Rishi Sunak faced an uncomfortable TV grilling this morning as he was challenged over viewers claims that ‘nothing works in Britain’.

On the final weekend of campaigning ahead of Thursday’s general election, the Prime Minister was shown a slew of gripes about the state of public services.

These included complaints about potholes, a lack of doctors’ appointments, sewage being pumped onto beaches, and schools not being able to afford glue-sticks. 

Mr Sunak insisted Britain was now a better place to live than it was when the Tories took office in 2010.

He also warned a Labour government would hike taxes and move to reverse Brexit should Sir Keir Starmer replace him as PM on Friday.

Mr Sunak reiterated that he ‘understood’ the Covid crisis and Ukraine war had meant the last few years were ‘difficult’.

But he stressed the country was ‘now on the right track’ as he built on his warning that Labour would do ‘irreversible damage’ within 100 days of taking power.

Rishi Sunak faced an uncomfortable TV grilling this morning as he was challenged over viewers claims that ‘nothing works in Britain’

Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show, the Prime Minister was shown a slew of gripes about the state of public services

Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show, Mr Sunak was challenged over a series of viewers comments about the state of the Britain.

A viewer called Julian asked: ‘Why, oh, why isn’t anything working in this country?

‘It grieves me sorely to see the state that this country has degenerated into.’

Michael said: ‘Why does my son’s school not have enough money for glue-sticks? Why do I have potholes on almost every road I drive on?

‘Why can’t I get a doctor’s appointment? Why are beaches closed when it rains and rivers polluted beyond measure?’

And Sheila said: ‘Our biggest worry is not about tax, it’s about having the basics.’

Rssponding to the viewers’ comments, Mr Sunak said: ‘Of course it’s been very difficult, when inflation rises to the highest level that we’ve seen in decades, when energy bills double because of a war in Ukraine.

‘Of course that has an impact on Sheila and everyone else. That’s why I’m working so hard to deliver people financial security.

‘And I do think it is about tax because people are working very, very hard and I want them to be able to keep more of their money so that they can spend it on their families on the way that they want.

‘We’ve now been able to do that after a difficult few years.’

The PM had earlier insisted Britain was now a ‘better place to live than it was in 2010’.

‘Of course I understand that the last few years have been difficult for everyone,’ he added.

Mr Sunak rejected the suggestion that Britain has become poorer by many measures since 2010, and public services are worse.

‘I just don’t accept that,’ the PM replied, citing education and saying ‘our schoolchildren are now the best readers in the western world’.