Rishi Sunak has been accused of “selling nonsense” to voters by a former top government adviser.
Baronness Casey – who served as the UK’s first Victims Commissioner – said she was “angry and upset” at the prime minister.
It came after Sunak gave an interview to BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.
He was quizzed over his Rwanda deportation scheme, taxes, welfare spending and when he would call an election.
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Asked for her opinion on the PM’s answers, Casey told the programme: “I feel a bit sad actually. We are in just the most extraordinary place in our country.
“I didn’t take from that any sense there’s an acceptance that things are as bad for people as they are. Things are really bad for an awful lot of people out there.”
She added: “Spin is such a dangerous thing.
“You’re in this invidious position where the guy is running into the general election, he’’s probably quite a decent bloke, he seems to be quite an alright chancellor, despite all of the terrible things.
“And there he is selling nonsense. It just rang hollow.”
Casey said she had been hoping Sunak would show “some acceptance” that people in the UK were feeling “pretty low”.
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Sunak had told the programme he was going to “stick to the plan” because it was “starting to work”.
“I genuinely believe we’ve turned a corner,” he said. |“The country is now pointing in the right direction.”
Tory MP Chris Skidmore has said he will resign the Conservative whip and stand down as an MP “as soon as possible” as he blasted Rishi Sunak’s record on climate change.
The former energy minister triggers a by-election for his Kingswood seat in Gloucestershire as he quit in protest at plans to issue more oil and gas licences,
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Skidmore, who led the government’s net zero review, argued new legislation called the offshore petroleum licensing bill “would in effect allow more frequent new oil and gas licences and the increased production of new fossil fuels in the North Sea”.
He was not planning to stand as an MP in the next election, expected later this year, as his constituency will be abolished under boundary changes.
“I can no longer stand by,” he said on X. “The climate crisis that we face is too important to politicise or to ignore.”
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He added: “I can also no longer condone nor continue to support a government that is committed to a course of action that I know is wrong and will cause future harm. To fail to act, rather than merely speak out, is to tolerate a status quo that cannot be sustained. I am therefore resigning my party whip and instead intend to be free from any party-political allegiance.”
Skidmore continued: “The climate crisis that we face is too important to politicise or to ignore. We all have a responsibility to act when and where we can to protect the future: I look forward to devoting my time in 2024 and beyond to making the future a better place, in whatever capacity I can.”
A Tory party source said: “Self-regarding claptrap from a man more interested in burnishing his credentials as an eco-lobbyist than his constituents.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
British politics is slowly returning after the Christmas break, and speculation is growing over when the eagerly-anticipated general election will take place after comments made by Rishi Sunak.
What did Sunak say?
The prime minister announced on Thursday his “working assumption” was he would delay going to the country until the “second half” of 2024.
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His comments suggest the election will be held in either October or November, as had been widely expected. But it comes following speculation Sunak could decide to call the election for May.
While he did not categorically rule out a spring poll, Sunak told broadcasters: “My working assumption is we’ll have a general election in the second half of this year.”
Labour, which have consistently held a 20-point poll lead over the Tories, seized on the remarks as a sign he had “bottled” facing the British public and accused Sunak of “squatting” in Downing Street.
Rishi Sunak has yet again bottled giving the British public their say.
In Britain, each electoral term is supposed to last five years. Then prime minister Boris Johnson called the last general election in December 2019, meaning meaning the latest possible date for the country to go to the polls would be January 2025.
But in reality, and ever since the establishment of fixed terms in 2011, the five-year gap between polls is not what happens in practice.
Under the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022, a prime minister has the power to call an election earlier than the deadline – all voters would have to wait for is the 25 days between a PM making a “request” to the King to dissolve parliament (and as a constitutional monarch, the King Charles could not reject it) and polling day.
What’s influencing the date?
