Grant Shapps was asked if the Tories had “given up” after becoming the first minister to concede the party is unlikely to win the general election.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast this morning, Shapps was asked by presenter Sally Nugent: “I just want to start by reminding you of something you said yourself. Last week, you said people should vote Conservative to stop Labour from winning a super-majority.
“Have you given up any hope of actually winning this election?”
The minister replied: “Not at all, and I stand by that. What wasn’t quoted there was what I said before it, which was we’re still fighting for every single vote. We’re out on the doorsteps throughout the country, making our case, fighting for votes.
“It was put to me whatever the latest opinion poll was at the time, and I made the point that giving Keir Starmer a blank cheque or even a super-majority would be very bad for this country.”
But in an earlier interview on Times Radio, Shapps conceded that the Conservatives’ chances of pulling off a shock victory are receding.
He said: “It’s possible to win the election. Do I accept it’s not the most likely outcome? Yes, I accept that. I’m a realist.”
She said: “At one stage, you wanted to be prime minister. How does it feel when your political dreams are over?”
Shapps smiled and said: “Let’s wait and see what happens in this election.”
