Tag: sunak

Categories
-Top News UK News

Sunak, Starmer face TV grilling by unhappy voters

A poll taken after the event in the northern English town of Grimsby said 64 percent believed Starmer had won the event on Sky News…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer were grilled by voters at a televised event on Wednesday, with both challenged over past decisions, pledges and how they would fund policies if they won a July 4 election.

At their last meeting in television studios before the poll, the two men took turns to face an interviewer and then an audience, whose questions and responses underscored the everyday struggles of many in Britain and the mistrust of politicians.

With just over three weeks until an election opinion polls suggest Labour will easily win, Sunak was booed and heckled over doctors’ strikes, migration and his policy to introduce national service for young people.

Starmer was taken to task for what one audience member said was his avoidance of answering questions, and over his previous support of his predecessor, left-wing veteran Jeremy Corbyn.

A poll taken after the event in the northern English town of Grimsby said 64 percent believed Starmer had won the event on Sky News.

Starmer told the audience that he would start implementing his policies from ‘day one’ if he won the election but shied away from answering whether he was being honest when in 2019 he said his left-wing predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn, should become prime minister.

“I want to get the place when I can roll up my sleeves and work with you … to say the government is on your side,” Starmer said to applause. “That will be a massive difference to the last 14 years.”

Sunak was challenged over some of his policies, which audience members said had yet to solve their inability to get dentist appointments, reduce waiting lists in the National Health Service or stop the arrival of migrants in small boats.

“I know we’ve been through a tough time, of course we have… its been tough for all of you here tonight, all of you watching, but I do believe we have turned a corner and we’ve got a clear plan for the future,” he said.

“I am going to keep fighting hard until the last day of this election.”

The event came a day after Sunak unveiled 17 billion pounds of tax cuts in his governing party’s manifesto, trying to convince voters’ that he had a plan to make them better off while Labour’s policies are vague and ill-thought through.

He said again on Wednesday that a vote for Starmer was akin to writing him a blank cheque, repeating the contested accusation that a Labour government would increase taxes by more than 2,000 pounds. Starmer denied that was the case.

On Thursday, Labour will be try to set the story straight with its own manifesto, a document which sets out the policies the party will pursue in government, an agenda Starmer said would put wealth creation and economic growth at its heart.

Labour has repeatedly said it will stick to strict spending rules — a line Labour, traditionally seen as the party of tax and spend, has adopted not only to try to show it has changed since being led by Corbyn but also to challenge Conservative attacks that it will increase taxes.

But it was Corbyn who came back to haunt Starmer on Wednesday, when he was asked whether he believed what he said when in 2019 he said the veteran leftist would make a good prime minister and when he made 10 left-wing pledges to become Labour leader a year later, several of which he has since dropped.

“Have I changed my position on those pledges, yes I have,” said Starmer. “I think this party should always put the country first.”

ALSO READ-Labour to publish manifesto on Thursday

Categories
-Top News UK News

Sunak pledges £17 bn tax cuts by 2030

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty visit the British Normandy Memorial near Gold Beach, alongside Military veterans, the President of France Emmanuel Macron, and King Charles III to mark the D-Day 80th anniversary in France. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street

Opponents said Sunak was making unrealistic and unaffordable promises in a desperate bid to stave off defeat…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday implored British voters, and his own party, to throw him a lifeline in the UK’s election, pledging to cut taxes and reduce immigration if his Conservative Party is reelected on July 4.

With the Conservatives trailing Labour Party in opinion polls, Sunak acknowledged that “people are frustrated with our party and frustrated with me.” But he argued that the Conservatives are “the only party with the big ideas to make this country a better place to live.”

Opponents said Sunak was making unrealistic and unaffordable promises in a desperate bid to stave off defeat.

Tuesday’s launch of the Tories’ manifesto, its main package of pledges, came a day after Sunak was forced to deny rumors he could quit even before polling day as the Conservatives are alarmed over his lackluster campaign.

Sunak insisted he had not considered resigning and said he was “not going to stop fighting for people’s votes.”

On July 4, British voters will elect lawmakers to fill all 650 seats in the House of Commons, and the leader of the party that can command a majority — either alone or in coalition — will become prime minister.

Sunak held the manifesto launch at Silverstone motor racing circuit in central England, home of the British Grand Prix, and it could be one of his last big chances to get his spluttering campaign back on track.

His central pitch was the claim that a government led by Labour’s Keir Starmer would raise taxes, while a Conservative one would lower them.

In its manifesto the party pledged 17 billion pounds ($22 billion) in tax cuts by 2030, to be paid for largely by slashing welfare costs. The main tax cut is a 2 percentage point reduction in National Insurance, a tax employees pay to qualify for a state pension. The Conservative government has already cut it twice, from 12% to the current 8%.

