Michael Portillo has given a damning analysis of the Tories ahead of the General Election and claimed that many will face "their Portillo moments" thanks to Nigel Farage.
A Portillo moment stems from the 1997 General Election when Michael Portillo, a prominent Conservative representing what was thought to be a safe seat, unexpectedly lost to the Labour candidate.
This comes as the polls have put Labour at a 13 point lead in comparison to the Conservative Party, who are falling behind.
Speaking exclusively to GB News, Portillo said: "I'm a presenter on GB News, but once upon a time I was a Conservative Cabinet Minister and the man who gave the name to the Portillo moment, when I lost my seat rather spectacularly in the 1997 General Election.
Michael Portillo gave his analysis
GB News
"Much of the talk during this General Election has been, are there going to be more Portillo moments?
"In other words, are cabinet ministers going to lose their seats unexpectedly?
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
"Well, it's now rather hard for any cabinet minister to lose his or her seat unexpectedly because most of them are expected to lose.
"It looks like my old party is going to take a real thumping at this election. I've been disappointed by this election.
"I always want to find an election exciting, and this one honestly hasn't been. I've not seen much change during it.
"Well, the one change there has been, of course, is that the Reform Party has been picking up support from that moment when Nigel Farage decided that he was going to become the leader of his party, the gap with the Conservatives has narrowed."
Rishi Sunak announced the General Election date in the pouring rain outside Downing Street PAHe added: "Some polls actually put Reform ahead of the Conservatives in percentage terms. And that has, I think, transformed the General Election.
"Very often you expect the underdog party, in this case, the Conservatives, to catch up with the leading party, in this case, the Labour Party, throughout the campaign. That has not happened.
"If anything, we've seen support for the Conservatives ebbing and much of that support has gone to Reform. So what Rishi Sunak is left with is this nagging doubt. He called that General Election.
"You remember that rain-soaked announcement in Downing Street? He called the general election surprisingly on July 4, not anticipated by many people because he thought he would catch Nigel Farage out.
He claimed that Farage has had a big impact
GB News
"And he jolly nearly did at first, he said he wouldn't want to contest the election. Had Farage not been in this election, then things would look better. Not for a Conservative victory, but many Conservative candidates who are probably going to lose their seats would have held them.
"And then after a few days, Farage made that extraordinary decision to become leader of the Reform Party and to contest a seat himself, to seek a seat in parliament.
"Rishi Sunak, I think, to the end of his days, will say, was that the big miscalculation? Did I count on Farage not joining in?
"Did I get that wrong? Would the result be so much better if maybe I waited until later in the year?"
