Sunak apologises to Tory members for election loss - as he pokes fun at Starmer freebies row in final speech

29 September 2024, 20:33

Rishi Sunak has apologised to Tory members for the party's election humiliation - as he gave his last speech as leader of his party.

Mr Sunak, who will stand down in November, said: "I am only sorry that your efforts could not deliver the results you deserved," he told a reception in Birmingham, his only significant appearance at the conference.

"It wasn't you," a member shouted back.

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Mr Sunak also insisted the Tories could not let Sir Keir Starmer "rewrite history" and celebrated his party's record of 14 years in office.

Taking aim at the Prime Minister, Mr Sunak also cracked jokes about Sir Keir Starmer's acceptance of freebies and gifts in his Tory conference reception appearance.

He joked that the conference was such a "hot ticket" he was surprised the Labour leader "hasn't asked someone to buy it for him".

Tory leader Mr Sunak also suggested that Labour always leaves people feeling less well off, and that Labour peer and donor Lord Alli is now discovering this.

Sunak concluded his conference speech with a call for the Tories to cease infighting and a warning it could lose them future elections.

In his final speech to party members, the Conservative leader said: "I do want to finish with a final ask of all of you.

"Whoever wins this contest, give them your backing."

He added: "We must end the division, the backbiting, the squabbling. We must not nurse old grudges but build new friendships.

"We must always remember what unites us rather than obsess over where we might differ, because when we turn in on ourselves we lose and the country ends up with a Labour Government."

Sunak's intervention came after Richard Fuller told delegates in Birmingham that the parliamentary party "needs to learn and has to change", and announced details of a review into the general election.

The first conference since the election defeat in July will see the contest for the party leadership feature prominently.

Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat will all have an opportunity to address the conference - which will run until Wednesday - and their campaigns will be lobbying MPs before parliamentarians pick the final two on October 10.

The final result will be declared on November 2.

Mr Fuller said: "I am profoundly sorry to you, the members of the Conservative Party.