Sunak claims he will still be PM after election - despite Labour's poll leads

18 May 2023 , 21:00

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Rishi Sunak insisted he will not be walking away from Downing Street after the next general election (Image: Getty Images)

Rishi Sunak has insisted he'll still be Prime Minister after the next general election - despite continuing to trail Labour in the national polls.

The PM's comment also came a fortnight after the Tories suffered a brutal set of results in the local elections, losing over 1,000 council seats.

In the wake of the results, Labour leader Keir Starmer said they showed his party was on course for a majority at the next general election.

Asked by reporters travelling in Japan whether he was confident he would still be Prime Minister after the new general election, he replied: "Yes. I'm working really hard to deliver for the British people".

He added: "I’m confident we can deliver for people. I know things are tough right now. But I think we’ve made good progress in the six months that I’ve had the job. I’ll just keep at it."

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The Prime Minister and his wife Akshata Murty landed in a wet Hiroshima (PA)

During a grilling Mr Sunak also ruled out a coalition with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) if the Tories fail to secure a majority at the next election.

In 2017 Theresa May's ill-fated election gamble forced her to agree a £1billion supply and confidence deal with the DUP to remain in Downing Street.

But Mr Sunak, who last week accused Mr Starmer of being "busy plotting coalitions", bizarrely said he was not "interested in any chat about coalitions".

"I have been clear and I will be clear I'm not interested in coalition, I'm interested in delivering for the British people," he added.

Pressed on whether he was ruling out a coalition with the Northern Ireland party, he added: "I am. We are interested in delivering a Conservative majority at the next election".

Keir Starmer is on course for No10, according to polls (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

After the party's 13-year tenure in power, Mr Sunak is also battling to keep his promises with inflation still sky-high and NHS waiting lists at record levels.

Speaking to The Mirror earlier this week, the Labour leader Keir Starmer said 13 years of "failure" under the Conservatives has left the country "broken".

He added: "People cannot afford a day, a week or a month more of this, they certainly can't afford for Rishi Sunak to cling to power for as long as he cares to do so".

“They need change and the sooner we can be in a position to provide that change the better. The longer they’re in office, the worse damage they will do.

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