Rishi Sunak was caught off guard this afternoon when he was confronted by a voter on the Conservative Party's record during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Prime Minister was asked how he could be trusted by a worker whose mother died during the pandemic, while lockdown-busting parties were happening in Downing Street.
The man told the Prime Minister his mother died in 2020, just one month after Sunak attended a gathering for which he received a police fine.
During a staff Q&A at Niftylift, a cherry picker manufacturer near Milton Keynes, the worker asked: "How can anyone trust you or the party after things like this?"
Responding, the Prime Minister said: "Well, I’m really sorry that you lost your mum, and particularly in those circumstances, because it wasn’t easy for so many people during the pandemic, the impact it had on everyone’s life.
"I can’t imagine what it must have been for you not to be able to be with her at that time. It’s really tough. I’m sorry for what was going on in Downing Street. For my part, I apologise that I showed up to a meeting earlier.
"As you know, I was working on things to help you and your business, and many other families like that. In fact, it was probably in that same period of time that you got to know me as Chancellor.
"Most of you didn’t know who I was before then and I popped up on your TV screens, announced the furlough scheme… hopefully some of you here benefited from some of the support that we put in place."
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The Conservatives have pledged that fly-tippers will get points on their driving licences and anti-social tenants will get three strikes before being kicked out of social housing if the party is elected.
The worst fly-tipping offenders could lose their licences and face prison time, the Tories said.
The party said it would pass a law to kick tenants out of social housing after three proven instances of anti-social behaviour. Local authorities and housing associations will be responsible for evicting the tenants.
“This kind of behaviour can wreak havoc on your life and is linked to other crimes, like domestic violence and drug dealing. It will stop,” the party said.
Nigel Farage has locked horns with Broadcaster Piers Morgan in a bitter on-air row after he was accused of "bottling" his decision to stand in the upcoming General Election.
Farage, who is supporting Reform's campaign trail ahead of the July ballot, defended his decision on BBC panel show Question Time after being grilled by an audience member about why he chose not to stand.
WATCH THE FIERY ROW ABOVE AND READ OUR FULL STORY HERE
GB News' Christopher Hope has highlighted some poignant similarities between plans to tax companies which hire foreign workers put forward by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman in March and Reform UK today,
Christopher Hope wrote on Twitter: "Interesting. Suella Braverman looked at taxing companies which hire foreign workers when she was Home Secretary.
"Nigel Farage and Richard Tice appear to have picked up a version of the idea, announcing today plans for an immigrants' tax on companies.
"Braverman told me on March 5 this year: 'We also need to raise revenue in creative ways. I am interested in something I did as Home Secretary in raising taxes and charges on businesses that employ foreign workers. We have already an immigration health surcharge and an immigration skills charge - I think we need to increase those charges. That would not only raise revenue - estimated to up to £8billion but it would also have a corollary benefit I think of lowering net migration."
The former MP for Bolton North East is urging people to vote Labour in the general election on July 4PAFollowing the defection of Mark Logan to Labour, a Tory spokesperson has issued a scathing attack on the candidate.
A Tory spokesperson said: "It’s notable that Mark Logan has defected to a party he can’t even name a single policy of.
"We wish Mark Logan well with the Labour Party - a Party that has no plan for the country and would take us back to square one."
His defection comes after two other MPs - Natalie Elphicke and Dan Poulter - also quit the Tory Party to join Labour earlier this month.
A Tory candidate has become the latest member of Sunak's party to defect to Labour.
Mark Logan became the third Conservative candidate to defect to Keir Starmer's party in another blow for Rishi Sunak.
Logan said the Tory Party was "unrecognisable" from the party he joined a decade ago.
In a statement, Logan said: "Labour is back, and given how things have been, I believe things can only get better.
"After much soul-searching throughout my first term in parliament, brought to a head with the calling of a snap election last week, I have concluded that we need a new Government and I believe the UK will be best served with that Government being a Labour Government.
"We need renewed enthusiasm and optimism in both tone and in policy, and I believe that we are already seeing this through Keir Starmer and the team.
"I am resigning from the Conservative Party with immediate effect. Regrettably, I will therefore not contest our constituency at the upcoming General Election."
Rishi Sunak has suggested his national service plan would become a new “rite of passage” for 18-year-olds
PA
Rishi Sunak has suggested his national service plan would become a new “rite of passage” for 18-year-olds.
He said: “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, about how do we restore that sense of patriotism, pride and cohesiveness in our society.
“It will become a new rite of passage that everyone goes through and bring us closer together.”
The PM also said the plan could help to develop a "greater sense of pride in what we stand for and what we are as a country”.
