Jeremy Hunt has denied he will quit (Image: Getty)

       Jeremy Hunt has denied he is preparing to stand down as an MP and declared he will stand in the upcoming general election.

       It comes after rumours spread across Westminster this afternoon he was resigning as Chancellor.

       This evening he said: “It will be my honour to fight with every bone in my body to get him re-elected because we need a government that takes the difficult decisions necessary to unlock our nation’s extraordinary potential.”

       And on his constituency, he added: “It is a highly marginal seat so I will fight hard for every single vote.”

       Hunt's constituency, which has become Godalming and Ash after boundary changes, is a target for Lib Dems.

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       Sunak was drenched as he made the announcement (Image: Getty)

       The chancellor said he was "proud" to have grown up in the area, which has new boundaries that include the town he grew up in and school he went to.

       The news follows Rishi Sunak's announcement that a general election will be held on July 4, with the prime minister getting soaked with rain as he spoke to media outside 10 Downing Street.

       Sunak has gambled that improved inflation figures and a recovering economy will help him overturn Labour’s 20-point opinion poll lead.

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       A July election is earlier than many in Westminster had expected, with a contest in October or November widely thought to have been more likely.

       Sunak’s announcement came after the Office for National Statistics said Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation slowed to 2.3% in April, down from 3.2% in March.

       He said that was a “major milestone” for the country, with inflation now “back to normal” levels.

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