Rishi Sunak has vowed to stay on as an MP even if his ruling Conservative Party loses the next general election.

The Prime Minister said his North Yorkshire constituency is “wonderful” and “of course” he will remain in Parliament whatever the outcome when he goes to the country.

There has been speculation that Mr Sunak, who previously worked at a hedge fund in California, could be eyeing a job in Silicon Valley as the Tories trail by more than 20 points in opinion polls.

But asked on ITV’s Loose Women whether he would stay on as an MP if the party loses, the MP for Richmond (Yorks) said: “Of course I’m staying. I love being an MP. I love my constituents, I love my home in North Yorkshire.”

Elsewhere in the show, which Mr Sunak claimed was “one of the more intimidating things” he had done over the course of his job, Mr Sunak conceded that “we’re not there yet” in terms of the progress he wants to make before calling an election.

He has dismissed demands for a change of political course after the Tories suffered a drubbing in the local elections earlier this month, saying he is “determined more than ever to show the public that what we’re doing is making a difference” on issues including the economy and migration.

“I’ll happily come back and talk to you during the election. But I am focused on that, I am focused on the choice of that election,” he told the panel.

“We’ve been through a lot but I do think actually the things we are doing are starting to make a difference. We’re not there yet, of course”.