Rishi Sunak has declined to make a concrete pledge on reducing the overall tax burden
PA
Rishi Sunak has declined to make a concrete pledge on reducing the overall tax burden.
Asked to name a target during a campaign visit to Niftylift, a cherry picker manufacturer near Milton Keynes, the PM said: “We’re very clear, both the Chancellor and I, that we want to keep cutting taxes on working people and that is the choice at this election.
“I believe people’s hard work should be rewarded. And after a difficult few years, we’re now in a position to cut people’s taxes.”
He added that “we want to do more when we can responsibly do so”.
Sunak also accused Labour of planning “£2,000 worth of tax rises because they’ve made all these spending commitments they haven’t got the money to pay for” and challenged Sir Keir Starmer “to say which taxes are going to go up” under a Labour government.
Sunak said the Tories’ promised tax cut for pensioners “hasn’t been matched by the Labour Party”, so “there is a retirement tax coming”.
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey has garnered attention for a number of stunts on the campaign trail, including falling off a paddle board and using a slip and slide
PA
Ken Robertson, founder of The Tenth Man creative agency, has warned party leaders against "random stunts", urging them to remember that "calamitous images and footage have a far longer tenure and can haunt a politician for years".
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey has garnered attention for a number of stunts on the campaign trail, including falling off a paddle board and using a slip and slide.
Robertson said that "sticking with authenticity" is the most important thing, to make sure campaign events "don't backfire" amid attempts to sell themselves to voters.
He said: "Advisors need to think of the brand they are trying to promote - not just come up with some random stunt they think will portray the party leader as 'one of the people'.
"Sadly, very often the outcome displays the exact opposite and the backfiring goes down in history. It is a fine line to tread because the voters want to see someone they feel is connected with them, and on the face of it, a bit of humility to show they are not afraid to make fun of themselves can be a tempting road to go down.
"But the up-turn in public image for stunts tends to be short-lived and forgotten about by the time the next serious policy needs discussing - whereas the calamitous images and footage have a far longer tenure and can haunt a politician for years.
"Boris on a zip line. Miliband eating a bacon roll. These are moments trotted out to ridicule and can never be escaped from.
"Our advice is that when you're promoting a brand or the personality or leader behind the brand - stick with authenticity!"
General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union Matt Wrack has hit out at the “appalling” way Diane Abbott and other candidates had been treated, claiming there were “double standards” in the way left-wingers were dealt with.
He said: “Diane Abbott is a powerful, popular advocate for Labour. She and other candidates have been treated in an appalling manner.
“There are clearly double standards in how they have been treated as left-wingers and as women of colour when compared to more centrist MPs.
“It is only a matter of weeks since hard-right Tory Natalie Elphicke was welcomed with open arms.
“This has all been an embarrassing distraction. The Labour leadership must now act decisively to reinstate the affected candidates and ensure that no-one is barred from standing at the last minute with no due process.”
Yvette Cooper 'welcomes' Abbott back into the Labour Party
PA
Asked if she would support Diane Abbott if she stood as either a Labour or an independent candidate, Yvette Cooper said: "Well I hope this process is resolved as swiftly as possible. As you know, as a shadow cabinet member I’m obviously not involved in any of the processes.
“Diane is now back a member of the parliamentary Labour Party, and that is really welcome.”
Speaking to media on a visit to Maltby, South Yorkshire, she said: “It’s not just that she’s been a trailblazer, but she’s also done some immensely important work through the years. So that’s why I think everybody wants to see this resolved as quickly as possible.”
Cooper continued: “Diane is a really important figure in the Labour Party and in the Labour movement.
“And, I saw the immensely important work that she did, for example, exploding the Windrush Scandal and getting justice for huge numbers of people who were really badly treated by the Home Office, and that’s really important.”
Asked whether Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was forcing the left out of the party, she said: “I think we’ve got people from all different perspectives within the Labour Party standing behind a Labour plan for government, and that means getting more neighbourhood police back on the beat, it means cutting waiting times in our NHS, it means fixing the broken Britain that the Conservatives have left us with.
“And, I think that is something that pulls the entire Labour Party together but also means there are a lot of people who haven’t voted Labour before who we hope will be voting Labour this time in order to put and end to the Tories’ chaos and get our country back on track.”
Rayner has sided with Diane Abbott, saying she doesn't "see any reason" why she wouldn't be able to stand as a Labour MP at the general election.
PA
Rayner has sided with Diane Abbott, saying she doesn't "see any reason" why she wouldn't be able to stand as a Labour MP at the general election.
