On Foreign News,
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today dismissed rumours that he would quit before the July 4 general election, as criticism about his early departure from D-Day commemoration events rumbled on.
The Conservative leader issued an apology after outrage from veterans’ groups that he declined to join other world leaders at an event in northern France to mark the 80th anniversary of the invasion.
His decision to instead record a television interview, which also prompted criticism from his colleagues, was the latest misstep in the campaign trail for the vote.
But Sunak, who opinion polls predict will lead the Tories to a shuddering defeat to the main opposition Labour Party, was defiant.
He warned against thinking the election result was a foregone conclusion and said he had battled back from adversity before, notably after an internal Tory leadership defeat to Liz Truss in 2022.
Sunak had until January next year at the latest to call a general election but decided to do so early as inflation slowed, indicating a turnaround in the parlous state of the country’s economy.
The announcement — made during a downpour in Downing Street — took his party by surprise, sending it scrabbling to find candidates to stand for the 650 parliamentary seats up for grabs.
Other unforced errors before the D-Day decision included a campaign stop near where the Titanic was built, prompting comparisons of his leadership to the captain of a sinking ship.
0
0