Sunak said the Conservatives would pay for lower taxes by “controlling the unsustainable rise in working-age welfare that has taken off since the pandemic.”

The Labour Party argues that the tax burden has risen to its highest level in decades during 14 years of Tory rule. Labour campaign chairman Pat McFadden called the Conservative manifesto “the most expensive panic attack in history.”

Paul Johnson, director of independent think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said he had “a degree of skepticism” about the math behind the Conservative promises.

“Those are definite giveaways paid for by uncertain, unspecific and apparently victimless savings,” he said.

Sunak’s surprise decision to call a summer election, several months earlier than most people expected, was intended partly to catch the opposition unprepared.

But it’s the Conservatives who have seemed off-balance from the moment Sunak stood outside 10 Downing St. in the rain on May 22 to announce the start of the campaign.

The Conservatives were already on the defensive after jettisoning two prime ministers without an election in quick succession in 2022: first Boris Johnson, felled by scandals, then Liz Truss, who rocked the economy with drastic tax-slashing plans and lasted just seven weeks in office.

The party’s prospects worsened last week when populist firebrand Nigel Farage announced that he would run for Parliament at the helm of the right-wing party Reform U.K., vowing to be a “bloody nuisance” to the established parties.

Farage has been traversing the country seeking to rally support with his anti-establishment and anti-immigration rhetoric. On Tuesday a 28-year-old man was arrested after Farage was pelted with objects from a construction site as he rode in an open-topped bus in Barnsley, northern England.

Last week Farage was doused with a milkshake after a campaign appearance.

Sunak stumbled again last week when he flew home early from commemorations in France of the 80th anniversary of D-Day so he could resume campaigning. The photos of centenarian World War II veterans and an array of world leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden attending the solemn ceremony on Omaha Beach without him were a publicity nightmare.

Sunak quickly realized his error and apologized.

Paul Goodman, a former Conservative lawmaker who is now a member of the House of Lords, said the irony is that apart from the D-Day gaffe, “the Conservatives have run a perfectly decent, conventional campaign,” but have little to show for it.

“They’ve launched lots of policies, they’ve had some hits on Labour,” he said. “Rishi Sunak actually did pretty well in the debate (against Starmer) last week. … All of this appears to have made no difference at all.”

Sunak said the Conservatives would halve net immigration from its current level of about 700,000 people a year and would push on with a controversial plan to send some asylum-seekers who reach Britain by boat across the English Channel on a one-way trip to Rwanda.

Sunak said that if he won the election there would be a “relentless continual process of permanently removing illegal migrants to Rwanda” with the first flights taking off in July.

ALSO READ-Tory manifesto will include tax cuts, says Sunak

Categories
-Top News UK News

Tory manifesto will include tax cuts, says Sunak

The Conservatives have also said they want to abolish National Insurance completely in the long term, when it is deemed affordable to do so…reports Asian Lite News

The Conservative manifesto will include tax cuts, Rishi Sunak has said. The prime minister said, “We’re going to keep cutting people’s taxes. You’ll see that in our manifesto tomorrow.”

Challenged over how he would fund his policies, Sunak said they would all be “fully funded and costed”. He insisted day-to-day government spending on public services would continue to increase ahead of inflation under a future Tory government.

But when pressed over whether certain departments would see cuts, he acknowledged “all governments prioritise within that.” In the spring Budget, the government announced a 2p tax cut to National Insurance for 27 million workers – matching another reduction set out in last year’s Autumn Statement.

The Conservatives have also said they want to abolish National Insurance completely in the long term, when it is deemed affordable to do so. The party’s manifesto, which is being launched on Tuesday and will outline what it plans to do if it wins the election, is expected to include a pledge to scrap stamp duty for first-time buyers of properties costing up to £425,000.

However, it is not thought to include anything on inheritance tax. Asked if the Tory manifesto would promise more tax cuts, Sunak said he wanted to build on the tax cuts “we have already started to deliver”.

Both the Tories and Labour have ruled out any increase to the rate of income tax, National Insurance or VAT. However, both parties have also said income tax thresholds will remain frozen until 2028. This means millions of people will be pulled into a higher tax band if their wages increase.

Sunak said his party’s policies would be paid for by clamping down on tax avoidance, which he said would raise £6bn, as well as reforming the welfare system and getting more people into work. However, the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies has said delivering the £12bn savings promised by the Tories by 2030 through reforming welfare “looks difficult to the extreme”.

The think tank has also warned whoever wins the next election will have to cut the scope of what the state provides or increase taxes to maintain levels of departmental spending. Asked if he would be honest with people that his plans would also mean significant spending cuts for many government departments, the prime minister said: “No, that’s not what our plans show.”

