UK’S PRIME MINISTER SUNAK DISMISSES RESIGNATION TALK AFTER D-DAY ROW

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Rumors that UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will step down before the July 4 general election were refuted on Monday, despite ongoing criticism for his early departure from D-Day remembrance festivities.

After receiving backlash from veterans’ organizations for turning down an invitation to attend an event in northern France commemorating the invasion’s 80th anniversary among other world leaders, the head of the Conservative Party apologized.

His latest gaffe on the campaign trail for the vote was to record a television interview instead, which drew condemnation from his own colleagues.

However, Sunak remained defiant, despite polls suggesting that he would lead the Tories to a humiliating loss to the main opposition Labour party. He declared, “People are going to say what they’re going to say.”

He cautioned against assuming the outcome of the election was inevitable and mentioned that he has overcome hardships in the past, most notably after losing the Tory leadership to Liz Truss in 2022.

At a campaign stop, he said, “The truth is that I’m not going to stop going, I’m not going to stop fighting for people’s votes, and I’m not going to stop fighting for the future of our country.”

Sunak had until January of the following year at the latest to call a general election, but he chose to do it early when inflation began to decline, signifying a recovery from the appalling condition of the nation’s economy.

His own party was caught off guard by the announcement, which was made in the midst of a downpour in Downing Street, and it was left scrambling to find candidates to run for the 650 parliamentary seats that were up for grabs.

Before the D-Day decision, he made other unforced mistakes, such as making a campaign visit close to the site of the Titanic’s construction, which led to analogies between his leadership and that of a sinking ship captain.

Since Truss’s brief presidency, Sunak, a 44-year-old former financier, has held the position of prime minister. However, the validity of his repeated assertions about Labour’s personal tax proposals has come under scrutiny.

He will likely face further scrutiny as the Tories, in power since 2010, publish their formal policy proposals on Tuesday.

Labour launches its manifesto on Thursday. Party leader Keir Starmer on Monday said there would be “no tax surprises” in it for working people.

AFP