‘Looking forward to supporting next govt’: Has Sunak admitted defeat ahead of Monday’s election results?

Signalling his defeat in the Tory leadership race ahead of Monday’s election results, Rishi Sunak said that his job would be to support the next government.

Speaking to BBC before the declarations of election results, the Indian-origin former chancellor said he intends to stay on as a Parliament MP if he is not elected as the British Prime Minister.

He further said that he would continue to work for his constituents in Richmond, Yorkshire, if he is defeated by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

When asked about his future plans if he loses, Sunak said, “I look forward to supporting the Conservative government in whatever capacity.”

“I'm going to stay as a member of Parliament It's been a great privilege to represent my constituents in Richmond in North Yorkshire as their member of Parliament and I'll love to keep doing that as long as they'll have me,” he added.

When further asked if he would consider running again for the top job at 10 Downing Street in a few years' time if he loses this time, Rishi said, “We've just finished this campaign. I'd say... I need to recover from this one."

From managing to gain leads during the early phase of the contest, Sunak has been trailing behind Truss in recent surveys of Tory party members voting to elect Boris Johnson’s successor.

While Truss had repeatedly laid emphasis on immediate tax cuts, Sunak, in contrast, had pledged to delay tax cuts until inflation is controlled.

An estimated 160,000 Tory members have cast votes through online and postal ballots at the Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ).

The winner will be announced on Monday at 12.30 pm (local time) by Sir Graham Brady chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs and returning officer of the leadership election.

Then, the newly elected Tory leader will make a brief acceptance speech soon after at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in central London near Downing Street.

The rest of Monday will involve the winning candidate putting the final touches to his or her Cabinet posts.