Tories can repeat Brexit's poll-defying victory and WIN on July 4 says Michael Gove
Tory Cabinet minister Michael Gove has said that the Conservatives can pull off a poll-defying election win like Donald Trump and the Leave campaign at the Brexit referendum.
The Housing secretary - on a visit to a building site in west London - also said that Nigel Farage was not a Conservative and should never be allowed to join the Tory party.
And he forecast the result of the England football match at the Euros, forecasting that the Three Lions will beat Denmark 4-1.
Gove said that despite three megapolls on Wednesday forecasting a Labour victory, the Conservatives can still win the election on July 4.
He said: "We are absolutely the underdogs, we are up against it, it is possible...
"I have been involved in campaigns where people were confidently predicting even on the eve of the result what the result would be and it turned out differently.
Michael Gove admitted the party were 'underdogs' but said victory was 'possible'
GB NEWS
On Brexit, the eve of the result 55 per cent to 45 per cent was the final poll for Remain, turned out to be 52/48 for quitting the bloc. That is a lesser gap than the one we face at the moment They are both outliers but it is possible."
He added: "As the minutes tick down to the final whistle the scale of the challenge, the mountain looks bigger. Some votes have been cast but there are still a significant number of people making up their minds.
"Will they all break to us, experience would suggest not but you have got to believe that it is possible. Donald Trump was given an 11 per cent chance of winning the 2016 Presidential election. And he won. So even a small chance is a chance."
On the challenge from Reform UK, Gove said that Farage - now the leader of Reform UK - should not be allowed to join the Tories, saying: "Nigel is not a Conservative - he wants to destroy the Conservative party. I want a strong Conservative party.
"My view would be that we should have a strong Conservative party, respect Nigel Farage as someone who has made a contribution to British politics, has got a clear voice but is not a Conservative."
Asked to forecast the result of England v Denmark at the Euros in Germany he replied: "England - 4-1."
Gove declined to comment on reports that a second Conservative candidate is being looked into by the Gambling Commission over a bet relating to the timing of the General Election.
Laura Saunders is the party’s candidate in Bristol North West and has worked for the party since 2015. It is not known when the bet was placed or for how much money.
Asked if Saunders can remain a candidate, Gove said: "It does not look great and the conclusions that lots of people are drawing are not at all great."
Conservative Party spokesman said: “We have been contacted by the Gambling Commission about a small number of individuals.
“As the Gambling Commission is an independent body, it wouldn’t be proper to comment further, until any process is concluded.”
Craig Williams, a former senior aide to the Prime Minister who is also standing in the election, also reportedly bet £100 on the date of the election just before it was called.
Williams has admitted he had a “flutter” on the election a few weeks ago and has since apologised for a “huge error of judgment”.