHS, the war in Ukraine driving energy bills, but I really believe that at the start of this year we have turned a corner and are heading in the right direction.”

Asked by presenters Rylan Clark and Rochelle Humes if he is “confident” in regards to the general election, Mr Sunak stated: “I am, absolutely.”

He stated “the plan we have put in place is working”, pointing to the discount in inflation as proof.

And he added: “By tomorrow, everyone will have had a tax cut by the way because of our management of the economy. If you are earning £35,000 you are going to get a tax cut worth £450.

“That is what we are starting to deliver, if we stick with this plan I will be able to give everyone that peace of mind that there is a brighter future for them and their children.”

But regardless of optimism about this yr’s contest, Mr Sunak performed down the prospect of an extended stint in Downing Street.

“With the best will in the world, I am probably not going to be here in 13 or 14 years,” Mr Sunak stated.

His feedback got here weeks after a serious YouGov survey predicted the Tories are on monitor for a 1997-style general election wipeout.

According to the ballot, the Tories might retain as few as 169 seats, whereas Labour would sweep into energy with 385 – giving Sir Keir Starmer a large 120-seat majority.

Alarmingly for the Tories, it stated chancellor Jeremy Hunt might be one of 11 cupboard ministers to lose their seats, in what can be the largest collapse in help for a governing social gathering since 1906.

Other ministers below risk embody schooling secretary Gillian Keegan and defence secretary Grant Shapps.

As properly as trailing Labour within the polls, the Tories are dealing with an assault on the best from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

The social gathering, previously referred to as the Brexit Party, dangers splitting the vote in tens of Tory seats, opening the door to Labour and including to the size of Mr Sunak’s losses.