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The Prime Minister visits Banbury and urges people to vote Conservative
02/07/2024
Rishi Sunak says Victoria Prentis is an incredible champion for people here in Banbury
The Prime Minister has been in Banbury on the penultimate day of campaigning ahead of Thursday’s General Election.
Rishi Sunak visited the DCS Group of Noral Way as he battled to secure votes for the Conservatives and support Victoria Prentis, who he described as a dear friend and brilliant champion for her constituents.
Speaking to local press Mr Sunak said he understood people’s frustrations with him and his party. “We haven’t got everything right or made as much progress as we would have liked”, he said. “But Thursday is not a by-election. It’s a choice about the future of our country and that will have big consequences for everyone and their family finances, so I’d urge everyone to think very hard about that.
“The straightforward choice is if you want tax cuts, if you want your pension protected and you want to prevent a labour super-majority, then you’ve got to vote Conservative.”
When challenged as to why local people should give the Conservatives another chance in the face of hospital downgrades, NHS waiting lists, potholes and refugees in hotels the Prime Minister was robust in his defence of the situation.
He told Banbury FM: “Not only is there now more investment going into the Horton, services are expanding …
“Because the Conservatives understand rural communities in a way that Labour never will, we understand the role that smaller rural hospitals play, and we’ve found a way to make sure they can provide more and more services to people, and that will always be the case under the Conservatives.”
Mr Sunak added that spending millions of pounds housing illegal migrants in hotels was “clearly wrong” and said 150 hotels that had been used to house immigrants had ceased doing so by May. Referring to the Rwanda policy he said: “If people come to our country illegally, they won’t be able to stay. They’ll be removed to a safe third country alternative.
“I say to everyone in Banbury if you, like me, think that the situation is wrong and people shouldn’t be able to stay here in our country, then you’ve got to vote Conservative because we’re the only ones who can deliver a plan that will mean they don’t get to stay in our country and they’re removed.
“If Keir Starmer is your Prime Minister he’s been crystal clear, those migrants that are queuing up to come in from Calais are going to be all out on our streets. So whatever pressure you’re seeing now, it’s just going to get worse.”
When asked about those local people who were considering voting for Reform UK Mr Sunak was adamant that would simply put Keir Starmer into 10 Downing Street.
He urged people to vote for Victoria Prentis: “Not only is she an incredible champion for people here in Banbury, demonstrated by her track record of supporting the Horton first and foremost, but also her farmers and everyone else, but a vote for Reform is just the vote to put Keir Starmer in Number 10 with a supermajority.
“If you care about having your taxes cut, your pension protected and our borders secured with illegal migration controlled, then you’ve got to vote Conservative to get that. If you vote Reform or vote for anyone else, you’re going to get the precise opposite of all of those things.”
Before speaking to the press Mr Sunak took part in a Q&A with DCS staff who challenged him on the integrity of the government, his plans to restore economic growth, reducing NHS waiting lists and getting access to Special Education Needs and Disabilities diagnosis.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam