The speech took place in the middle of torrential rain, and was drowned out by a protester playing a “trolling” song: ‘Things can only get Better’ by D:Ream, the anthem synonymous with New Labour’s 1997 general election landslide.
Starmer declared a vote for Labour is a vote for stability, and stressed his commitment to public service.
In Sunak’s first election rally, he emphasised the need for security in a world of multiple threats.
“Furious” Conservative MPs are said to be plotting to call off the general election and replace Sunak as leader before parliament is dissolved next Thursday. Some political journalists are reporting that several letters of no confidence in Sunak have been submitted to the chairman of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady.
That’s it from me, Donna Ferguson. If you want to continue following news on the election, head to our newly created General Election 2024 section.
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McCaffrey was manhandled by the event’s security as he attempted to explain, walking backwards while broadcasting, why he was being forcibly removed.
McCaffrey said the party claimed the event was being covered by a pool camera which was supporting broadcasters with footage and therefore he wasn’t authorised to be there.
Reuters’ deputy editor-in-chief, Barry Malone, reacted to the fiasco on X, posting: “That’s some fine TV journalism-ing from @darrenmccaffrey.”
Here is the clip:
writes editor Rachel Cunliffe. “Up until this morning, No 10 had sent very strong signals that an election would not be called until the autumn.”
There is “widespread fury” in the party from MPs, candidates, grassroots activists, advisers and parliamentary aides, who will lose their jobs if the people they work for lose their seats.
One texted Cunliffe to tell her the decision was cruel. Another described it as heartbreaking.
There is still no understanding of why Sunak chose to make the announcement, she writes, but MPs have told her “it’s a terrible idea”, “I don’t get it”, “really odd”, “he’s given up” and “we deserve to lose”.
Another called the day’s proceedings “a shitshow”.
“It’s hard to imagine a less united party heading into a six-week election campaign,” she concludes.
Rishi Sunak is totally down on his luck, he can’t buy an even break. This was meant to be his last hurrah. The prime minister’s final act of pomp and circumstance. The lectern outside Downing Street to inform an ungrateful nation that he was calling a general election for 4 July.
Only it wasn’t just raining. It was chucking it down. Soak the Rich. Soak the Rish!. Sunak was determined to front it out. To not give in and miss out on his photo op. But he looked fed up even as he appeared from the front door. Five minutes later he looked thoroughly miserable. Borderline catatonic. His suit drenched, his speech in rags. And all the while Steve Bray played Labour’s 1997 election theme song, D:Ream’s Things Can Only Get Better, at full volume.
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The Times (pay wall), Curtice said the Conservative part was – on average – 21 points behind Labour in the polls and that Labour’s average lead has never been fewer than 15 points ever since Sunak took over as prime minister.
Even if Starmer proves a “poor campaigner”, that should not “comfort” Sunak.
A 10-point fall in Labour’s lead – similar to the fall Theresa May suffered after an “inept” campaign in 2017 – would still leave it 11 points ahead.
“If the electoral system treats Labour as unkindly as it did in 2019 – and one of the messages of the local elections this month is that that looks unlikely – Starmer would still be better placed to form a minority government in a hung parliament,” Curtice writes.
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Source: theguardian.com