He said day-to-day spending on public services under a future Tory government would continue to increase ahead of inflation. But he added: “Of course, all governments prioritise within that.”

Sunak said he also wanted to focus on productivity in the public sector, which he said had fallen “considerably since Covid”. He added that increasing productivity to pre-pandemic levels would save £20bn and would make it possible to cut taxes.

Sunak was also challenged over his party’s record on housing. Asking if having your own home had got harder under a Tory government, the prime minister said: “It has got harder – and I want to make sure that it’s easier.

“And what we will do is not just build homes in the right places and do that in a way that is sensitive to local communities, but make sure that we support young people into great jobs so they can save for that deposit.” He added that “saddling young people with higher taxes” would make it harder for them to save for a deposit to buy a house and he wanted people to “keep more of their money”.

One recent report by the Building Societies Association found first-time buyers were facing the toughest conditions in which to buy a house in 70 years. It suggested home ownership among younger people has been in decline over the last 20 years.

Mortgage rates are relatively high compared with the last decade, and the cost of renting has also soared, making it harder for people to save. This means first-time buyers face the double challenge of raising enough for a deposit as well as being able to afford a mortgage.

ALSO READ-Labour rejects Tory’s National Service plan

Categories
-Top News UK News

Sunak apologises for leaving D-Day event early 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer for a bilateral meeting and press conference at the Federal Chancellery in Vienna. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street

In a slightly convoluted-sounding explanation, Sunak said he did not prioritise the election over what is likely to be the last major anniversary to include D-day veterans…reports Asian Lite News

Rishi Sunak has apologised for missing a key part of the D-day commemorations in northern France to film a TV interview, as he faces a wave of condemnation over what may be his biggest misstep yet in a faltering election campaign.

The prime minister was heavily criticised for leaving the 80th anniversary events for an ITV interview that is not scheduled for broadcast until next week, with opposition parties calling it crass and a dereliction of duty.

He was also forced to deny he had planned to skip the D-day commemorations altogether, as he called for the events not to be politicised.

In a slightly convoluted-sounding explanation, Sunak said he did not prioritise the election over what is likely to be the last major anniversary to include D-day veterans – saying his itinerary had been set before the election was called.

But it remained unclear why he returned to the UK early for the interview, leaving David Cameron, the foreign secretary, to take his place for the late afternoon ceremony at Omaha beach on Thursday, alongside Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz, the leaders of the US, France and Germany.

With many Conservatives privately dismayed at the decision, and criticism mounting overnight, Sunak tweeted an early-morning apology on Friday.

“After the conclusion of the British event in Normandy, I returned back to the UK. On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay in France longer – and I apologise,” he wrote.

He sidestepped accusations that his actions showed a disdain for the military, instead claiming his record shows he has long supported the armed forces with “increasing levels of investment”.

It was subsequently reported that the French government had claimed its officials were told last week that Sunak would not attend the commemorations at all because of the general election campaign.

In a broadcast interview later on Friday, the prime minister denied the election had been a factor: “I stuck to the itinerary that had been set for me as prime minister weeks ago, before the election, fully participated.

“As I said, on reflection it was a mistake not to stay longer and I’ve apologised for that, but I also don’t think it’s right to be political in the midst of D-day commemorations. The focus should rightly be on the veterans and their service and sacrifice for our country.”

The Labour leader, Keir Starmer, said Sunak’s decision to leave Normandy early jarred with his pledge to introduce mandatory national service – intended to imbue 18-year-olds with a sense of civic duty.

A No 10 spokesperson said: “The prime minister was always scheduled to attend D-day commemorations, including the UK national commemoration event in Normandy, and it is incorrect to suggest otherwise.”

David Cameron, Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz and Joe Biden pose in a line on a walkway in front of a military vehicle on a beach

Conservative activists reacted with fury to Cameron’s presence at the afternoon event, with one saying it had left them questioning whether to “bother to continue campaigning”.

The veterans minister, Johnny Mercer, told the Sun: “I get the outrage. It’s a mistake. It’s a significant mistake for which he’s apologised.”

Sunak’s apology also came after the ITV presenter Paul Brand confirmed on News at Ten that the prime minister had returned from Normandy to speak to him. Brand said ITV was interviewing all of the party leaders and had been working to secure a date with Sunak for some time. “Today was the slot they offered us,” he said. “We don’t know why.”

Opposition politicians criticised Sunak on Friday morning, saying he had “brought shame” on the office.

When asked if there was a mismatch between Sunak’s national service policy and his behaviour on the 80th anniversary of D-day, Starmer told the Guardian: “I think there is, and he’s going to have to answer for the choices that he made. He’s the prime minister of the United Kingdom. This was a day of reflection, of being humbled really by the efforts that other people have made on our behalf.”

