Rishi Sunak has apologised to party supporters in his final conference speech as leader, claiming he “could not deliver the result” that the “efforts” of the party deserved.
The former Prime Minister, who delivered his speech at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham today, noted he was “not delivering the usual leader’s speech”, paying tribute to the four leadership candidates hoping to take his place.
Sunak told the crowd: “This week, the stage will be for the four leadership candidates. This conference should be about their message to you.
“It should be about the future of our party, and our country. One of them will be our next leader, and this is their time to show you what they will bring to the role.”
Rishi Sunak gave his final speech as party leader at the Conservative Party Conference
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Despite his suggestion that his appearance at the conference may be a “distraction”, Sunak took the opportunity to thank party members, declaring they are the “spine” of the Conservatives.
Sunak said: “You will be central to us winning again. It is you who will take our message to the country. It is you who will be on the doorsteps in all weathers, and it is you who embody our party’s values.
“But you are not only the backbone of our country, our party, but our communities too. You know that the strength of our society is not measured by how much government spends, but what we we do for each other to make our country great.”
Referring back to the historic wipeout of the Tories at the July General Election, Sunak admitted the “devastating loss” was “hard” for the party, and that they “need to learn the lessons” of their defeat.
Sunak said the election result was ‘devastating’
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Sunak told the conference: “I know the election result was hard. We were devastated to lose so many good Conservatives.
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“Of course we need to learn the lessons of this defeat. We did not get everything right in office – no government ever does, and we do now need to reflect on that.”
Remaining optimistic however, Sunak swiped at Prime Minister Keir Starmer and urged the Tories to “not let Keir Starmer rewrite history”.
He added: “But we should not forget what we have achieved these last 14 years. We must not, and I know we will not, let Keir Starmer rewrite history.
“The last Labour government left us a note, saying there was no money left. We left them inflation back at target, mortgage rates falling, and the fastest growing economy in the G7.”
Sunak pleaded for no more ‘division or backbiting’ within the party
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In a scathing swipe at Labour’s ongoing Lord Waheed Alli donation scandal, Sunak jibed that “socialists always run out of other people’s money”.
Sunak joked that it is “something that Lord Alli is already finding out the hard way”.
In a final call to back the remaining Tory candidates, Sunak pleaded for an end to “division, backbiting and squabbling”.
He told the conference: “I want to finish with one, final ask of you: whoever wins this contest, give them your backing.
“We must end the division, the backbiting, the squabbling. We mustn’t nurse old grudges but build new friendships. We must always remember what unites us rather than obsessing about where we might differ.
“Because when we turn in on ourselves we lose; and the country ends up with a Labour government.”