The Conservative Party is facing calls to embrace Nigel Farage to “unite the right” as Suella Braverman urges this move following a tumultuous period for Rishi Sunak. The former home secretary highlighted the similarities between the policies of the new Reform UK leader and the Tories, sparking debates among senior Conservatives about the party’s future. Despite rumors of Sunak potentially resigning after a D-Day blunder, cabinet minister Mel Stride firmly denied any possibility of the prime minister stepping down before the general election on 4 July. Labour is currently projected to win a majority of 416 seats, leaving the Tories with only 37 seats, according to a new Deltapoll survey, with even the prime minister at risk of losing his Yorkshire seat.
Election latest: Tory party must embrace Farage to ‘unite the right’, says Braverman
Minister denies Rishi Sunak will quit before general election after D-Day blunder
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The Conservative Party must embrace Nigel Farage to “unite the right”, Suella Braverman has urged, following a disastrous few days for Rishi Sunak.
The former home secretary told The Times there was “not much difference” between the new Reform UK leader’s policies and those of the Tories, as senior Conservatives start debating the future of the party.
The prime minister will return to the campaign trail on Monday after his decision to skip a D-Day memorial event attended by other world leaders last week sparked a furious backlash from some Tories and political rivals alike.
With fierce critic Nadine Dorries claiming to have heard rumours over the weekend “that Sunak’s about to fall on his sword”, cabinet minister Mel Stride was forced to insist there was “no question” of the prime minister quitting before the general election on 4 July.
It comes as Labour is set for a majority of 416, leaving the Tories at just 37 seats, according to a new Deltapoll survey. It puts Sir Keir Starmer’s party on 46 per cent compared to the Conservatives on 21 per cent – with even the prime minister set to lose his Yorkshire seat.
Key Points
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General election campaign trail: Manifesto week
Another week of campaigning begins and parties are ready to reveal their manifesto.
The Liberal Democrats are first out of the traps, with the Tories, Labour and Greens all expected to produce their policy promises this week.
Here’s what we can expect today:
Sir Ed Davey launches Lib Dems manifesto with a speech in north London this morning.Nigel Farage and Richard Tice to launch Reform UK’s economic policy in Westminster this afternoon. Rishi Sunak is campaigning in the South East.Sir Keir Starmer and shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson will visit a nursery in the West Midlands.
Salma Ouaguira10 June 2024 07:12
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Watch: Stride responds to Farage’s claim Sunak does not understand ‘our culture’
Mel Stride responds to Nigel Farage’s claim that Rishi Sunak does not understand ‘our culture’
Tara Cobham10 June 2024 07:00
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Gove’s replacement caught out on claim he moved to Surrey Heath as home found on AirBnb
Political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:
Tara Cobham10 June 2024 06:00
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Watch: Sunak ‘utterly disconnected’ from ordinary people, Farage says
Rishi Sunak ‘utterly disconnected’ from ordinary people, Nigel Farage says
Tara Cobham10 June 2024 05:00
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Like him or not, there’s a reason voters keep coming back to Nigel Farage
To what may we attribute the current success of Nigel Farage and his latest vehicle, Reform UK? Without exaggerating their strength – Reform UK is not about to win the general election and Farage is not going to be asked by the King to form an administration in his name – their rise is undeniable and, for the Tories, terrifying.
Quite a lot of that is down to one man and, whether you think him evil or not, the political gifts he undoubtedly possesses. He is, to many of us, a fascistic demagogue; but not every wannabe authoritarian leader gets very far, and it still takes skill, as well as luck and some judgement, to get as far as he has for as long as he has. After all, he first emerged as leader of Ukip in 2006 and has been part of the national scene, from Brussels to I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, ever since. Whether we like it nor not, he is a force in British politics.
Tara Cobham10 June 2024 04:00
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Sunak sets out plan for 8,000 more ‘bobbies on the beat’
Rishi Sunak has promised to recruit 8,000 more neighbourhood police officers, paid for by hiking the cost of visas if the Conservatives win the General Election.
