In the final days of campaigning, this morning the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was challenged by staff in a Q&A session at a distribution centre in Banbury.

He was joined by Victoria Prentis, Conservative candidate for Banbury, who welcomed him to the stage. 

Conservative candidate Victoria Prentis addressing the crowdConservative candidate Victoria Prentis addressing the crowd (Image: Newsquest)

Addressing the staff members before the Q&A, the Prime Minister said: “Can I just start by saying thank you to all of you for what you’re doing.

"Because of businesses like yours and the incredible job that you’re doing, we are now the fastest growing economy anywhere in the advanced world, faster than France, Germany and even America.

"And, as you are demonstrating, we’ve also overtaken the Netherlands, Japan, and France, to become the fourth biggest exporter in the world.

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"And that is down to businesses like yours, so thank you very much for that and congratulations."

He added: “Victoria, I can tell you, she works her socks off down in Westminster for you.”

The Prime Minister was challenged over the rising cost of doing business in a staff Q&A at a distribution company in Banbury.

He added: “Because of everyone’s hard work and resilience, and our policies, we’ve got inflation back to normal, back where it should be at two per cent, which also means now interest rates can start to be cut.

"So, you’re going to start to feel the benefits of that. Those pressures of the past few years are now dissipating.”

He continued: “Now we’re cutting your taxes, inflation’s back to normal, energy bills coming down, interest rates to follow. We’re on the downhill slope now. And we can look forward with confidence and with optimism. But not if there’s a change in government and all those things are reversed.”

Mr Sunak was challenged by a staff member over childcare cost pressures on working parents and limited nursery spaces. 

Mr Sunak firstly congratulated the staff member on her child.

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He said: “Family is really important to me - I was raised in a very loving family I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my parents love, support and sacrifice.

"I want to make sure that we support families like yours."

Mr Sunak says that is why he "expanding free childcare", and if re-elected, he claims that every working set of parents will have 30 hours of free childcare from the time maternity finishes all the way until the child goes to school. 

He was also challenged over SEND assessment waiting times. 

Lib Dem candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon Layla Moran criticised the visit on social media this morning.

She claims Mr Sunak would "not bother" going to Banbury "unless these seats were not safe".

She said: "I still find it unbelievable that Witney and Banbury are on this list."

A recent Survation poll shows that the Conservatives appear to be facing an historic defeat, with the poll suggesting the party could lose all its Oxfordshire seats bar one in Banbury. 

The parliamentary candidates for Banbury are: Victoria Prentis (Conservatives), Sean Woodcock (Labour), Liz Adams (Liberal Democrats), Arron Baker (Green), Paul Topley (Reform UK), Cassi Bellingham (Independent), Chris Nevile (Climate Party) and Declan Soper (Social Democratic Party).