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Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has hailed the July 4 election as a chance to “turn the page” following Rishi Sunak’s shock announcement.
Sir Keir gave a campaign speech in Kent and said a Labour government would be an opportunity to “end the chaos” of successive Tory governments.
It comes as Conservative MP Dame Eleanor Laing announced she would step down in the latest line of Tories to announce their resignations ahead of July’s election.
Tory MPs were left stunned by Sunak’s decision to fire the starting gun for the election, with members describing it as a “kamikaze move”.
After the astonishing announcement on Wednesday, political parties have wasted no time in launching their campaigns this morning.
Mr Sunak kicked things off touring broadcast studios before visiting all four nations in the UK in two days. He said the economy was “going gangbusters” in his first major election interview today.
The prime minister gave his upbeat verdict after being challenged over his claim that the British economy is now growing faster than the US. He also confirmed Rwanda flights won’t take off before the general election.
Watch: Moment Rishi Sunak ‘scores own goal'
Rishi Sunak asked Welsh brewery staff if they were looking forward to football later this summer as a potential source of revenue, despite the national team not qualifying for the Euro 2024 tournament.
The prime minister met voters at the Vale of Glamorgan Brewery in Barry with Wales secretary David TC Davies and Vale of Glamorgan MP Alun Cairns.
Mr Sunak, who is teetotal, discussed his party’s support for the sector during a brief campaign stop.
His question about the football was met with a brief moment of silence before laughter erupted.
Sunak asks Welsh voters if they’re looking forward to Euros - but team didn’t qualify
Rishi Sunak asked Welsh brewery staff if they were looking forward to football later this summer as a potential source of revenue, despite the national team not qualifying for the Euro 2024 tournament. The prime minister met voters at the Vale of Glamorgan Brewery in Barry with Wales secretary David TC Davies and Vale of Glamorgan MP Alun Cairns. Mr Sunak, who is teetotal, discussed his party’s support for the sector during a brief campaign stop. His question about the football was met with a brief moment of silence before laughter erupted.
Tories scramble to find candidates for seats - but not everyone is welcome
In the last few hours, the Tories have just sent people registered as potential candidates a list of 94 seats for them to apply for to stand in the general election, David Maddox reports.
The list includes some safe seats like Stratford-upon-Avon due to be vacated by Nadhim Zahawi, and winnable ones Central Suffolk and North Ipswich where Dan Poulter defected to Labour or Bury St Edmunds.
There are also ones with much less hope such as standing against Sir Keir Starmer in Holborn.
Among those looking for seats are party chairman Richard Holden, who has been suggested for Billericay and Basildon in Essex. Also, Michael Gove ally and former journalist Seb Payne, whose failure to get selected so far has become a running joke in the Tory party including with a Twitter account called “Has Seb Payne Got A Safe Seat Yet?”
There are thought to be more than 150 seats still where the Tories do not have a candidate and many on the candidates list are desperately scrambling to get an opportunity even though this is predicted to be the worst election for the party possibly in its history.
But it appears that Mr Sunak is getting his closest lieutenants to make sure that critics are sifted out of the process.
One would be candidate told The Independent that they had been informed all those applying would only stand a chance of being successful if they are endorsed by one of James Forsyth (Mr Sunak’s political secretary and close friend); Matthew Wright (chair of candidates); or Stephen Massey (the party’s chief executive).
Tories challenging Sir Keir Starmer to a debate every week
The Conservative election campaign wants to face off Labour and record six TV debates, according to The Telegraph.
A source close to the prime minister said: “We will do as many as we can get. We will do one every week if he wants.”
Home secretary announces tougher rules for universities accepting international students
Tougher compliance standards will be introduced for universities recruiting students from overseas, the government has announced, Holly Bancroft reports.
Universities who accept international students who then fail to pass visa checks, enroll or complete their courses, will risk losing their sponsor licence, under the new measures.
International students will also have to do more to prove their financial self-sufficiency and the government will review the English language requirements to see if they are tough enough.
Home secretary James Cleverly said they were taking “decisive and necessary action to deliver the largest cut in legal migration in our country’s history”.
