Rishi Sunak fears Losing his Seat?

It has been reported that Rishi Sunak has confided to members of his inner circle that he is fearful of losing his Yorkshire constituency at the general election.

The general election is fully underway and the Prime Minister was seen with his wife Akshata Murty at their local polling station in Richmond.

However, Mr Sunak reportedly told confidants that he thought the vote in Richmond and Northallerton was too close to call.

If he loses his seat, Mr Sunak would be the first sitting leader of the UK to do so.

In 2019, he won the seat with a majority of more than 27,000 and 63% of the vote.

One source told The Guardian: “He is genuinely fearful of a defeat in Richmond: the risk that it could be tight has hit him hard.

“He’s rattled – he can’t quite believe it’s coming so close.”

Another source added: “He’s taken so much friendly fire from his own side I’m amazed he’s had the strength to keep going.”

However, a Conservative source denied that Rishi Sunak was fearful, saying:

“The PM is confident he will hold his seat.”

Mel Stride, one of Mr Sunak’s allies, said Labour was likely to win “the largest majority any party has ever achieved”.

According to reports, Mr Sunak is considering a return to the financial services industry, whether or not he stays on as an MP.

A former colleague has offered him office space in Mayfair – a hotspot for hedge funds.

He has also discussed spending a greater share of his time in California, where he has a home, although he had no immediate plans to relocate there full-time.

A Tory source said Mr Sunak had “no interest” in going back into financial services and planned to stay in Yorkshire “come what may”.

No incumbent prime minister has ever lost their seat, and only 12 serving cabinet ministers have lost their seats since 1974, according to the Institute for Government.

Polls have varied, with most suggesting Rishi Sunak should retain his seat even amid a landslide victory for Labour across the country.

But some have suggested that he could lose it.

Conservative activists working in Mr Sunak’s constituency had been particularly alarmed by a drop-off in support among the farming community, some of whom had cited challenges arising from Brexit to their businesses and a failure to control illegal immigration.

Mr Sunak was a supporter of Britain’s exit from the EU, and his government has struggled in its efforts to discourage small-boat crossings in the Channel.

Activists fear that low turnout for the Tories, rather than just a swing to Labour or a groundswell for Reform, may prove to be the greatest risk for the prime minister.