I've not given up on winning, says Rishi Sunak

July 02, 2024
Pic: Rishi Sunak
  • Sunak has 'absolutely not' given up on election result

Despite discussing the possibility of a Labour "supermajority," Rishi Sunak claims he has "absolutely not" given up on winning the general election on July 4.

The prime minister acknowledged that the Conservatives and himself had not "got everything right" and that he sympathised with the public's complaints.

However, he said people should be "alive" to the "danger" of a Labour government and warned the public against sleepwalking into the election.

Asked if he would stay on as Conservative leader, if defeated on Thursday, he said he loved his party "dearly" and would "always put myself at the service of it".

Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been trying to counter complacency among his own supporters, telling voters in Buckinghamshire that results would "go down to a few hundred votes in many constituencies".

He said people should imagine "waking up on Friday morning to a further five years of Tory government".

Speaking to reporters later, Sir Keir said that he would face challenges if his party did "get over the line" and form the next government.

"It's going to be really difficult because there's going to be a very difficult inheritance after 14 years of failure under this government.

"We're going to have to do really tough things in order to move the country forward."

On Sunday evening, following the England football team's last-gasp equaliser against Slovakia, Mr Sunak posted on social media: "It’s not over until it’s over."

Asked if he would be attempting the political equivalent of a Jude Bellingham-esque overhead kick to improve his party's standing, Mr Sunak, a keen cricket fan, said he was more likely to try a "flashy cover drive".

He added that people were still making up their mind and that while not everyone would agree with him, he had the "courage of my convictions".

Acknowledging that people had frustrations with the party and with him, the prime minister said it had been a "difficult few years" pointing to the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

He also said that on NHS waiting lists, he had not made "as much progress as I would like".
Mr Sunak said he would be staying on as an MP after the election.

Asked if he would be staying on as leader of the Conservatives, Mr Sunak said he was focused on the general election campaign.

"I love this party dearly and of course I'll always put myself at the service of it and the service of my country."