A Tory minister has been forced to deny that Rishi Sunak will step down before the general election. This comes amid widespread anger at the Prime Minister's decision to leave D-Day commemorations early. Work and pensions secretary Mel Stride insisted that Sunak will "absolutely" lead the Conservatives into the election.
"There should be no question of anything other than that," he told Sky News. This statement comes after presenter Trevor Phillips questioned whether it would be a "courageous and moral act" for Sunak to step aside to save seats.
Stride defended Sunak, stating that a mistake had been made and that the Prime Minister had apologized. He emphasized Sunak's patriotism and care for the country.
However, the Prime Minister's decision to leave the D-Day commemorations early has been met with widespread condemnation. A Normandy veteran and the former head of the Royal Navy were among those who criticized Sunak for skipping the international ceremony to participate in a TV interview.
The Prime Minister's absence from the ceremony, which was attended by world leaders including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, has caused indignation within Tory circles. General election candidates have expressed concern that Sunak's actions are giving Labour a free pass.
Even veterans minister Johnny Mercer acknowledged that the decision to leave the 80th anniversary events early was a "significant mistake." Reform UK leader Nigel Farage went further, stating that the blunder shows Sunak is "not fit to lead the country."
The fact that a government minister has been forced to insist that the Prime Minister will not quit during the election campaign is a sign of the dire state of the Tory campaign. Sunak has faced repeated gaffes on the campaign trail, including his rain-soaked launch in Downing Street and his question to brewery workers in Wales about their excitement for the Euros, which the country has not qualified for.
A new poll has set the party on course for electoral wipeout, with Labour winning a majority of 416 seats. The Tories would be left with just 37 seats, according to the new Deltapoll survey. This puts Sir Keir Starmer's party on 46 per cent compared to the Conservatives on 21 per cent. Even Sunak is set to lose his Yorkshire seat.
Bookmakers have hinted at a rising chance that Sunak quits before the election following his D-Day gaffe. Ladbrokes has put the odds of him stepping down at 8:1.
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