Tag Archives: conservative party

The Sun Newspaper Officially Backs Labour Hours Before Polls Open

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The Sun newspaper has officially endorsed the Labour Party just one day before the public head to the polls in a major victory for Keir Starmer.

The best-selling tabloid, owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch, announced “it’s time for a change” in an editorial published online.

This afternoon, the newspaper shared an early version of Thursday’s front page, complete with the headline: “As Britain goes to the polls, it’s time for a new manager (and we don’t mean Southgate).”

The paper has a track record of backing election winners.

It famously claimed to have swayed 10 million readers to vote for Tory John Major in 1992, leading to its well-known headline: “It was the Sun wot won it.”

It later supported Labour shortly before Tony Blair took the party into three election victories, only to move away from the party in 2009.

It stayed loyal to the Conservatives over the next 15 years – which is why today’s switch is a major win for Starmer.

The editorial admitted that PM Rishi Sunak “has many policies which we can support” such as the Rwanda deportation plan, and the pledge to drop National Insurance contributions for workers.

It also praised the “ban on teaching harmful gender ideology in schools”, “putting the brakes on the headlong rush towards Net Zero” and Sunak’s commitment to “our Brexit freedoms”.

However, the pro-Brexit newspaper said the party has become “a divided rabble, more interested in fighting themselves than running the country”.

The Sun said the party needs to be in Opposition to unite “around a common set of principles”.

It also stopped short of endorsing Nigel Farage’s populist party Reform, saying those his manifesto “has struck a chord with millions” it is “a one-man band” – and swiftly described the Liberal Democrats as “a joke”.

The editorial seems to come around to Labour through a process of elimination, saying while it was “still a work in progress” and there are “plenty of concerns” remaining, Starmer has pulled his “party back to the centre ground of British politics for the first time since Tony Blair was in No.10”.

The endorsement comes as all signs point to a landslide victory for Labour.

A Survation poll of more than 30,000 people predicted the party would take more seats than Blair did in 1997, winning 484 in total – leaving the Tories with just 64 MPs.

The Sun joined the Financial Times, the The Sunday Times, the Daily Mirror and the Guardian, along with The Economist, in backing the Opposition.

The Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph have backed the Conservatives.

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Here’s What Is Going On With Postal Votes – And What You Can Do If You Have Not Received A Ballot

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Concerns that postal ballots are not arriving at some voters’ doors have triggered a blame game between the Royal Mail and the government.

Here’s what happened, why it matters for Thursday’s general election – and what to do if you are yet to receive your own postal ballot.

What’s happened?

There have been widespread reports that thousands of postal ballots have not being delivered in time by their local councils.

According to The Telegraph, more than 90 constituencies across England and Scotland – including seats where cabinet ministers are standing for re-election – have expressed fears that ballots have still not been delivered.

Why does this matter?

Postal voters have until Wednesday to cast their ballot by mail, otherwise they can take their ballot to the address on their postal voting pack during office hours before 5pm on polling day.

In 2019, 21% of voters sent their ballot by post – but for this election, it’s expected to have shot up to 25%.

There were 1.3m postal vote applications made between May 22 and June 19, according to the Local Government Association, which represents councils.

It said: “This unprecedented increase adds more pressure to an already complex process and overburdened system.

“Councils and electoral staff across the country have been doing their utmost to ensure the smooth running of this election and that people can vote.

“We are aware of reports of incidents where delays have happened.

“The postal vote system could benefit from review and more could be done to support Royal Mail and printers to be ready to deliver elections.”

This delay with the postal votes is a particular issue in Scotland because school summer holidays have already begun – and some families have already left the country.

The SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said his party had warned the government this could happen if an election was held in July.

He told BBC Breakfast: “If their postal vote didn’t land in time then they’re now disenfranchised in this election.”

He told Sky News the blame “lies at Sunak’s doorstep”.

What does the government say?

On Tuesday, Conservative minister Maria Caulfield told Sky News the government is “urgently” looking into why some voters are still waiting to receive their postal ballots.

She said postal affairs minister Kevin Hollinrake is taking this “very seriously” and speaking to Royal Mail.

Caulfield added: “I know there’s extra resources going into this to try and do a sweep of all the sorting offices and make sure they’re out there.”

Hollinrake has publicly pressed Royal Mail to “do all they can” to ensure postal votes get to voters on time, while warning of a “resourcing issue”.

He told the Telegraph: “They have recruited extra people and I welcome that but they’ve got to make sure they’ve got the right number of people to deliver the mail at busy times like this.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Electoral Commission – which oversees UK elections – said there were pressures on the postal voting system due to the holiday season”.

It said it intends to carry out a review after the election, adding: “The vast majority of postal votes have been delivered, with tens of thousands landing on doorsteps over the weekend. We are not aware of any outstanding large-scale issues.”

What does Royal Mail say?