As it’s in his gift to choose, Sunak is clearly likely to pick a date most favourable to him and his party. And since Labour holds a commanding poll lead, he isn’t going to rush the country to the ballot box when there’s still time to steal a win – however unlikely that currently looks.
His decision could be based on not just whether he can snatch an unlikely victory from the jaws of defeat, but also under the grimest projections if he can reduce the number of seats the Tories lose and prevent a 1997-style Labour landslide (or worse).
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So what is affecting that choice?
The next big political fixture is the spring budget, when chancellor Jeremy Hunt could magic up some tax and spending commitments that sit well with the electorate. It was the announcement of the March 6 fiscal event that prompted speculation of an spring budget, and a blitz of crowd-pleasing promises could yet encourage Sunak to go early.
But his words on Tuesday suggest he doesn’t think this will be enough.
Other than pushing taxpayers’ money around, he may be on the lookout for something to materialise, and that could lead the country to waiting until the last minute. Three areas in particular will be on his radar: the economy, immigration and an apparent lack of enthusiasm for the Labour alternative.
A positive story around the economy could be possible if the UK manages to avoid a recession in 2024 as inflation cools to more normal levels. But it may be too late to reverse voter antipathy towards the Tories given how Liz Truss crashed the economy, and high mortgage rates continue to hurt homeowners.
Sunak’s “stop the boats” pledge has been central to his pitch to voters since becoming Tory leader, and any sense that he has been able to curb the number of small boats crossing the English channel may be something he can stitch a better narrative out of.
He may hope to combine an uptick on either or both of these with the argument Keir Starmer isn’t the answer to Britain’s problems – but perhaps even January 2025 isn’t enough time to make this strategy work.
Last year, 136,000 visas were issued to the dependants of foreign students – up from 16,000 in 2019.
In a New Year’s Day post on X (formerly Twitter), the prime minister said the policy showed the government was “already delivering for the British people” in 2024.
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From today, the majority of foreign university students cannot bring family members to the UK.
But Sunak was condemned in the replies to his post on X.
One user said: “Imagine bragging about this. Embarrassing.”
Another added: “Performative spite as a policy. How low have we sunk?”
Others pointed out that it could lead to foreign students choosing to enrol at universities abroad.
Cambridge University lecturer Sir Richard Evans said: “This is so short-sighted and arrogant. It affects, above all, international graduate students in their mid to late 20s, many with families. Research-intensive universities depend heavily on them for income since they can charge economic fees for them, unlike for undergraduates.”
But home secretary James Cleverly said the government has “set out a tough plan to rapidly bring numbers down, control our borders and prevent people from manipulating our immigration system”.
He added: “Today, a major part of that plan comes into effect, ending the unreasonable practice of overseas students bringing their family members to the UK,” he added.
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“This will see migration falling rapidly by the tens of thousands and contribute to our overall strategy to prevent 300,000 people from coming to the UK.”
He said at the time: “No tricks, no ambiguity – we’re either delivering for you or we’re not.”
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper described the fall in small boat crossings since 2022 as “modest” and “helped by the weather”.
She said: “This has been the second highest number of small boat crossings on record, 100 times higher than it was five years ago – evidence of the failure of Rishi Sunak’s promise to stop the boats this year.
“We also have record high numbers in asylum hotels, 20% higher than when the Prime Minister promised to end them a year ago, costing the taxpayer £8m a day.
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“The Tories have lost control of our border security and broken our asylum system. They are failing to tackle the criminal gangs where smuggler convictions have dropped by 30%, they’ve let the backlog soar and returns of failed asylum seekers are 50% lower than under the last Labour government.
“Too often they focus on gimmick rather than getting a grip.”
Lib Dem home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said: “The idea this is a victory for Rishi Sunak is absolutely laughable.
“In any other walk of life, someone meeting less than a third of their target would be in line for the sack. Yet Sunak expects praise. What a farce.
“This has been a mess of the government’s own making. Rishi Sunak promised the British public to stop all small boat crossings, anything less will be seen as a failure come the election this year.”