He added: “For me there was nowhere else I was going to be … There was only one choice, which was to be there, to pay my respects, to say thank you and to have to speak to those veterans.”

The Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, said: “One of the greatest privileges of the office of prime minister is to be there to honour those who served, yet Rishi Sunak abandoned them on the beaches of Normandy. He has brought shame to that office and let down our country.

“I am thinking right now of all those veterans and their families he left behind and the hurt they must be feeling. It is a total dereliction of duty and shows why this Conservative government just has to go.”

The Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, tweeted that Sunak “could not even be bothered to attend” the Omaha Beach event.

One Tory activist said: “Lots of us are asking each other what’s the point, across associations. He allowed a former PM to get some pics next to Biden in his place. Why should we bother to continue campaigning, knocking on hundreds of doors when Sunak seems to be doing all he can to completely ruin our chance of losing in a way that’s just about tolerable.”

ALSO READ-Sunak plans to cap work and family visas annually

Categories
-Top News UK News

‘Starmer beat Sunak 44% to 39% in ITV debate’

Savanta said that on the issues, its survey respondents gave Keir wins on immigration (45% to 37% for Sunak) and on defence and security (43% to 41%)…reports Asian Lite News

Keir Starmer beat Rishi Sunak by 44% to 39% in Tuesday night’s campaign debate, according to a new poll from Savanta conducted entirely after the clash concluded on ITV.

It contrasted with a snap poll done during the debate by YouGov which scored Prime Minister Sunak on 51% to 49% for the Labour leader, as the two leaders went head to head for the first time ahead of the general election on July 4.

Savanta said that on the issues, its survey respondents gave Keir wins on immigration (45% to 37% for Sunak) and on defence and security (43% to 41%).

The Labour leader was well ahead on the NHS and public services (63% versus 25%), plus the economy and cost of living (52% to 36%).

“According to our overnight panel, Starmer wins on the detail, but Sunak is much closer in the most important ‘who won the debate’ metric,” Savanta’s Political Research Director Chris Hopkins said.

“Presentationally, it felt like the Prime Minister had the upper hand at times – in particular towards the end of the debate – and although our figures suggest he lost narrowly, he probably still outperformed expectations,” he said.

Keir also beat the PM on every personality-based question posed by Savanta, including: who came across as most honest (54% to 29%), who gave the most thoughtful answers (53% to 35%) and who remained the calmest (51% to 36%).

Sunak came into the debate under pressure to come out firing, on the back of big surveys by YouGov and More In Common that pointed to a drubbing for the Tories in four weeks’ time. He did that by repeatedly alleging that Labour plans a £2,000 tax raid on British households.

Keir was slow to counter the claim during the debate, before branding Mr Sunak the “British expert on tax rises” and insisting his rival could not be trusted after 14 years of Tory rule.

Commenting on the tax claim, Labour shadow frontbencher Jonathan Ashworth said on Wednesday morning: “That is a desperate lie by Rishi Sunak.”

On other issues, the PM was jeered by the audience for claiming that NHS waiting lists are coming down.

Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Claire Coutinho conceded on BBC Breakfast that they had gone up from when Sunak promised to cut them, but insisted that the Tory tax claims were justified by Treasury costings.

Ross stands by Sunak’s £2,000 tax claim

Douglas Ross has said he stands by the Prime Minister’s claim that a Labour government would raise taxes by £2,000 while Starmer’s party calls it a “lie”.

The Scottish Conservative leader said Keir had not been “agile” enough to properly dispute the figure during Tuesday-night’s debate.

Sunak repeatedly voiced the claim during his ITV head-to-head debate with Keir, saying “independent Treasury officials” have costed Labour’s policies “and they amount to a £2,000 tax rise for everyone”.

On Wednesday morning, it emerged that a senior Treasury official had reminded ministers not to say civil servants were behind their claim about Labour’s policies.

Ross visited the Oil States International plant in West Lothian, which manufactures components for the offshore industry, as he sought to highlight the Tories’ commitment to the sector.

Asked by the PA news agency if he stood by the claim, he said: “Yes, Labour will put up people’s taxes and it’s not just the Prime Minister saying that, Keir Starmer didn’t refute it. He didn’t come back during the debate and say they wouldn’t.”

When it was put to him that Labour are strongly disputing the claim, Ross said: “It’s interesting he didn’t do it during the debate. If he can’t be agile during a debate and refute it at the time, that tells you the story. That tells you that Labour will put up taxes on hardworking people here in Scotland and across the UK. In contrast, you’ve got the Conservatives reducing taxes.”

The Scottish Conservative leader said the £2,000 figure came from special advisers working with ministers.