The organisation says it is delivering the postal ballots as soon as they can, and said where specific concerns have been raised, their investigations have confirmed they are “being delivered as soon as they arrive in our network”.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We have no backlog of postal votes and, whilst we are not complacent, we remain confident that postal votes handed to us on time will be delivered prior to polling day.”

It is now calling for a review into the timetable of how the printing and administration of the ballots are handled before they are given to Royal Mail for distribution.

PM Rishi Sunak praised the organisation’s approach, saying: “It’s right that the Royal Mail have said that they will look at any concerns where they’re raised, because obviously we want to make sure everyone can vote because this is an important election.”

What happens if you receive your postal vote late?

If you have not yet received your postal ballot, you are advised to contact your local authority for a replacement.

You can take your postal vote to your local polling station on Thursday if you receive it late.

It is no longer possible to apply for a proxy vote – where someone else votes for you – as that deadline has passed.

Some Scottish councils have set up emergency voting centres for those going on holiday who are yet to receive a postal ballot.

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Rishi Sunak Has Insisted He Is ‘Proud’ Of The Tories’ Disastrous Election Campaign

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Rishi Sunak has insisted has insisted he is “proud” of the Tories’ disastrous general election campaign.

The prime minister made the surprising comment during an ill-tempered interview with Laura Kuenssberg this morning.

With just four days to go until the country goes to the polls, the Conservatives remain as far behind Labour as they were when Sunak called the election nearly six weeks ago.

Since then, the PM has been hit by a string of gaffes, controversy and scandal.

Despite this, Sunak said: “This campaign is something that I am proud of, and that’s what I’m here to talk about.”

An incredulous Kuenssberg replied: “Really? After everything, you’re proud of the campaign.”

The PM said: “Yes, I am.”

Sunak’s troubles began on the very first day of the campaign, when he was soaked to the skin while announcing the election date outside the front door of No.10.

He was also forced to apologise following a furious backlash after he left the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings early.

The last two weeks of the campaign have also been overshadowed by the Tory gambling scandal, which saw Sunak eventually dump two candidates accused of betting on the date of the election.

Two senior party official have also taken leaves of absence over the controversy, while one of Sunak’s close protection team has been arrested.

Dozens of opinion polls throughout the campaign have also confirmed that the Tories are on course for their worst ever election result, with predictions that they could even end up with fewer than 100 seats.

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‘On The Brink Of Destruction’: Trevor Phillips Tells Oliver Dowden The Tories Face Election Wipeout

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Oliver Dowden was told the Tories are “on the brink of destruction” with just four days to go until the general election.

Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips also told the deputy prime minister his party’s campaign had been “a mess”.

The pair clashed as voters prepare to go to the polls on Thursday and with Labour still miles ahead of their rivals.

Phillips said: “This is your 738th weekend in charge. How does it feel to be essentially on the eve of destruction for your party, because that’s what every signal tells us.”

Dowden replied: “In an election campaign you can have commentators and you can have participants. I’m a participant, and my job, whether it’s on the doorstep or in this television studio speaking to you and your viewers at home, is to make the case for the Conservative Party and to warn – mark my words, dogs bark, cats meow and Labour put up taxes.

“Don’t take that risk, it’s in your hands. We have a clear plan to control migration, to start to reduce taxes. The game is on, the fight is on, now is the time for people to make up their minds about the future of this country.”

But Phillips hit back: “Liz Truss essentially made the party of sound money into the party of market chaos, and Boris Johnson made the party of law and order the party of lawbreakers.

“It’s really striking that in this interview you seem to refuse to accept that you’re carrying that burden – the gambling, D-Day, the rain. I mean, it’s been a mess.”

Dowden said: “Having been in power for 14 years, of course we haven’t got everything right. I totally accept that and apologies have been made for various things you’ve mentioned there.

“But fundamentally this is a choice about where we go as a country for the future.”

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‘One Of The Sickest Ever’: Rishi Sunak Slammed Over Latest Labour Attack Ad

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Rishi Sunak has been slammed over the Tories’ latest controversial Labour attack ad.

The graphic, which the prime minister posted on X, shows a man, a woman and a child with their hands above their heads with the message: Don’t Surrender Your Family’s Future To Labour.

Sunak’s accompanying message said: “I will never stop fighting for this country.”

It follows on from other hard-hitting attack ads produced by the Conservatives as election day looms and the polls continue to show Labour well ahead.

A week ago, the party was criticised for a video appearing to show a red carpet being rolled out on a beach for migrants arriving by boat with the message: “Labour’s approach to illegal immigration.”

The latest attempt to scare voters into voting Tory was comprehensively taken apart by social media users.

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Tories Heading For Electoral Wipeout As New Poll Predicts 250-Seat Labour Majority

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Labour is on course for a 250-seat Commons majority, according to yet another poll predicting wipeout for the Tories.

The Focaldata survey forecast that the Conservatives are set to lose a staggering 262 seats on July 4, leaving the party with just 110 MPs.