The prime minister said “more bobbies on the beat” with greater powers would help drive down crime.
The Tories said the plan would be funded in part by increasing visa fees by 25 per cent and making overseas students pay a higher level of immigration health surcharge.
The prime minister highlighted the Tory record of recruiting 20,000 officers since 2019, although this matched the number of officers lost during the years of austerity after 2010.
Mr Sunak said: “Our new 20,000 new police officers since 2019 have made a huge difference, with neighbourhood crime down 48% as a result.
“We will now go further by hiring 8,000 more police officers, each one dedicated to their local community.
“People deserve to feel safe in their neighbourhood.
“More bobbies on the beat and increased powers will give police forces the tools they need to drive down neighbourhood crime even further.”
The Tories plan to press ahead with extra powers for officers to crack down on so-called zombie knives and use GPS tracking technology to search for stolen phones without a warrant which were included in the Criminal Justice Bill which was halted when Mr Sunak called the General Election.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on the campaign trail (PA Wire)
Tara Cobham10 June 2024 03:00
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Mapped: Tactical voting poses threat to half of projected Tory election wins
More than a hundred seats across the UK could be ripe for tactical voting at the general election, according to a new analysis by The Independent.
Based on a major poll from YouGov, published on Monday, almost half of the Conservatives’ projected wins come with a margin under 5 points.
The Tories themselves may have an eye on 50 seats Labour and the Liberal Democrats are projected to win, if they can persuade Reform UK voters to back them.
Data Correspondent Alicja Hagopian reports:
Tara Cobham10 June 2024 02:00
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Labour promises school breakfast clubs will save parents £400 a year
Labour has said its commitment to delivering free breakfast clubs in primary schools will save parents more than £400 a year and cut almost half a million days of school absence.
In the first phase of the party’s childcare plan, it promises to slash absence and save primary school parents hundreds of pounds a year.
By Labour’s estimates, for parents who already pay for alternative before-school childcare such as childminders, funded breakfast clubs could cut the cost by up to £50 a week, delivering savings of almost £2,000 across a school year.
Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secretary, said the breakfast clubs plan is the first step towards delivering a transformation in childcare which supports families from the end of parental leave to the end of primary school.
Ms Phillipson said: “Families’ childcare needs don’t end when their kids leave nursery, that’s why we’ll put free breakfast clubs in every English primary school.
“We’ll fund our clubs by clamping down on tax dodgers and save hardworking parents over £400 every year.
“Breakfast clubs are proven to improve kids’ behaviour and grades, and get those regularly missing class back into school – giving them a great start to their day and getting them ready to learn.”
Labour has said it will roll out the fully funded breakfast clubs across all primary schools in England, expanding significantly from the Conservatives’ plans which it claims reach just one in every seven primary schools.
In addition to providing vital childcare for parents, Labour analysis claims breakfast clubs could also cut 450,000 days of school absence among primary school pupils.
School attendance has been described as a national crisis as the number of children not attending school has risen in recent years.
Tara Cobham10 June 2024 01:00
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Tory party must embrace Farage to ‘unite the right’, says Braverman
The Conservative Party must embrace Nigel Farage to “unite the right”, Suella Braverman has urged, following a disastrous few days for Rishi Sunak.
The former home secretary told The Times there was “not much difference” between the new Reform UK leader’s policies and those of the Tories, as senior Conservatives start debating the future of the party.
Tara Cobham10 June 2024 00:11
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Tories embroiled in hypocrisy row over anti-Ulez pledge
But Mr Sunak was accused of hypocrisy after it emerged his own ministers had supported many of the measures he is now railing against.
Archie Mitchell and David Maddox report:
Tara Cobham10 June 2024 00:00
Read the full story on www.independent.co.uk
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/general-election-sunak-farage-mordaunt-rayner-latest-news-b2559560.html