Shadow Scotland secretary Ian Murray said: “Rishi Sunak is a liar who has resorted to using made-up figures to try and revive his flagging campaign.

“This is a sign of how chaotic and desperate the Tory campaign has become.

“The Tories have hiked tax 26 times and made £71 billion worth of unfunded promises – the only person putting public finances at risk is Rishi Sunak.

“Labour will treat public money with respect and we will not hike income tax, national insurance or VAT.”

ALSO READ-Rishi Puts Starmer in a fix over taxes

Categories
-Top News UK News

Sunak pledges immigration visa caps

Immigration is a highly contentious topic this election with 685,000 migrants entering the country last year, a figure that both main political parties have said is too high…reports Asian Lite News

The ruling Conservative party announced plans on Monday for new annual caps on work and family visas to cut immigration after the opposition laid out its plans for the key election issue.

The plan laid out by Sunak, who is predicted to lose to Labour’s Keir Starmer in the July election, would involve a new cap on the number of visas that would be set by parliament each year.

Immigration is a highly contentious topic this election with 685,000 migrants entering the country last year, a figure that both main political parties have said is too high.

While lower than the figure in 2022, the level of immigration last year was still around three times higher than in 2019, when the Tories won the last election with a promise to slash migrant numbers.

Over the weekend, Starmer set out Labour’s plans to cut regular migration by banning “bad bosses” who violate labour laws from bringing foreign workers to the country, and by requiring employers to prioritise training Britons first.

With a head-to-head debate due on Tuesday where Starmer and Sunak will face-off on key issues for the first time during their campaigns, the prime minister’s new policy seeks to set his party apart from Labour.

“We have taken bold action to cut the number of people coming to this country. The plan is working but migration levels are still too high, so we are going further,” Sunak said in a statement.

“The Conservatives are the only party that is willing (to) take the bold action needed to cut immigration figures,” he added.

The annual cap, which will progressively be lowered each year to cut migration numbers, will not affect foreign students and seasonal workers.

More than 300,000 work visas were given in the year ending March 2024, which is more than double the number granted in 2019, according to official statistics.

The Tory government has introduced new regulations this year to target regular immigration, including barring international students and social care workers from bringing dependents, and hiking the minimum salary for skilled worker visas.

While the tightened regulations led to a huge decline in the number of health and social care visa applications in May, according to interior ministry figures, care providers have warned that the sector is struggling to fill tens of thousands of vacancies.

Labour’s shadow home minister Yvette Cooper dismissed the proposed policy as a “meaningless announcement”.

The government has also targeted irregular migration through its flagship scheme to send failed asylum seekers to Rwanda, which Sunak has admitted will not be implemented before the election.

ALSO READ-Canada pledges more visas for Gazans

Categories
-Top News Europe UK News

Sunak slams Labour for lack of plans

Taking to social media platform X, Sunak said, “We all know that Labour doesn’t have a plan. But what does that actually mean if they got into power?”…reports Asian Lite News

As the countdown for the UK general elections has started, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday took a swipe at the opposition Labour Party, apparently referring that the party doesn’t have any plans for the country, if they come to power.

Rishi Sunak shared a short video on the social media platform X. In the video, Sunak said, “Right, here we go again. Today I’m going to be doing an explainer on Labour’s policy for our country’s future.” He then pointed to the clean board and left the room.

While sharing the video on X, Sunak wrote, “NEW: Labour’s plan explained.” Sunak has been repeatedly asserting that the Labour does not have any plans for UK and will push the country into “uncertainty.”

On May 25, Sunak launched an attack on the opposition Labour Party, alleging that they “don’t have a plan” and will push the country into “uncertainty.”

Earlier on May 22, Sunak, in a surprise announcement outside Downing Street, declared the general election on July 4.

Taking to social media platform X, Sunak said, “We all know that Labour doesn’t have a plan. But what does that actually mean if they got into power?”

“Uncertainty. Who knows what they would do in government? They won’t tell us how they would fund any of their policies. They refused to meet our defence spending pledge. But what is the cost of this uncertainty?” he asked.

The PM said that an uncertain future has consequences, which make the world “more dangerous”. Sunak also affirmed that he has taken the “bold action” necessary to secure the country.

“An uncertain future has consequences. Our enemies notice. The world becomes more dangerous as they take advantage of our weakness. This leads to higher prices of food and fuel, as well as a greater risk of attacks against our nation,” Sunak said.

“It doesn’t have to be this way. Inaction leads to uncertainty, so I’ve already taken the bold action necessary to secure our country. I’ve already increased defence spending and committed to protecting our allies,” he said.

Attacking the opposition, Sunak said that the Conservatives are committed to protect the nation, while the whole country will be at risk if the Labour Party wins.