Speaking to ITV today, Rayner said: "I don't see any reason why Diane Abbott can't stand as a Labour MP going forward.
"I am saying that as deputy leader of the Labour Party."
She also criticised negative briefings against Abbott, saying: "I don't think that is how we should conduct ourselves."
Nigel Farage described Reform UK’s plans for an employer immigration tax plan as a “bold, innovative policy”
PA
Nigel Farage described Reform UK’s plans for an employer immigration tax plan as a “bold, innovative policy”.
The party’s honorary president said: “I can hear the multinationals wailing already because, you’re quite right we have become addicted to cheap, foreign labour.”
Hitting out at the two main parties, he said “nothing slippery Sunak says is believable” and added that when he hears Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, he “zones out”. Farage described the overall campaign trail as “dull”.
Richard Tice has demanded an "employer immigration tax" to curb what he dubbed an "addiction" to migration
GB NEWS
Richard Tice has demanded an "employer immigration tax" to curb what he dubbed an "addiction" to migration.
Speaking at a press conference in central London to discuss the party’s immigration policy, Tice said the UK has an "addiction" to "cheap overseas labour".
He said: "This drug is being pushed on every street corner by the Labour Party and by the Tories.
"They believe that this drug, this addiction, is good for the British economy. Let me tell you today it’s not."
Sir Keir Starmer has refused to commit to unfreezing tax thresholds but admitted that the current "burden on working people is too high".
Asked whether he could guarantee that a Labour government would not raise VAT, and whether he would raise income tax thresholds, the Labour leader said: "As you would expect with this changed Labour Party, every proposal that we put on the table is fully costed and fully funded.
"We’ve been really clear about not raising income tax and NI, and we’ve said repeatedly that nothing in our plans requires us to raise tax.
"And that’s why we’ve been able to set out our position on VAT as well.
"And that’s in stark contrast to a Government that’s taken the tax burden on working people to the highest level since the war."
He continued: "On the thresholds, I do think that the burden on working people is too high. But I’m not going to do what the Government is doing and make commitments that we cannot afford. And therefore I’m very clear about the tax that will remain and will be locked and where we cannot make those commitments."
Starmer has denied purging left-wing candidates from the party and praised Diane Abbott’s political record
PA
Starmer has denied purging left-wing candidates from the party and praised Diane Abbott’s political record.
Asked if he was blocking left-wingers from standing, he told broadcasters in Monmouthshire: "No. I’ve said repeatedly over the last two years as we’ve selected our candidates that I want the highest-quality candidates.
"That’s been the position for a very long time."
He added: "The situation in relation to Diane Abbott is that no decision has been taken to bar her and you have to remember that she was a trailblazer as an MP, she overcame incredible challenges to achieve what she achieved in her political career.
"She carved out a path for others to come into politics and she did all that whilst also being one of the most abused MPs across all political parties.
"But I’ve always had the aspiration that we will have the best quality candidates as we go into this election."
Stephen Flynn has claimed that the SNP will win seats at the General Election, despite devastating polling suggesting that the party will suffer huge losses
PA
Stephen Flynn has claimed that the SNP will win seats at the General Election, despite devastating polling suggesting that the party will suffer huge losses.
The SNP Westminster Leader said the party is looking to "retain every single seat" and "win other seats" from rival parties.
He said he is "very confident", despite polling showing that he could lose his own seat at the election.
Recent polling has suggested the SNP could lose many of the 48 seats won in 2019, falling to just seven.
Sir Keir Starmer has given his backing to Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething, who is facing a Conservative-tabled motion of no confidence in the Senedd next week.
The Labour leader, appearing after a speech from Gething at a campaign event in Abergavenny, thanked him for his “leadership here in Wales”.
“It’s been really good to work with you so far in my position as leader of the Oposition. I’m really looking forward to a new partnership where we can both deliver together for Wales. Thank you Vaughan", he said.
Starmer says he will 'put country first, party second'
GB NEWS
Speaking in Wales, the Labour leader said: "We changed the Labour Party, put it back in the service of working people. We are humbly asking permission for the opportunity to change our country and put it back in the service of working people.
"Now I know that will be difficult, I’m not going to stand there and say it will be easy. It will be difficult, tireless work but I’ve never shied away from the difficult. When I was heading up the Crown Prosecution Service, it was difficult, many people said don’t do it, slow down, it won’t work, but we did it.
"Here in the Labour Party we had to change our party and put it back in the service of working people. That wasn’t easy, lots of people said don’t do it that way, don’t go it so fast, but we did it.
