London (Parliament News) – PM Rishi Sunak vows to continue campaigning amid D-Day row backlash, denouncing criticism and asserting commitment to the country’s future. Tories outline police recruitment plan amidst controversy.
PM Rishi Sunak has broken his quietness and vowed to carry on “until the last day of this campaign” as he tried to draw a line under last week’s D-Day row.
What Actions Did Rishi Sunak Take Amidst Backlash?
Mr Sunak has been blamed for going into hiding after he encountered damning criticism for leaving the commemoration early. And cabinet ministers were compelled to deny he would quit ahead of polling day on July 4. But the Prime Minister stated he would not stop “fighting for the future of our country”. And he shot back at Nigel Farage‘s assertion that the Tory leader does not understand “our culture”, denouncing the remarks as not “good for our politics or indeed our country”.
Mr Sunak has not accomplished a TV interview since he was questioned about 98-year-old D-Day veteran Ken Hay, who stated he had let the country down. “He lets the country down… It’s not the representation of how we’re trying to weld things together to keep the peace,” Mr Hay told Sky News.
Why Did Rishi Sunak Face Criticism After D-Day?
Mr Sunak was accused of effectively going into masking after he dodged questions from reporters on Saturday. Back in action on the drive trail, he told reporters when asked about whispers he could stand down: “People are gonna say what they’re gonna say. I am very confident in the actions that we’re putting forward for the British people.”
He said: “There are lots of people who want to write me off, write this off, say this campaign or the election is a foregone conclusion. “They’ve been saying that, by the way, ever since I’ve got this job, right? Not since this election campaign.”
Mr Sunak expressed: “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.” Earlier Chris Philp, a Home Office minister, stated he was “surprised and disappointed” by the D-Day snub.
Are Tories Facing Internal Challenges Over Sunak’s Actions?
On Friday night former defence secretary Penny Mordaunt denounced it as “completely wrong”.
In a bid to divert engagement away from the row, the Tories have set out a plan to compel 8,000 more police officers. The £810 million annual cost would be financed by raising visa fees and removing a student discount on the immigration health surcharge.
The PM skipped out on the international ceremony followed by other world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings. He instead produced to the UK to take part in an ITV interview in which he sought to support his claims of a £2,000 Labour tax bombshell after the figure came under fire from the Treasury and the UK’s statistics watchdog.
The gaffe has provoked indignation in Tory circles, with general election candidates declaring the PM is effectively creating a free pass for Labour. In an awkward moment for Mr Sunak, on Sunday the work and pensions secretary Mel Stride was moved to insist the PM was not planning to quit before 4 July.