“We commit to protecting our nation. They refused to meet our defence spending pledge. We take the decisions to protect our energy security. They blocked new sources of power for our country. We take the bold decisions necessary to secure our country. They do nothing,” Sunak said.

“The consequences of uncertainty are clear. No plan means a more dangerous world. You, your family and our country are all at risk if Labour wins,” he added.

Sunak was required to hold a vote by January 2025 and had long avoided specifying his plans. However, a drop in inflation rates in May set the stage for him calling snap polls. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Abbott ‘banned’ from standing as Labour candidate

Categories
-Top News UK News

Sunak-Starmer face-off on June 4

The hour-long debate will be moderated by Julie Etchingham and take place in front of a studio audience…reports Asian Lite News

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer will go head to head in the first televised leaders’ debate of the General Election campaign next week.

ITV confirmed the Prime Minister and the Labour leader will take part in the show at 9pm on Tuesday June 4. The hour-long debate will be moderated by Julie Etchingham and take place in front of a studio audience.

Michael Jermey, ITV’s director of news and current affairs, said: “Millions of viewers value the election debates.

“They provide a chance to see and hear the party leaders set out their pitch to the country, debate directly with each other and take questions from voters. ITV is pleased to be broadcasting the first debate in this year’s election campaign.”

The broadcaster also plans interviews with other party leaders and a multi-party debate.

But SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney said it was “ridiculous” that his party – the third largest in the Commons – had been excluded from the June 4 showdown.

Sky News said it will host a “leaders’ event” on Wednesday June 12 in Grimsby, a key marginal seat the Tories won with a majority of 7,331 in 2019.

Keir has agreed to take part, with talks ongoing with Sunak’s team, according to the broadcaster. A spokesperson for the Conservative Party told Sky that the Prime Minister would take part “and answer questions from voters, on the condition that he and Keir Starmer take those questions on stage together.”

Meanwhile, Labour’s lead over the Tories has soared to 27 points since Rishi Sunak announced the general election, a new poll has revealed.

The YouGov survey for Sky News also showed that just 36% of people who voted Conservative in 2019 plan to do so again on July 4.

The findings echo a mega poll of 12,000 people published last night which also showed Labour’s lead over the Conservatives is growing after one week of the election campaign.

According to the new YouGov poll, which was carried out on Monday and Tuesday, support for Labour has increased by three points to 47%, while backing for the Tories is down two points to just 20%.

The findings are another major blow for the prime minister as he seeks to turn around his party’s fortunes between now and polling day.

Another poll published yesterday by Survation also showed Labour extending its lead. It put the party on 47%, with the Tories down three points on 24%.

Tory bosses are currently trying to stabilise the party’s election campaign following a disastrous start marked by internal rows and embarrassing gaffes.

Sunak was left soaked after he announced the election date outside 10 Downing Street in the pouring rain, with the New Labour anthem ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ being played by a protester.

The Tories also suffered a miserable Bank Holiday Monday, with Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker breaking ranks to criticise Sunak’s flagship plan to make all 18-year-olds carry out national service.

Baker then left the campaign train to fly off to Greece for a pre-arranged holiday with his wife.

Meanwhile, outgoing Tory MP Lucy Allan was suspended by the party after she endorsed the Reform UK candidate in her former seat.

Sunak was left soaked after he announced the election date outside 10 Downing Street in the pouring rain, with the New Labour anthem ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ being played by a protester.

The Tories also suffered a miserable Bank Holiday Monday, with Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker breaking ranks to criticise Sunak’s flagship plan to make all 18-year-olds carry out national service.

Baker then left the campaign train to fly off to Greece for a pre-arranged holiday with his wife.

Meanwhile, outgoing Tory MP Lucy Allan was suspended by the party after she endorsed the Reform UK candidate in her former seat.

However, Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones, urged caution over the polling. He told LBC: “The key message to voters across the country is that polls are a snapshot of today, they’re not a prediction of the future.

“Polling day is on July 4, nothing matters apart from the votes that are cast on July 4. So, for anybody that wants an end to the 14 years of Conservative government in our country, who want brilliant Labour MPs in their constituency, then they need to go and vote for that on July 4.”

The Conservatives’ general election campaign is in meltdown after a minister criticised Rishi Sunak’s flagship policy of bringing back national service.

Steve Baker said the PM’s plan for all 18-year-olds to either enlist in the Army for a year or volunteer for community service had been “sprung on” Tory candidates.

It emerged that just last week, defence minister Andrew Murrison had set out why the government did not support the return of national service.

Baker, the Northern Ireland minister, made clear his unhappiness at the policy on X (formerly Twitter) today.

