Rishi Sunak has confirmed that he will "of course" remain an MP if he loses the next general election.
The prime minister expressed his commitment to staying in parliament regardless of the election outcome, as reported by Sky News.
Speculation had arisen that Sunak, who previously worked at a hedge fund in California, might seek a job in Silicon Valley as the Tories face challenges against Labour. However, when asked on ITV's Loose Women whether he would stay on the backbenches if his party loses, the MP for Richmond (Yorks) responded: "Of course I'm staying. I love being an MP. I love my constituents, I love my home in North Yorkshire."
Sunak was first elected to parliament in 2015.
Some former prime ministers, such as Liz Truss and Theresa May, have remained as backbenchers after stepping down. Others, like David Cameron and Boris Johnson, left their political careers after being ousted. Cameron resigned two months after the Brexit referendum, stating he did not want to be a "distraction." Johnson left his Uxbridge constituency in protest at a parliamentary investigation into whether he lied about partygate.
This marks the first time Sunak has addressed his future plans if the Tories don't win the election. Following significant losses in the local elections earlier this month, he acknowledged this possibility but insisted the outcome is "not a foregone conclusion," amid predictions of a Labour landslide, according to Sky News.
Sunak did not specify the election date, telling the Loose Women panel that his policies are "starting to make a difference" but "we're not there yet" in terms of progress before going to the polls.
This sentiment echoes Lord David Cameron, who recently told Sky News that the Tories need more time "to show the plan is working."
While November is considered a likely month for the election, it can be held as late as January 2025. The final decision lies with Sunak, who has dismissed calls for a change in political strategy after the Tories lost nearly 500 council seats, the West Midlands mayoralty, and the Blackpool South constituency in the local elections.
