Debate: Don’t surrender Britain’s borders to Starmer, urges Sunak…
“Rishi Sunak urged voters not to “surrender” Britain’s borders to Labour, during the final TV debate of the general election campaign. The Prime Minister challenged Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, nine times to explain what he would do with 90,000 asylum-seekers stuck in limbo in the UK. The clash over immigration came in a fiery head-to-head BBC debate on Wednesday night between the two men vying to be prime minister after the July 4 election. Mr Sunak repeatedly returned to the theme of “surrender”, urging voters not to “surrender” the country to Labour’s tax rises and higher welfare spending. “If you are not certain about Labour, don’t surrender to them,” he warned.” – Daily Telegraph
- Combative Prime Minister had nothing to lose, and it showed – The Times
- He makes last-ditch effort to avoid Tory electoral meltdown – FT
- Crowd ask: ‘Are you two really the best we’ve got?’ – Daily Mail
- Angry protesters wreak havoc with noisy shouting – Daily Express
More:
- The best moments from Starmer and Sunak’s fiery head to head – Daily Telegraph
- The claims fact-checked – The Times
>Today: John Oxley’s column: A long night beckons for the Right – we must swiftly re-learn the tactics of opposition
…as he warns pensioners ‘retirement tax is coming for you’ if Labour wins election
“Rishi Sunak warned that pensioners should expect a “retirement tax” under Labour. The Prime Minister said Sir Keir Starmer was unwilling to match the Tories promise of a triple lock plus policy. During the exchange on the BBC Prime Ministerial debate, Sir Keir said Labour’s position on pensioners and tax is “exactly the same as the Government”, adding: “It is the position of the Government at their last budget.” Mr Sunak said: “If you are a pensioner, you should know, there is a retirement tax coming for you. Capital ‘r’, capital ‘t’, if he is your prime minister.” … Taxes, welfare and the economy were one of the major clash points between Mr Sunak and Sir Keir tonight. Mr Sunak warned voters that taxes will increase under Labour.” – Daily Express
- Will supermajority fears save Tories? – Daily Mail
- Labour avoids Lib Dem target seats in ‘unspoken pact’ – The Times
- Greig accuses Daily Mail of giving Conservative party easy coverage – FT
- Stride is the Tories’ man for a crisis as he leads media appearances tally – Daily Telegraph
- Labour plans heavy blow to end 70 years of Tory rule in Wycombe – The Times
Sketches:
- He’s simply the better debater, but also knows that the voters are long past caring – Tom Peck, The Times
- It’s exam time in this election and Rishi has done his revision – Madeline Grant, Daily Telegraph
- Sunak and Starmer wrap up their final debate of despair – John Crace, The Guardian
Comment:
- Combative, energetic, passionate – where has this Rishi been until now? – Gordon Rayner, Daily Telegraph
- Keir ‘folded like a deck chair’ on immigration – Ryan Sabey, The Sun
- Voters see Rishi as leading a gang out for themselves – Lord Ashcroft, Daily Mail
- A triumph for Sunak. But will it make any difference? – Tom Harris and Tim Stanley, Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday:
- Sir John Redwood’s column: This election has failed to grapple well with the major concerns of voters
- Dr Patrick English’s column: How the proportionality of swing can turn a big Conservative defeat into a wipeout
Scandals 1) Labour member held over Westminster honeytrap
“A Labour Party member has been identified as the man arrested over the Westminster honeytrap scandal. The man, who is in his mid-twenties, was detained by police on Wednesday morning in Islington, north London. Labour suspended the man’s membership of the party after being notified of the arrest, but said that it could not comment due to the ongoing police investigation. The member is believed to have been active within the party and has been pictured helping several candidates on the campaign trail.