He said: “I don’t like to be pedantic but a government policy would have been developed by ministers on the advice of officials and collectively agreed. I would have had a say on behalf of NI. But this proposal was developed by a political adviser or advisers and sprung on candidates, some of whom are relevant ministers.”

ALSO READ-Sunak pledges huge pension rise

Categories
-Top News Politics UK News

Sunak pledges huge pension rise

Under Sunak’s plan, the income tax threshold for retirees would be included in the triple lock, meaning that it will always go up by the same rate as the pension…reports Asian Lite News

The state pension will never be taxed under the Conservatives, Rishi Sunak will declare on Tuesday. The Prime Minister will announce plans to give retirees “peace of mind and security” by automatically raising the threshold at which they start paying income tax each year so that it stays ahead of the state pension.

Labour failed to match the pledge – dubbed the quadruple lock – on Monday with the Tories warning that Sir Keir Starmer was lining up a huge tax raid on the elderly.

It comes after criticism of the Tories for freezing income tax thresholds, which pulled people into higher tax bands, or into paying income tax for the first time through fiscal drag.

Downing Street said its proposals would mean eight million pensioners would save £100 in tax from next year and almost £300 a year by the end of the decade.

On current forecasts, if the threshold stayed the same and the state pension increased as expected, retirees would start paying income tax on their state pension for the first time in 2027.

On Monday, Sunak said ahead of the announcement: “I passionately believe that those who have worked hard all their lives should have peace of mind and security in retirement. 

“Thanks to the Conservatives’ triple lock, pensions have risen by £900 this year and now we will cut their taxes by around £100 next year.

“This bold action demonstrates we are on the side of pensioners. The alternative is Labour dragging everyone in receipt of the full state pension into income tax for the first time in history.”

Laura Trott, the Chief Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said the pledge would mean that under the Tories pensioners would “never” pay income tax.

Writing for The Telegraph, she said: “This Government have always protected and will always protect the most vulnerable. That has been our track record since 2010, and that is what we will continue to do.

“There is a clear choice for pensioners at this election. Choose the Conservatives with a clear plan, taking bold action to secure your future.

“Or risk Keir Starmer, who has no plan, whose party neglected pensioners last time, with every sign they’d do it again.”

The threshold at which all Britons, including retirees, start paying income tax is set at £12,570, while annual state pension payments are now £11,500.

But while the state pension is projected to carry on rising sharply thanks to the triple lock, income tax thresholds have been frozen until at least 2028.

On current forecasts, the state pension is expected to rise by £430 next April and by £1,700 by the end of the decade, reaching £13,277 a year.

It means that, without action, almost 13 million retirees will be dragged into paying the basic 20 per cent rate on the annual increases to their payments from 2027.

They would also have to start filling out tax returns, leaving elderly people confronted with complex paperwork and HMRC snowed under with extra work.

Under Sunak’s plan, the income tax threshold for retirees would be included in the triple lock, meaning that it will always go up by the same rate as the pension.

Introduced by the Tories in 2010, the mechanism means pensions always rise by whichever is highest of inflation, increases in average earnings, or 2.5 per cent.

The Prime Minister’s plan for a “triple lock plus” would cost £2.4 billion a year, with No 10 saying it would be paid for by clamping down on tax avoidance.

Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, added: “The last Labour government completely failed pensioners, with a £118 billion pensions tax raid and an insulting 75pc increase to the state pension.

“Sir Keir Starmer can pay lip service to supporting pensioners but we know it will always be the same old Labour, putting our pensioners at the back of the queue.”

As a result of the pledge, the £1,000 buffer between the value of the state pension and the income tax threshold for retirees would be effectively baked in.

That would mean around five million pensioners who have no private income and rely purely on their state handouts will benefit by never having to pay tax.

The eight million retirees who do have other income, like a private pension, would also be better off as they would face no tax on the first £1,000 of it.

Tory strategists will hope that the policy can win back pensioners who have become disillusioned with the party’s record in recent years.

In particular, there was a fear that the elderly felt left out of recent Budgets, where Jeremy Hunt announced big National Insurance tax cuts for working people.

On Monday night, Labour dismissed the pledge as “desperate” and said the Tories planned to undermine the state pension by abolishing National Insurance.

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow paymaster general, said: “This is just another desperate move from a chaotic Tory party torching any remaining facade of its claims to economic credibility.

“Labour will protect the triple lock. But Rishi Sunak is planning to reward Britain’s pensioners for their loyalty by stabbing them in the back, just like he did to Boris Johnson and just like he has done to his own MPs.”

