Sunak informed there’s extra probability of ‘lightning hanging twice’ than him staying

Rishi Sunak has been told there’s “more chance of lightning striking twice in the same place” than him remaining PM after the General Election.

The brutal moment came as the Tory leader was read out a piece of analysis from the elections expert Professor John Curtice during a BBC Breakfast interview. The polling guru had told the broadcaster: “There is more chance of lightning striking twice in the same place and a bit more than Rishi Sunak remaining as Prime Minister”.

Asked whether he accepted the fate, Mr Sunak replied: “That’s his view. That’s not going to stop me from working as hard as I can over these final few days to talk to as many people as possible about the choice.

“And I was up at four this morning talking to workers at a distribution facility. I’m here talking to you. I’ll be out till the last moment of this campaign because I think it’s a really important choice for the country.

He added: “I will continue as I’ve said fighting for every vote till the last moment of the campaign.” Mr Sunak also denied that his switch from talking about his plans to warnings about a Labour landslide was the language of defeat. “No, I’m very much still talking to people about our plan,” he said.

The exchange comes as the Tories brace for a wipeout defeat after 14 years in power when polls open across the country in less than 48 hours.

Last week The Mirror’s own survey found Mr Sunak has failed to make any progress in reducing Keir Starmer’s commanding lead since he called the election. Labour continues to be 20 points ahead, which is exactly how it was in our first poll of the campaign four weeks ago.

As the Tory campaign becomes increasingly desperate as the clock runs down, one government minister was also slapped down on Sky News for a false claim about Mr Starmer. The Labour leader suggested he’d make time in his diary for his son, 16, and daughter, 13, if he wins the keys to No10 later this week.

Health Minister Maria Caulfield told Sky News that a work-life balance was “pretty important”. But she added: “I would say a a minister, it’s not really that feasible. Probably what you are alluding to is Keir Starmer saying he’s going to be doing a four-day week and finishing at 6 o’clock every evening.”

But the presenter Matt Barbet shot back, saying: “No, he didn’t say a four-day week. He said he was going to finish work at six on a Friday like many people do and I believe that’s to help his wife observe her Jewish faith which is commonplace among Jewish people. So not a four-day week – that’s not true.”