Sir Patrick McLoughlin - General Election is most important in history

The Conservative Party Chairman said the June 8 poll was crucial in shaping the country's post-Brexit future.

He also slated Labour's 'backwards' vision for Britain and hailed 'open and honest' Theresa May's ability to appeal to voters from all walks of life.

He visited the Express & Star's Queen Street offices during a whirlwind tour of the country that has seen him visit 30 constituencies so far in the General Election campaign.

Former Cannock miner Sir Patrick said: "Every politician will always tell you that the General Election they are fighting is the most important one the country has ever faced.

"But this one is actually more important, because of the negotiations about leaving the European Union. Whoever becomes Prime Minister will set the course of this country for the next 30 years at least."

On Labour's manifesto, Sir Patrick said: "It is a document that has been written by John McDonnell and costed by Diane Abbott, and that basically says it all.

"I think it is harking back to an era when things didn't work properly. It is no use trying to live in the 70s or the 80s.

"We have got to be competitive with the rest of the world and I think the kind of things that are coming from Jeremy Corbyn would have put Britain back in the 80s and will put Britain back today."

Sir Patrick refused to be drawn on the details of the Conservative manifesto, but he said the document, which is due to be released this week, will contain a 'detailed vision' for the future of the country.

"We will be setting out our plans and vision not just for Brexit, but across all the spheres of government," he added.

The Tories are said to have targeted a number of Black Country seats, with Walsall North, Dudley North and Wolverhampton South West thought to be on the CCHQ hitlist.

Asked if he thought we could see a Conservative resurgence in the region on June 8, Sir Patrick said: "I very much hope we will.

"The Black Country voted very much in favour of leaving the European Union and there is a need to support Theresa May to carry Brexit through.

"The candidates that have been selected are fighting very much as part of Theresa May's team.

"Some of the seats have had Conservative MPs in the past. I have been out campaigning in some of them and we are getting a very good response, but we are taking nothing for granted.

"I want everyone to work right up until 10pm on June 8 to get every Conservative vote out.

"A strong vote for Theresa May will be incredibly important in our negotiations with 27 other countries and the European Commission."

He added: "The Prime minister does not try and flannel. She is open and honest with people and is sincere in what she is trying to do.

"I think that comes through when she is out talking to people."

Sir Patrick conceded that the party had encountered problems over candidate selection in some areas of the country, which he put down to a lack of time for detailed planning due to the nature of the snap election.

A number of Tory constituency associations, including Walsall South, had expressed their frustrations over local candidates being overlooked in favour of candidates from outside the area.

"A lot of this was down to the fact that the election was called so quickly," he said.

"Once Article 50 had been served, we still had to await the outcome of the French elections and the German elections in September, and there was a gap which allowed the Prime Minister to call this election because it is in the country's interest.

"I know there have been some people that have been a bit disappointed about candidate selection, but overall I think we have done a very good job and a lot of people are now satisfied with the way in which we have sorted this particular problem out.

"We've tried to get a balance of local people and people from outside the areas."