ALSO READ-Sunak and Starmer kick off poll campaigns

Categories
-Top News UK News

Sunak and Starmer kick off poll campaigns

Sunak attended a campaign rally in east London on Wednesday evening flanked by most of the cabinet…reports Asian Lite News

Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer have kicked off their election campaigns on Thursday, six weeks before the country goes to the polls.

The prime minister toured broadcast studios before embarking on a two-day whistle-stop trip taking in all four nations of the UK. Starmer spoke at a campaign event in Gillingham, Kent in a sign he wants to make inroads in Tory heartlands.

In a high-stakes gamble, Sunak on Wednesday called a surprise general election for 4 July, when Starmer will try to win power for Labour after 14 years of Conservative-led government.

Addressing the nation outside Downing Street, Sunak said it was “the moment for Britain to choose its future”, claiming the Tories could be trusted to lead the country during a time of global instability. The rain-soaked prime minister was almost drowned out by the New Labour anthem, D:Ream’s Things Can Only Get Better, blasted out by the anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray.

Sunak’s words were met with alarm by senior Tories who are concerned that their party, trailing 20 percentage points behind Labour in the polls, could face electoral wipeout, with some MPs even considering submitting letters of no confidence.

Starmer is widely expected to become the next prime minister after transforming Labour since its historic election defeat almost five years ago.

In a televised address in front of union flags, the Labour leader said the election gave voters the opportunity to bring about change. “Here it is. The future of the country in your hands,” he said.

“On 4 July you have the choice and together we can stop the chaos, we can turn the page, we can start to rebuild Britain and change our country.”

Sunak finally decided to name the date after claiming the economy was improving. Earlier, he told his cabinet that falling inflation and net migration figures would reinforce the Tories’ election message of “sticking to the plan”.

However, two cabinet ministers – Esther McVey and Chris Heaton-Harris – reportedly expressed reservations about the date amid concerns that voters were not feeling better off despite the improved economic outlook.

Michael Gove, meanwhile, backed the prime minister’s decision by channelling the SAS. “Who dares wins,” he is said to have told colleagues. “And you have dared, PM, and will win.”

Speaking outside the door to No 10, Sunak said: “I hope that my work since I became prime minister shows that we have a plan and are prepared to take bold action necessary for our country to flourish.

“Now I’ve stuck with that plan and always been honest with you about what is needed even when that’s been difficult. I cannot and will not claim that we have got everything right. No government should, but I am proud of what we have achieved together, the bold actions we have taken. I’m confident about what we can do in the future. The question now is how and who do you trust to turn that foundation into a secure future for you, your family and our country.”

Sunak’s speech gave a sense of how he plans to fight the election, focusing on the issue of who the country should trust in difficult times and warning that the British people cannot believe any promise made by Starmer.

“This election will take place at time when the world is more dangerous than it has been since the end of the cold war,” he said. “These uncertain times call for a clear plan and bold action to chart a course to a secure future. You must choose in this election who has that plan.”

The Conservative party chair, Richard Holden, and strategist Isaac Levido later hosted a call for Tory MPs, in which they said the party needed to hold on to as much of its 2019 coalition of voters as it could, arguing they were the best choice during a time of global instability and stressing to potential Reform UK voters that they risked letting in Starmer.

Sunak attended a campaign rally in east London on Wednesday evening flanked by most of the cabinet. Taking to a small stage in a back room of the ExCel Centre in front of about 100 Tory party members, he sought to evoke an underdog status by suggesting that Labour already believed it had won.

“The British people are going to show that they don’t take too kindly to being taken for granted,” Sunak said.

His 5pm announcement followed a day of febrile speculation in Westminster, triggered by rare good economic news for the government and an unusually timed cabinet meeting, with senior ministers including David Cameron changing plans to attend.

The prime minister, who has long said his “working assumption” was that the election would be held in the second half of the year, had been expected to wait until the autumn and a further tax-cutting budget before holding a contest, given his party’s lag in the polls.

However, government insiders suggested Sunak had been convinced that, with the economic backdrop unlikely to improve significantly before the autumn, and questions over the delivery of his Rwanda deportation scheme, he would be better off announcing an election now.

It will be the first July election since 1945, when the then Labour leader, Clement Attlee, won a majority of 145 seats. The campaign will also be fought during the Euro 2024 football tournament, with polling day falling just before the quarter-finals.

Labour will hope to capitalise on a nationwide feeling of hope, if England and Scotland progress through the tournament, of the kind engendered during the 1996 Euros in the run-up to Tony Blair’s election the following year.

After Sunak’s announcement, Starmer posted a video on X, saying it was “time for change” and warning that five more years of Tory rule would mean things getting worse, including NHS waiting times, rising food prices and sewage-hit waters. “Stop the chaos, turn the page, start to rebuild,” he said

ALSO READ-Sunak Calls Surprise Early Election for July