Sunak admitted last month that there is “no firm date” for when the small boat crossings will finally end.
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He is pinning his hopes on parliament passing his Safety of Rwanda Bill, which could finally lead to asylum seekers being deported to the east African country.
Ministers say that will act as a deterrent to immigrants trying to reach the UK, despite little evidence to back that up.
Sunak has so far only met one of his five pledges by halving the rate of inflation.
Just last month, his promise to grow the economy was dealt a major blow when it emerged that GDP fell by 0.3% in October.
Only 17% want to wait until next autumn, widely thought to be the most likely date.
The prime minister confirmed earlier this month that the general election will definitely take place in 2024.
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However, it is still unclear whether the PM will opt to go to the country in the spring or wait until the autumn.
The latest the election can possibly be is January, 2025 – an option supported by just 9% of the public.
The poll also showed that three-quarters of Brits believe that Brexit has increased the cost of their weekly shop, while nearly two-thirds think it has stunted the UK’s economic growth.
Naomi Smith, chief executive of Best for Britain, said: “The message in our polling from voters is clear – they want an election, they think Brexit has hurt them in their pockets, and they’re prepared to vote tactically for change.
“Labour may be on course for a victory, but under our broken electoral system nothing can be taken for granted.
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“With the possibility of Nigel Farage’s party offering a life raft to his vulnerable friends on the Conservative right, tactical voting will be more important than ever.”
Most voters want a general election by next summer – with one in three demanding one as soon as possible.
A new mega-poll also shows that just 17% want to wait until next autumn to give their verdict on Rishi Sunak’s government.
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The prime minister confirmed earlier this month that the general election will definitely take place in 2024.
However, it is still unclear whether the PM will opt to go to the country in the spring or wait until the autumn.
The latest the election can possibly be is January, 2025 – an option supported by just 9% of the public.
According to the poll of more than 10,000 by Focaldata for the Best for Britain group, 61% want it to be held by June. Of those, 36% want it to be as soon as possible.
The Focaldata poll also found that 38% of voters would consider voting tactically to change the government, with just 13% saying they would do so to keep Sunak in No.10.
Rishi Sunak must decide whether to go to the country in the spring or autumn.
JACOB KING via Getty Images
Meanwhile, Keir Starmer is the most popular choice to be prime minister in 390 of the country’s 650 constituencies, including Sunak’s seat of Richmond.
The poll also showed that three-quarters of Brits believe that Brexit has increased the cost of their weekly shop, while nearly two-thirds think it has stunted the UK’s economic growth.
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Naomi Smith, chief executive of Best for Britain, said: “The message in our polling from voters is clear – they want an election, they think Brexit has hurt them in their pockets, and they’re prepared to vote tactically for change.
“Labour may be on course for a victory, but under our broken electoral system nothing can be taken for granted.
“With the possibility of Nigel Farage’s party offering a life raft to his vulnerable friends on the Conservative right, tactical voting will be more important than ever.”
Rishi Sunak this week confirmed what the world and his wife already knew – the general election will take place next year.
Addressing political journalists at a Christmas reception in Downing Street, the PM said the country would go to the polls in 2024, apparently ruling out January 2025, the latest date it could possibly be.
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The only question that remains is whether he will go to the country in the spring or in the autumn.
Number 10 had already appeared to let slip the election date in October when a video marking Sunak’s one year anniversary as PM declared: “So what can a country achieve in 52 weeks? Watch this space.”
But HuffPost UK has learned that Labour plans to accuse the “weak” PM of “bottling it” if he chooses not to plump for a May election.
As luck would have it, local elections in England are due to take place on May 2.
The last time those seats were up for grabs was in 2021 when, thanks largely to the success of the Covid vaccine rollout, the Tories performed well.
