Health Secretary Matt Hancock speaks at the launch of his bid for leadership of the Conservative Party in London, Britain June 10, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

LONDON (Reuters) - British health minister Matt Hancock, one of the candidates to replace prime minister Theresa May as prime minister, said he would not allow parliament to be suspended to allow Brexit to occur on Oct. 31 as other leadership hopefuls have suggested.

He told an audience at his campaign launch to become leader of the Conservative Party that suspending parliament went against all that people had fought for in World War Two.

“I will not have it,” he said, adding that if the Conservatives became the Brexit party then it was finished.