British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he had not considered quitting ahead of the election amid the continued fallout over his early departure from D-Day commemorations.
Sunak vowed to carry on “until the last day of this campaign” as he sought to dampen reports that he might resign ahead of polling day on July 4.
Criticism of his early exit from the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings dogged the British prime minister over the weekend when he kept a low profile and avoided questions from reporters.
He was out campaigning on Monday, where he said that he would not stop “fighting for the future of our country.”
Asked whether resigning had crossed his mind, Sunak told broadcasters during a visit to the Dog and Bacon pub in Horsham: “No, of course not.
“I’m energised about the vision that we’re putting forward for the country.
“This campaign is not even halfway through yet, and I’m finding an enormous amount of support for the policies that we’re putting on the table.”
On the rumours, he also told reporters on the campaign trail: “People are gonna say what they’re gonna say.”
“There are lots of people who want to write me off, write this off, say this campaign or the election is a foregone conclusion.”
Sunak added: “The reality is I’m not going to stop going, I’m not going to stop fighting for people’s votes, I’m not going to stop fighting for the future of our country.”
The prime minister also struck a renewed conciliatory tone over his D-Day departure, telling reporters he “absolutely didn’t mean to cause anyone any hurt or upset.”
“I just hope people can find it in their hearts to forgive me and look at my actions that I have taken as a prime minister, both to support our armed forces with an increase in defence spending.
“I also have a minister focused on veterans affairs around the Cabinet table, making sure this is the best country in the world to be a veteran,” he added.
Chris Philp, a Home Office minister and Sunak ally, earlier conceded that he was surprised and disappointed by the prime minister’s early D-Day exit.
But he said the prime minister would be back bouncing around the campaign trail this week and would be talking to journalists whenever they want to ask him some questions.
It came as the Liberal Democrats launch their full election manifesto, with an offer of a 9.4 billion Pounds (11.9 billion dollars) package for the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) and social care in England. (dpa/NAN)