With the opinion polls now unrelentingly grim for the Conservatives, the expectation at Westminster is that those elections will be another bloodbath for the party, reminiscent of last May when they lost over 1,000 councillors.
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Why would Sunak, the theory goes, put his grassroots activists through that miserable experience only to ask them to get out on the doorsteps again just a few months later?
Holding the general election on the same day as the locals could also help to boost the Tories’ chances of saving some councillors who would otherwise have been booted out by voters, say some.
One senior Conservative said: “My preference would be for a spring election. Have a radical tax-cutting Budget in March and then go to the country. We’ve got nothing to lose so might as well.”
Keir Starmer, who visited the Tapa NATO forward operating base in Estonia this week, has urged Sunak to get on and call an election.
Stefan Rousseau – PA Images via Getty Images
One ally of Keir Starmer said: “The country is crying out for change and voters are desperate for the chance to kick the Tories out.
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“If Sunak doesn’t call an election for May then it just shows he’s weak and a bottler. We’ll just spend months hammering home that message.”
I’ve had my whole team on a general election footing for some time now,” he said.
“Given the complete state of failure now in the country, there’s a real sense that everything is broken, nothing is working,” he told GB News.
“For millions of people they can’t afford to wait any longer for that general election. The sooner that is called, the better. We’re ready for it.”
The counter-argument, however, is a strong one. Why on earth would Sunak choose to have an election in May when the Tories are likely to still be anything up to 20 points behind Labour?
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Former chancellor George Osborne said on his Political Currency podcast said a spring election has already been ruled out by those around Sunak.
“I’ve been talking to various people…and so all my conversations do indicate to me that they [Downing Street] are looking at the back end of next year,” he said.
“I don’t think anyone at the top of the Tory party is now thinking that a spring election, a May election, is a running possibility. And even an October election is not really on the cards because they’ll be thinking of using September, October to launch what is more likely, in my view now, to be a November, December election. But it will be in 2024.”
Delaying the big day for another 12 months risks invoking the wrath of the public, however.
Luke Tryl, More in Common’s UK director, said: “While it’s understandable that Rishi Sunak will want to wait as long as possible to call an election in the hope that Conservative prospects might improve, our polling suggests that waiting too long may, in fact, have the opposite effect.
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“A weary public is not in the mood for a 12-month plus General Election campaign and overwhelmingly would like an election over and done with before next summer.”
Faced with the choice of near-certain defeat in the spring and an extra six months as prime minister, all logic suggests Sunak will choose the latter option.
But is he buying himself more time in the hope that something comes up to change the Tories’ fortunes or simply delaying the inevitable?
Rishi Sunak has been forced into a major U-turn over his plans to make it harder for foreign spouses to move to the UK.
In a humiliating climbdown, the government has ditched moves to increase the amount of money a British worker must earn in order to get a visa for their overseas-based partner.
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Under the policy set out less than three weeks ago by home secretary James Cleverly, the salary threshold would increase from £18,600 to £38,700 a year next spring.
Lib Dem home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said: “You have to wonder who is in charge at the Home Office, or if anyone is. It was clear to everyone else that the raising of the earnings threshold was unworkable.
“This was yet another half thought through idea to placate the hardliners on their own back benches.
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“James Cleverly needs to put down the spade and stop digging.”
The embarrassing U-turn also makes a mockery of Sunak’s claim that he makes “long-term decisions” for the good of the country.
Cleverly unveiled the policy as part of a package of measures aimed at reducing immigration to the UK by 300,000 a year.
That came after figures revealed that net migration – the difference between those entering and leaving the UK – last year was 745,000.
In their last election manifesto, the Tories promised to bring it down below 225,000.
Right-wing Conservative MPs reacted angrily to the climbdown.
Jonathan Gullis said: “This decision is deeply disappointing and undermines our efforts.”
Legal migration to the UK is too high and unsustainable.
That is why the Government was right to introduce tough and necessary new measures to get numbers down, and demonstrate control of our borders.
