Despite losing the Conservative leadership contest, Rishi Sunak has promised to remain an MP, and some of his fans have said that if Liz Truss loses the next general election, he may run again.
The Guardian reports that he assured party donors at a gathering the day before voting ended last week that he would continue to play a prominent role in politics no matter the outcome.
Allies close to the former chancellor acknowledged that he intended to follow through on that promise and refrain from resigning from office, which would have forced Truss to face an early and perhaps humiliating byelection in his Yorkshire district of Richmond.
Sources on Rishi Sunak’s campaign claimed they had won over a sizable portion of members who had been undecided until the final weeks of the election. Sunak received 43% of the vote from Tories, according to sources on his campaign.
After declining to indicate whether he would vote for an emergency Truss budget last month, the former chancellor will not be given a cabinet position.
According to Tory sources, he would have most likely declined the opportunity to lead a “poisoned chalice” department like the Department of Health and Social Care, about which the Sun had earlier reported that he was in line.
Some have speculated that the affluent Sunak may be considering a return to his banking profession.
When he said it would be “presumptuous” to presume he would be chosen again by his local association, he declined to commit that he would run as an MP at the next election, which increased speculation about his departure from Westminster.
Sources claim that Rishi Sunak, amid thunderous applause from those in attendance, announced last Thursday at a private event with Truss that he would continue to be active in politics.
The former chancellor would spend the upcoming years hiding on the backbenches, according to his admirers.