In April, it was revealed that dozens of men, most of whom worked in politics, had received messages from someone calling themselves Charlie or Abi.” – The Times
- Party suspends them – FT
>Today: Lord Ashcroft in Comment: My latest poll finds almost three quarters of 2019 Tory voters would prefer them to Labour
Scandals 2) Police take over ‘small number’ of cases in election betting affair
“London’s Metropolitan Police is to take over “a small number” of investigations into UK election betting, raising the possibility of political figures facing charges of misconduct in public office. The Met announced the step late on Wednesday amid mounting speculation about the number of people potentially caught up in the scandal and the nature of the offences the police and the Gambling Commission might be investigating. At least five people connected with the Conservative party are under investigation by the gambling regulator over bets on the date of the general election placed before Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on May 22 that it would take place on July 4. At least six Met officers are also being investigated, over similar bets.” – FT
- Cops to probe “misconduct in public office” – The Sun
- Watchdog is probing ‘up to 15 Tories’ over bets – Daily Mail
More:
- Politicians who bet on the general election date are ‘stupid’, warns Duncan Smith – Daily Express
- Davies bet £8,000 on himself to lose seat – The Times
Analysis:
- Why does it seem like so many MPs are hooked on gambling? – The Times
- Does Westminster have a betting problem? – FT
>Yesterday:
- ToryDiary: The political betting scandal is turning stupid
- Jennifer Powers in Comment: Whatever the election result, CCHQ must overhaul the candidate selection process
- Video: The Tory betting scandal has overshadowed scrutiny of Labour’s promises
Video released of Cameron fooled by Russian hoax call
“Footage of a hoax call has been released of a “clearly Russian” impostor pretending to be a former Ukrainian president in conversation with the foreign secretary. In the video call, Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton discusses Labour, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine with someone purporting to be Petro Poroshenko. Poroshenko was Ukrainian president between 2014 and 2019, and has remained a prominent figure in the country since leaving office. The Foreign Office said the perpetrators were “clearly Russian”, adding that “disinformation is a tactic straight from the Kremlin playbook”. Earlier this month, the government made the hoax call public knowledge to stave off any attempts to manipulate video footage of the former prime minister from the communications.” – The Times
- How an unknown podcaster bagged an interview with Blair – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday: David Lu’s International column: The prospect of Trump’s return casts a cold light on Canada’s defence spending
Butler under fire for saying Badenoch ‘shouldn’t exist’
“A left-wing Labour candidate has been accused of bringing the party “into disrepute” by saying she agreed that Kemi Badenoch should not exist. Dawn Butler, Labour’s candidate for Brent East, said she that agreed with David Tennant, the actor, who said Badenoch should “shut up” over gender and women’s rights. Sir Keir Starmer, Labour’s leader, did not directly criticise her comments, but called for a “respectful” debate on the issue and said it was right that “robust discussion” was had… Labour Women’s Declaration, a group which campaigns within the party for sex-based rights, said Butler’s post was “disgraceful and brings our party into disrepute”. They suggested that the Labour Party should investigate.” – The Times
- Attacks will get worse under Labour, Atkins warns – The Sun
- Sunak wades into Tory trans row – Daily Mail
- Starmer accuses him of using issues as ‘political football’ – The Guardian
Comment:
- Actor’s mask slipped when he attacked Kemi – Brendan O’Neill, The Times
Editorial:
- Tennant should apologise – The Times
Cleverly warns Labour are relying on ‘hope’ to end Channel crisis…
“James Cleverly has warned Labour is planning to do “less” and “hope” for better results in ending the Channel migrant crisis. The Home Secretary said Keir Starmer will scrap the Rwanda scheme and rebadge the small boats operational command. And he warned a Labour Government would essentially be hoping that fewer small boats cross the Channel. H ome Office figures show 144 people made the journey in three boats on Tuesday, taking the provisional total for 2024 to date to 13,045. This is already a record for the first six months of a calendar year. It is also 16 percent higher than the number recorded by this time last year (11,278) and up seven percent on the same period in 2022 (12,206), according to analysis of Government figures.” – Daily Express
- Migrants in France ‘waiting for Labour government’ – Daily Telegraph
Comment:
- Right-wing Britain faces meltdown – Allister Heath, Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday: Jonathan Thomas in Comment: Will Europe copy the Rwanda plan?
