Rishi Sunak won't quit over furious D-Day row and 'deeply patriotic' PM will 'absolutely' lead the Tories into the general election on 4 July, insists Cabinet ally Mel Stride

Rishi Sunak will 'absolutely' lead the Tories into the general election on 4 July despite widespread fury at him for skipping a D-Day event, a Cabinet ally said today.

Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, dismissed suggestions the PM could quit amid the outrage at his early departure from Normandy commemorations.

He said Mr Sunak would be feeling the anger at his actions 'very deeply indeed' and would be 'deeply uncomfortable with what has happened'.

But he insisted the embattled premier's 'commitment and his patriotism' were 'beyond doubt'.

Many Conservatives fear their slim general election hopes have been dealt a hammer blow by the PM's decision not to attend a major international ceremony on Thursday.

Mr Sunak attended the UK national D-Day event at Portsmouth on Wednesday and then the British ceremony in Normandy on Thursday, the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings.

But he left France before world leaders including US President Joe Biden gathered for the main international ceremony on Omaha Beach on Thursday afternoon.

Instead, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron was the senior UK minister at the event and was pictured with Mr Biden, France's Emmanuel Macron, and Germany's Olaf Scholz.

It later emerged Mr Sunak had conducted a TV interview on his return to Britain from northern France.

Asked on Sky News this morning if the PM would continue to lead the Tories into the general election - despite the D-Day row - Mr Stride said:  'Absolutely.

'There should be no question of anything other than that. Because what matters now... is there's a clear choice for the British people.'

The Cabinet minister admitted he had not spoken directly to Mr Sunak since the row broke out, but said the PM would be 'feeling these things personally very deeply indeed'.

'I do know Rishi pretty well, in fact I consider as something of a friend,' Mr Stride said. 'And I know he is a deeply patriotic who cares greatly about this country.'

He added: 'Of course he understood the weight of this event. This man cares very deeply about our country and I know that because I know him well.'

The Work and Pensions Secretary said that Mr Sunak's 'commitment and his patriotism is, in my opinion, beyond doubt'. 

'That's not the same thing as saying a mistake was not made,' he added.

'He accepts that, he didn't run away or resile from that situation.

'What he did was he stood up, he put his hands up, he accepted a mistake had been made and he unequivocally apologised.

'I know he will be feeling these things personally very deeply indeed.

Asked what other commitments had caused Mr Sunak to leave the D-Day commemorations early on Thursday, Mr Stride said: 'I've not discussed it.

'What I do know is that he has recognised that he has made a mistake. He deeply regrets that, he has apologised unequivocally for that.'