Sunak insists 'the only poll that matters is July 4' as he defends dire polling for Tories ahead of election

19 June 2024, 08:15 | Updated: 19 June 2024, 09:51

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

Rishi Sunak has insisted the "only poll that matters is on July 4" as he defended dire polling that has plagued the Tories during the General Election campaign.

The Tories are currently 21 points behind in polls, with new analysis suggesting they could be on course for their worse ever election result.

“I”m very energised to go round the country talking about my plan for the future, what our party will do to change this country for the better,” Mr Sunak said.

Pressed on the dire state of the polls, Mr Sunak said: "It's for the voters to decide on July 4."

"I'm focused on doing the best job I can, working as hard as I can, talking to as many people as I can about the choice at the election."

"I'm talking to people about the choice for the future, that's what the poll on July 4 is about."

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Mr Sunak's answers came after caller Amanda asked him how well he thought the campaign was going so far.

The PM also refused to score his campaign out of ten so far when asked by Nick Ferrari during this morning's exclusive phone-in on LBC, saying: "I'm not interested in those sorts of things."

Senior Tories have been concerned about the campaign so far, which was thrown into disarray when Mr Sunak decided to leave D-Day commemorations early to carry out an interview with ITV.

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Polling experts have suggested the Tories have been unable to recover in the polls due to such incidents, as well as the return of Nigel Farage with Reform UK.

During this morning's phone-in, Mr Sunak was also pressed on the growing number of businessmen that are backing Labour, including former Tory donor John Caudwell who gave £500,000 to the Conservatives in 2019.

Manchester United owner and avid Brexiteer Sir Jim Ratcliffe has also backed Labour.

Mr Sunak said: "Their two of Britain's richest men, they can probably afford Labour's tax rises but for tens of millions of people who are working really hard, they can't."

"I want to cut people's taxes," he added.