Sunak says he's proud of his campaign... and he will win

Rishi Sunak has said he is proud” of his disastrous election campaign and claims he will win Thursday’s general election.

- KATE DEVLIN

The prime minister has come under fire in recent weeks for a series of calamities that included a rain-soaked announcement of polling day, leaving D-Day commemorations early, and a gambling scandal.

But in a crunch interview with just days to go before the vote, Mr Sunak told the BBC‘s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg “this campaign is something I am very proud of” as he sought to disparage Labour’s plans. He also said he believes he will win the election. Asked whether he thought he would still be prime minister on Friday, he said: “Yes. I’m fighting very hard and I think people are waking up to the real danger of what a Labour government means.”

The Leave-campaigning Tory leader also admitted that Brexit has been bad for many British businesses. He was confronted by comments by his ministerial colleague Kevin Hollinrake (holding the brief for enterprise, markets and small business) that there was “no doubt” exporting to the EU had been made more difficult by the UK’s exit.

Mr Hollinrake had said: “There’s no doubt, for some businesses, it is more difficult to trade with the European Union. There is no doubt that is the case.” The minister then went on to pick out businesses in the food and drink sector, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.