…as Rayner says Labour will make every UK borough take ‘fair share’ of migrants
“Every borough in the UK will be required to take their “fair share” of asylum seekers under a Labour government, Angela Rayner has pledged. The party’s deputy leader and shadow levelling up secretary said successful asylum seekers would be eligible for places in the 1.5 million new social housing and homes that Labour planned to build “right across the country”. Labour has pledged to clear the 35,000 migrants currently being housed in hotels in a year. The Tories claimed that this could mean 1,300 new asylum seekers being housed in every local authority if the number of illegal migrants entering the UK were to continue at current levels over the next parliament.” – Daily Telegraph
- Fury as Starmer hints at reopening Brexit deal that may mean ‘free movement by back door’ – Daily Express
>Today:
- Andrew Gimson’s Vox Pub: Failure to provide ‘cradle to grave’ care turns voters in Plymouth against politicians
- Joanne Howey in Local Government: As a councillor, I have seen how Labour has left County Durham behind
Labour’s net zero target could cost hundreds of billions, leaked audio reveals
“Reaching Labour’s target for decarbonising the economy will cost “hundreds of billions” of pounds, a shadow minister has disclosed in a recording obtained by The Telegraph. Darren Jones, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said the £28 billion per year originally allocated to Labour’s green investment plan was a “tiny” amount. He said the fact that Sir Keir Starmer had downgraded his investment plans from £28 billion to £4.7 billion “made it sound as if we basically junked the whole thing but we definitely haven’t”. Mr Jones told a public meeting in Bristol that private capital would have to be used to upgrade infrastructure, but “public subsidy” would still be needed alongside that. His comments are set to reignite the row over Labour’s spending plans.” – Daily Telegraph
- Shadow minister indicates £28bn a year not enough to achieve Britain’s decarbonisation goal – FT
More:
- Labour plans for automatic registration would add millions to electoral roll – Daily Telegraph
- UK must stop ‘walking on eggshells’ about EU trade, business group to warn – FT
Comment:
- A backlash against Net Zero has begun… and politicians need to listen to the people – David Blunkett, The Sun
- Get ready for Reeves to feminise the economy – James Kirkup, The Times
- Starmer is about to kill the Brexit dream for good – Martin Howe, Daily Telegraph
- Two years to ‘skelp’ Scottish nationalism – Robert Shrimsley, FT
- Buyer’s remorse will set in immediately – Esther Krakue, Daily Express
- I’m putting faith in Labour to restore trust – Max Hastings, The Times
Editorial:
- Labour’s 2030 ban on new petrol vehicles could cripple Britain’s motor industry – The Times
- Next government must bat away eco fanatics – The Sun
>Yesterday: Abigail Mainon’s Wales Report: Only one party stands behind steelmaking – and it isn’t Labour
Streeting refuses to say it’s ‘cynical’ for junior doctors to go on strike during the campaign
“Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting today refused to label a strike by junior doctors during the general election campaign as ‘cynical’. The Labour frontbencher declined to agree with Health Secretary Victoria Atkins about tomorrow’s planned industrial action. Junior doctors are due to begin a full five-day walkout from 7am on Thursday until 2 July, which is just two days before Britons vote in the general election. It will mark the 11th strike by junior doctors in England since their dispute over pay began some 20 months ago, with union bosses demanding a 35 per cent wage hike. Ms Atkins last week wrote to the British Medical Association (BMA) to blast their decision to strike as a ‘cynical move’.” – Daily Mail
- Striking doctors confident Labour is ‘listening’ to pay demands – The Times
Comment:
- Who could really be running Britain in nine days’ time? – Daily Mail
Labour ‘not putting up a fight’ against Farage in Clacton
“Labour has been accused of “not putting up a fight” against Nigel Farage in Clacton after the party’s candidate was instructed to leave the constituency after “distracting” from Keir Starmer’s campaign. Jovan Owusu-Nepaul, 27, who works for Labour’s equalities team, was installed by the party last month to contest the seat, weeks before Farage changed his mind and decided to stand in the Essex constituency. Owusu-Nepaul has since been “seconded” to the West Midlands, while the local campaign in Clacton said that it had been banned from printing leaflets, blocked from using campaigning software and had access to the campaign’s social media overriden, with posts deleted on X. Labour regards Clacton as an unwinnable seat, with the party gaining just 15% of the vote in 2019, when the Tories won a 24,702 majority.” – The Guardian
- Candidate said he would ‘slaughter migrants’ – The Times
- Reform predicted to win 18 seats in new poll – Daily Telegraph
- Man who threw objects at Farage admits committing public order offence – Daily Mail
Comment:
- Why Farage’s Russia comments are just plain wrong – Lt Col Stuart Crawford, Daily Express
>Yesterday:
- Miriam Cates’ column: Voters are unhappy with politics. But many are still making up their minds.
- Sir Bill Cash in Comment: Conservative voters should not think of voting Reform, but of their family and their country
News in Brief:
- Badenoch shouldn’t stoop to Tennant’s level – Stephen Daisley, The Spectator
- Conservative attempts to reverse leftist victimology are doomed to fail – Ben Sixsmith, The Critic
- Farage: “I’ve done more than anyone else to defeat the far right in Britain” – Interview, New Statesman
- Starmer won’t save the NHS – Dr Emma Jones, UnHerd
- Labour won’t tell us what they think about immigration – Eliot Wilson, CapX
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