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Nigel Farage has declared himself as the “new opposition” following a groundbreaking YouGov poll that put Reform ahead of the Conservatives for the first time in history.
Speaking during a press conference in London, the party leader called Sir Keir Starmer to go on a head-to-head televised debate to challenge his policies on migration.
With only three weeks before election day, the prime minister insisted the Conservatives will not come third at the general election and said they are “still fighting hard fore every vote”.
Speaking from Italy where is attending the G7 leaders summit, Mr Sunak warned people against voting for Nigel Farage’s party as they will make Labour win and hand Sir Keir Starmer a “blank cheque”.
It comes as Mr Farage claimed that postal ballot is open to fraud and intimidation adding “it happens in this country all the time” while he was quizzed by callers on BBC’s 5 Live. But the Electoral Commission has said that there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the UK.
Do Labour’s numbers add up?
He writes: “In its manifesto, Labour has correctly identified a key problem: lack of economic growth. Britain desperately needs more of it to properly fund public services while preventing taxes from soaring rapidly.”
But while spotting the problem is easy enough, fixing it is another matter, Moore continues: “How does Labour’s manifesto measure up as a form of treatment for this fiscal malaise? The answer is mostly ‘umm, err…’ because the 130-plus pages are deliberately light on detail, with lots of talk about strategising and new agencies that will be, well, strategising.”
Votes for 16- and 17-year-olds could be extended across Britain – but is it a good idea?
The Liberal Democrats, the SNP, the Greens, Plaid Cymru, and now Labour have all unequivocally committed to granting full voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds, for Westminster and all other elections.
O’Grady writes: “Given the likelihood of a Labour administration with an unassailable parliamentary majority, it’s worth quoting the party’s pledge: ‘We will increase the engagement of young people in our vibrant democracy, by giving 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections.’
“It seems that only the Conservatives, Reform UK and the DUP want the age for UK general elections left at 18. The implications could be profound, and unpredictable.”
Exclusive: Rishi Sunak blew £50 taxpayer cash on custom ‘stopped’ stamp
Lib Dems: Injuries will not stop Sir Ed Davey’s campaign stunts
Lib Dem deputy leader has said injuries would not stop Sir Ed Davey from engaging in stunts during the campaign trail.
Daisy Cooper said: “There’s almost nothing that’s going to stop Ed from getting out and about, meeting people, doing the stunts and having a lot of fun.”
She added: “We take our politics very seriously but we don’t think politicians should take themselves too seriously.
“Ed has won a lot of people’s hearts and minds with this strategy.”
Council staff to vote on strikes after pay offer rejected
Council staff across Scotland have rejected a new pay offer, with a vote now set to open on potential strike action, a union has said.
Unison Scotland balloted members on the offer from local authority body Cosla, but it said 91% of respondents rejected the 2.2% uplift, which would have increased by a further 2% after six months.
The union said over the coming weeks, its members – including cleansing workers and school staff – will now be consulted on walkouts.
Colette Hunter, chairwoman of the local government committee at the union, said: “This result must be a wake-up call for Cosla that council workers need to be rewarded fairly for the essential services they provide.”
Farage demands BBC leaders’ debate panel spot
Nigel Farage has demanded a spot on the BBC’s four-way leaders’ debate panel, which Fiona Bruce will host in York next Thursday.
The Reform UK leader suggested the broadcaster should feature him in the line-up after a landmark poll put his party ahead of the Conservatives.
Mr Farage added: “I think we can demand of right now that the BBC put us into that debate.”
The two-hour Question Time Leaders’ Special is set to feature the leaders of Great Britain’s four largest political parties.
Pictured: John Swinney and Stephen Flynn ready to watch Scotland vs Germany Euro 2024 game
Exclusive: ‘I kept asking why’: Syrian refugee detained for 25 days for Rwanda flights speaks after release
Mohammad Al Kharewsh, 25, said he kept questioning why he was among the first chosen and became increasingly depressed during his time in Gatwick detention centre.
His arrival in the UK in 2022 had seen him reunited with his brother, who was granted asylum in the UK as a minor, and the prospect of being separated again was “extremely intimidating”, he said.
Mohammad was one of more than 100 asylum seekers rounded up by the Home Office in May ahead of planned deportation flights to Rwanda.
Boris Johnson endorses another Tory candidate
The former prime minister has endorsed a fourth Conservative candidate as he joins the election campaign.
He hailed Jane Stevenson, who is running in Wolverhampton North East, as “full of passion”.
Source: independent.co.uk
