RISHI SUNAK conceded today that the Tories may not win the next general election, but suggested Britain could be on course for a hung Parliament.

It came as party rebels warned the Prime Minister to change his political course after defeats in the local polls.

Mr Sunak is braced for a continued fallout after the weekend’s local election results, which saw his party lose the West Midlands mayoral race to Labour.

Speaking to The Times, Mr Sunak claimed Labour would fall short of enough seats to win power, saying voters would not want to see Sir Keir Starmer “propped up in Downing Street” by the SNP or smaller parties.

Labour has ruled out joining forces with SNP.

Mr Sunak pointed to Sky News analysis of the local election results which suggested Labour would be the largest party in a hung Parliament.

“The country doesn’t need more political horse trading, but action,” Mr Sunak said.

“We are the only party that has a plan to deliver on the priorities of the people.”

Polling company Ipsos chief executive Ben Page said Mr Sunak’s prediction that Britain was headed for a hung Parliament was “for the birds.”

He pointed to Labour’s victory in the Blackpool South by-election and the local election results, noting: “We haven’t seen anything of this kind since just before Labour won a landslide in 1997.”

He told Times Radio: “The crumb of comfort [for Mr Sunak] is Keir Starmer’s personal ratings and the fact that people aren’t particularly enamoured with Labour.

“But unfortunately, next to that is a cup of cold sick, which is basically that people are utterly fed up with the Conservatives.”