"We’ll never shy away from that. Because driving through this for me has always been country first, party second."
A voter speaking to GB News delivered a scathing verdict on the calibre of candidates putting themselves forward at the upcoming General Election.
GB News South West reporter Jeff Moody was joined by Pauline in South Molton to discuss the “main issues” she is facing ahead of the 4 July vote.
But she was quick to criticise the two leaders who are vying for the keys to 10 Downing Street.
“I don’t think any of them are fit for purpose, to be honest”, she said.
First Minister Vaughan Gething accused the Tories of playing political games as he helped launch Labour’s campaign in Wales
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First Minister Vaughan Gething accused the Tories of playing political games as he helped launch Labour’s campaign in Wales.
Gething. who is facing a Conservative-tabled motion of no confidence in the Senedd next week, said the Conservatives had a record of “treating politics as a game” rather than “a route to opportunity hope and security”.
Speaking at the Labour event in Monmouthshire, the First Minister said: “We can though, today, allow ourselves to imagine a new Wales, no longer held back by 14 years of Tory economic vandalism.”
Reform UK’s Lee Anderson has vowed not to stand as an MP at the upcoming election if his party strikes a deal with the Tories
GB NEWS
Reform UK’s Lee Anderson has vowed not to stand as an MP at the upcoming election if his party strikes a deal with the Tories.
It comes after the party’s honorary president Nigel Farage hinted at a possible deal by admitting he would be open to having a conversation with the Conservative Party.
But Anderson told GB News that Farage was participating in “silly season” and really has little desire of striking a deal with the party he has strongly criticised.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said his party “wants to avoid austerity-style cuts that we had after the financial crisis”
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Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said his party “wants to avoid austerity-style cuts that we had after the financial crisis”.
He said: “I set out in the budget very clear plans to improve the efficiency of public services, and I took a very difficult decision – I put £3.4 billion into improving the IT systems in the NHS.”
The Chancellor continued: "That’s not something that’s a big vote-winner but it will make the NHS more efficient, meaning it can do more operations and mean that we can run our public services more efficiently with similar amounts of money, or in fact with a small increase in the amount of funding we put in.”
He said he “reversed the decisions” which his Conservative colleague Liz Truss made when she was prime minister and that interest rates went up because of “global factors”.
"I want to start bringing taxes down. I’ve made a start with the national insurance cuts and the full expensing for businesses to increase investment in the economy – and that’s the direction of travel I would like to go", he added.
Jeremy Hunt has questioned how Sir Keir Starmer will "deal with Vladimir Putin" if he "can't deal with Diane Abbott".
He also said his party is "prepared to take difficult decisions".
The Chancellor told the BBC: “If Keir Starmer can’t deal with Diane Abbott, how on Earth is he going to deal with Vladimir Putin."
Speaking about the UK's finances, he added: “If we’re gonna grow the economy, we have to get more people off welfare and into work.
“We’ve actually got about six million adults of working age who are not in work.
“We are prepared to take difficult decisions that will reduce our welfare spend but also help the economy, we also think it’s much better for the individuals involved.”
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was “disturbed” at the treatment of former colleague Diane Abbott by Labour
PA
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was “disturbed” at the treatment of former colleague Diane Abbott by Labour.
The former MP is waiting to hear whether she will defend her Hackney North and Stoke Newington seat at the General Election.
Speaking at a campaign launch rally in North London, the former Labour leader said: “I’ve known Diane for years and years, obviously she’s been a great comrade and colleague in Parliament.
“She was elected in 1987, first black woman MP and whenever I read the feed to her social media my stomach churns with the abuse that she puts up with, the threats she’s suffered, the indignity that’s been thrown at her and she’s come through it all so strong.”
He added: “I am disturbed at the way Diane’s been treated – you can see what’s happened with me. There has to be a voice for justice for peace and socialism in our society.
“Look at the way democracy has been denied by so many people in our society.”
The Labour Party is looking into prospective Labour candidate for Chingford and Woodfoord Green Faiza Shaheen, after she allegedly liked a series of posts on X that appeared to downplay antisemitism accusations.
Faiza Shaheen
The Labour Party is looking into prospective Labour candidate for Chingford and Woodfoord Green Faiza Shaheen, after she allegedly liked a series of posts on X that appeared to downplay antisemitism accusations.
Shaheen, who lost to Sir Iain Duncan Smith in the same seat at the 2019 election, told BBC Newsnight she “thought” she was going to be the candidate for the constituency.
But she got an email on Wednesday, which she claimed said she would “frustrate Labour’s purpose”. Sources told LabourList the candidate is now under investigation.
