Rishi Sunak hinted there will not be an election until the Autumn today as he was grilled on ITV's Loose Women.

The PM suggested the date will be 'good for your holidays' as he braved a barrage of questioning from the panel, including Janet Street-Porter.

It is another signal that Mr Sunak is hunkering down for the long haul, with Labour still miles ahead in polls.

Most at Westminster now expect it in October or November, as the economy slowly recovers from recession and cost-of-living pressures ease. Rumours have been circulating about a showdown on Bonfire Night. 

The last possible timing for the contest is January next year, but running a campaign through Christmas would risk infuriating voters. 

Rishi Sunak hinted there will not be an election until the Autumn today as he was grilled on ITV 's Loose Women .

Rishi Sunak braved questioning from the panel, including Janet Street-Porter, as he tries to get the Tory message to a wider audience

Mr Sunak faced lobbying from the panel for a November ballot, as they said they had holidays booked. The premier initially laughed it off, before giving the broad hint. 

During the interview he defended new guidance on teaching sex education and gender in schools. 

But in an awkward moment when asked what his own sex education had been like he insisted he could not remember. 

At one point Ms Street-Porter pointed to the fact national insurance had been cut instead of tax, demanding bluntly: 'Why do you hate pensioners?'

Mr Sunak responded that the triple lock had seen a huge rise in the state pension this year. 

The other members of the Loose Women panel were Judy Love, Jane Moore and Kaye Adams. 

The premier admitted that he regretted the strains of being in No10 meant he was 'not able to be as good a dad' as he wanted.

But he dismissed the idea that if he loses the election he will quit Parliament and move to the US, saying: 'Of course I'm staying, I love being an MP.'