Rishi Sunak has said he is “absolutely” confident he will win the next general election, despite a new poll showing the Tories have fallen even further behind Labour.
In an interview with ITV’s This Morning, the prime minister refused to be drawn on the exact date he planned to go to the country.
But asked if he was feeling confident, he said: “I am. Yeah. Absolutely.
’I really believe at the start of this year we have turned a corner and heading in the right direction. The plan we have put in place is working.”
He said voters would enjoy a “brighter future” if the Conservatives won a record fifth consecutive term in office.
Sunak has previously said his “working assumption” is that the election will be in the second half of 2024 - with November 14 seen as the most likely date.
Labour has held huge polls lead over the government for well over a year.
An Ipsos survey published earlier today showed Labour is now on 49% in the polls — 22-points ahead of the on Tories 27%.
Keir Starmer has also opened up a 13-point lead over Sunak on who would make the best prime minister.
The survey showed 39% chose the Labour leader and just 26% chose the prime minister.
It comes amid fresh pressure on Sunak from within the Conservative Party over his leadership.
Last week former cabinet minister Simon Clarke called for Sunak to be ousted as the party was set to be “massacred” at the ballot box.
The move triggered a new round of infighting and public arguing among Tory MPs.
Kemi Badenoch, who is seen as a possible successor to Sunak, on Sunday told Tory MPs to “stop messing around” and back the prime minister.
But on Monday it was revealed by The Guardian that she is a member of a WhatsApp group of MPs named “Evil Plotters”.
Sunak faces a dangerous February, as losing the two by-elections in Wellingborough and Kingswood could trigger even more turmoil.
And in May, the prime minister faces a potential wipeout for the Tories at England and Wales’ local elections.