He added: “Applications are already falling sharply, down by almost a quarter on key routes in the first four months of this year compared to the last”.
Education secretary Gillian Keegan said it was “right that we strike the balance between controlling immigration and making sure the UK remains the ‘go to’ place for students around the world.”
‘Who is he?’: Voter’s brutal response when asked opinion of Rishi Sunak
The prime minister on Wednesday (22 May) announced a general election for Thursday 4 July, but it appears he has work to do to make an impression on some members of the public.
“What do you think of Rishi Sunak?” ITV News deputy political editor Anushka Asthana asked one woman on the streets of Gillingham.
“Who is he? Is he the local?” the voter responded, before being informed he is actually the PM.
“Oh him. Yeah. He hasn’t been prime minister long enough for me to know his name,” she added.
‘Who is he?’: Voter’s brutal response when asked opinion of Rishi Sunak
A Gillingham voter offered a brutal response when asked for her opinion on Rishi Sunak. The prime minister on Wednesday (22 May) announced a general election for Thursday 4 July, but it appears he has work to do to make an impression on some members of the public. “What do you think of Rishi Sunak?” ITV News deputy political editor Anushka Asthana asked one woman on the streets of Gillingham. “Who is he? Is he the local?” the voter responded, before being informed he is actually the PM. “Oh him. Yeah. He hasn’t been prime minister long enough for me to know his name,” she added.
Away from the campaign buzz...
The UK’s top civil servant, Simon Case, has told the UK Covid-19 Inquiry that he found Boris Johnson was ‘dysfunctional’ and his style of working ‘very frustrating’.
Questioned by lead counsel to the inquiry Hugo Keith KC on Thurday morning about Mr Johnson’s prime ministerial style, Mr Case replied: “Each prime minister has their own approach to doing it and as I say, in my job, I found it very frustrating.
“I just don’t think I understood how difficult he was finding it personally.”
In July 2020, before he became Cabinet Secretary, Mr Case said “I’ve never seen a bunch of people less well-equipped to run a country” in a message to Lord Sedwill, who was the Civil Service chief at the time.
He also described Mr Johnson and his inner circle as “basically feral” and suggested the then-prime minister’s wife Carrie was “the real person in charge” in No 10.
Pictured: Lib Dem leader launches election campaign
Sunak decided to call summer election after local results blow, George Osborn reveals
The former chancellor has claimed the prime minister decided to call for an election since the start of this month.
Speaking on his Political Currency podcast, he says: “I am told by the people I’ve been speaking to that there was a wide circle of up to 40 people involved in the planning of this, ever since the local elections.
“The prime minister made a decision after the local elections that he was going to go for an early poll. It was a pretty brilliantly-held secret. And a secret held from most of the cabinet and from a lot of the broader Tory family.
“This is what Downing Street is thinking. Things are basically not going to get any better for the prime minister. Nothing is shifting the polls. They’ve tried a series of announcements from defence spending to national insurance, tax cuts – things haven’t shifted.”
Scottish First Minister launches SNP election campaign
John Swinney is speaking now from Edinburgh at the SNP rally launch.
Addressing the Scottish electorate, he says “taken in Scotland, for Scotland, we can make a better country”.
Adding it “all starts by seeing the back of Rishi Sunak”.
The SNP leader claimed Scottish independence will be achieved through democratic pressure.
He adds: “We will win our country’s independence and win the powers to bring about a better Scotland through democratic pressure.
“So, on July 4, independence day, make sure your voice is heard.”
Conservative MP Dame Eleanor Laing to step down
Conservative MP Dame Eleanor Laing will step down as an MP in the latest slew of Tories to announce their resignations ahead of July’s elections.
Ms Laing said: “I’ve had the great honour of being the MP for Epping Forest for 27 years. I love this job, but it’s time for me to move aside and give others the opportunities that I’ve been fortunate to have.
“I told the prime minister several days ago and wrote formally to my Epping Forest Conservatives Chairman today.”
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2024-05-23 21:25:48Z
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