Nations queuing up to work with the UK, says Rishi Sunak

The UK's Prime Minister hit back at claims Britain has lost its status in the world

Rishi Sunak before appearing on the BBC's current affairs programme, Sunday With Laura Kuenssbe. PA

Rishi Sunak says nations are “queuing up” to work with the UK and rejected claims Britain has lost its status in the world.

The Prime Minister was speaking ahead of Thursday’s general election, which polls show his ruling Conservative party will lose heavily.

Interviewed on the BBC, it was put to Mr Sunak that there was a view, including from the independent Climate Change Committee, that his change of course on net zero carbon emissions had resulted in the UK having lost it status on the issue.

He hit back and broadened his answer to mount a defence of the UK’s standing in the world and criticised what he claimed was a "declinist narrative".

"You said we've lost our standing in the world. That's completely and utterly wrong," he said.

Mr Sunak cited Britain building nuclear submarines with Australia and the United States, and the negotiation of the Windsor Framework with the EU and support for Ukraine.

He claimed that "people are queuing up to work with us because they respect what we do".

"So I just completely reject that, it's entirely wrong, this kind of declinist narrative that people have of the UK I wholeheartedly reject."

Mr Sunak also said the slur used about him by a canvasser for the right-wing Reform UK party was "deeply inappropriate and racist".

An undercover Channel 4 reporter filmed one campaigner saying illegal migrants should be used as "target practice" in a conversation with a voter.

The canvasser, Andrew Parker, was also caught joking about closing mosques and using a racial slur against Mr Sunak.

The Prime Minister admitted he expects a degree of criticism because it "comes with the territory".

"But in this instance, you know, what was said was deeply inappropriate and racist," he said.

Mr Sunak said he hated having to repeat the phrase used about him but thought it was important to call it out.

He said that Britain is "the most successful multi-faith, multi-ethnic democracy anywhere in the world", adding: "That's why views like this are so damaging and so wrong.

"They belong to a minority of people and they deserve to be called out for what they are, and that's what I did."