Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has committed to pressing forward until the very end of the election campaign, despite a challenging weekend marked by criticism for his partial absence from D-Day commemorations.
Campaigning in West Sussex on Monday, June 10, Sunak expressed confidence in his ability to regain voter support, rejecting the notion that the election outcome was predetermined.
When asked if he had contemplated stepping down, Sunak responded emphatically, “Of course not,” and conveyed his enthusiasm for the campaign.
Throughout the weekend, cabinet ministers reiterated that there were no plans to replace Sunak as the Conservative leader during the campaign.
The Prime Minister was visiting a Horsham garden center and a neighborhood watch group, his first media appearance since his apology last week for missing part of the ceremony in Normandy.
His presence in Horsham, a traditionally strong Conservative seat, now a target for the Liberal Democrats, underscored the stakes of the campaign.
Sunak addressed recent remarks by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who suggested his absence demonstrated a lack of patriotism. Sunak dismissed this insinuation as harmful to both politics and the nation.
“But people are gonna say what they’re gonna say; what I’m doing is fighting very hard for every vote. I will keep doing that until the last day of this campaign. And I am very confident in the actions that we’re putting forward for the British people.”
Rishi Sunak
Despite polls indicating a consistent 20-point deficit, Sunak remained defiant.
“There are lots of people who want to write me off, write this off, say this campaign or the election is a foregone conclusion. They’ve been saying that, by the way, since I’ve gotten this job. But the reality is, I’m not going to stop going. I’m not going to stop fighting for the future of our country. I believe in what we are doing.”
Rishi Sunak
Sunak claimed voters were beginning to recognize the Conservatives as the party with significant ideas for the country’s future.
“People can see that in this campaign it is only the Conservatives who have big ideas that can change our country for the better, and that started in the first week,” he said.
Calls for Unity Amid Campaign Challenges
Sunak’s re-emergence on the campaign trail coincided with comments from his former Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, advocating for the Conservative party to “unite the right” and collaborate with Reform UK.
When asked if he was worried about Reform UK potentially surpassing the Conservatives in the polls, Sunak repeatedly sidestepped the question. “I‘m not really interested in Reform, quite frankly, I’m interested in delivering for the British people with the agenda that I’m setting out,” he said.
Farage faced backlash over the weekend for his comments about Sunak, claiming the D-Day row indicated a lack of patriotism in the Prime Minister.
Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride condemned Farage’s remarks as “deeply regrettable” and expressed pride in having a British Asian leader at the helm of the government.
When queried about the appropriateness of Farage’s comments, Sunak refrained from speculating on Farage’s intent. “I can’t speak for him and what he meant by those comments. I’m not going to get involved in that because I don’t think it’s good for our politics, or indeed our country,” he remarked.
Sunak reiterated his apology for the upset caused by his early departure from the D-Day commemorations. “I absolutely didn’t mean to cause anyone any more upset, and that’s why I apologize unreservedly for the mistake that I made,” he said.
“And I just hope people can find it in their hearts to forgive me and look at my actions that I’ve taken as Prime Minister to support our armed forces.”
Rishi Sunak
With the campaign intensifying, Sunak’s determination and apologetic tone underscore a critical moment for his leadership and the future of his party as they navigate this challenging electoral landscape.
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