Labour, meanwhile, will gain 250 to leave them on 450 seats.

The Lib Dems will also see their number of MPs almost treble to 50, according to the poll, while the SNP would slump to just 16 MPs, down from the 48 they won in 2019.

The poll was conducted using the so-called “MRP” method, which uses a bigger than normal sample.

It also uses demographic data to calculate what the result would be on a seat-by-seat basis.

The Focaldata poll echoes a number of such surveys carried out by other pollsters since the campaign started, all of which pointed to huge Labour victories.

However, Focaldata’s chief research officer, James Kanagasooriam, said the final result could be even worse for the Tories as many of the seats they are forecast to win could end up falling another way.

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The Tory Betting Scandal Presented Rishi Sunak With An Opportunity To Look Strong – He Blew It

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They say that bad things come in threes. If only Rishi Sunak was that lucky.

Ever since he called the election on May 22, the prime minister has been hit by a litany of misfortune – some self-inflicted – which has completely derailed the Tories’ election campaign.

The latest – and possibly most damaging – one is the revelation that senior Tories close to the prime minister are accused of placing bets on the date of the election.

Two of them are Conservative candidates, one of whom – former Sunak parliamentary aide Craig Williams – has admitted he did it.

The Tories’ chief data officer, Nick Mason, and campaign director Tony Lee have each taken a “leave of absence” after also being accused.

The other alleged punter we currently know about is one of the PM’s close protection officers, or at least he was until he was suspended from duty by the Metropolitan Police.

It is the force’s different approach to disciplinary matters which have led to Sunak facing fresh accusations that he is weak, a label already attached to the prime minister by 61% of the public.

Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth said: “Sunak promised integrity, professionalism and accountability, instead his weakness means he has overseen the same levels of sleaze and scandal that have come to epitomise the last 14 years of Tory government.

“Rishi Sunak needs to take immediate action against all implicated.”

Home secretary James Cleverly endured a tough grilling from Trevor Phillips on Sky News this morning over the PM’s apparent inaction.

“Why doesn’t he, like any other employer might do in this situation, call in the alleged offenders, ask them ‘did you place a bet or did you not place a bet’ and if the answer is yes, sack them?” Phillips asked.

After Cleverly claimed No.10′s hands are tied while the Gambling Commission investigates, Phillips told him: “No, no, no – he’s the prime minister. These people work for him. He can do whatever he wants.

“If it were you, he’d say ‘James, tell me the truth. Did you or did you not?’. And you, being an honest man, would say yes or no.”

The minister said: “I don’t necessarily know the process in detail, but the Gambling Commission is the appropriate body for this. They have said they’re investigating and they’ve also said it is inappropriate for us to comment on what is a live investigation.”

But Phillips hit back: “He’s the prime minister – he doesn’t get told what to do by the Gambling Commission.”

For his part, Sunak has said the affair has left him “very angry” and has pledged that any Tories found guilty will be booted out of the party.

However, regardless of the reason for Sunak’s unwillingness to take action now, the impression it has given is of a prime minister at the mercy of events rather than taking charge of them.

With less than two weeks to go until election day, the Tory betting scandal has merely confirmed their impression of a PM who can’t take the big decisions, which is one of many reasons why time is fast running out on his period in office.

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‘A Sign Of Moral Decay’: Trevor Phillips Clashes With James Cleverly Over Top Tories Betting On Election Date

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Trevor Phillips clashed with James Cleverly over the betting scandal which has sent the Tories’ election campaign into meltdown.

The Sky News presenter said it was a sign of the party’s “moral decay” and demanded to know why Rishi Sunak had not sacked those alleged to be involved.

It came as the Conservatives’ chief data officer, Nick Mason, became the latest senior official to be dragged into the affair.

According to The Sunday Times, he has taken a leave of absence amid allegations he placed dozens of bets on the date of the election.

Two Tory candidates, the party’s director of campaigns and one of the PM’s close protection officers are also under investigation.

On Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips this morning, the presenter told the home secretary: “The prime minister talked two weeks ago about the moral mission of your government to reform welfare.

“Let’s talk about morality. Is it a sign of the Conservative Party’s moral decay that some of your colleagues were more interested in stuffing their own pockets by gambling on the date of the election than on helping hard-pressed families hit by the cost of living?”

Cleverly replied: “I’m not in any way going to defend people who placed bets on that There is an investigation by the Gambling Commission and we have been told very, very clearly that we are not to discuss the investigations.”

Phillips went on to ask the minister why Sunak had not taken firm action against those involved.

He said: “The prime minister claims to be furious, but he says it’s all got to go through this process. Why doesn’t he, like any other employer might do in this situation, call in the alleged offenders, ask them ‘did you place a bet or did you not place a bet’ … and if the answer is yes, sack them?”

After Cleverly said that was the Gambling Commission’s job, Phillips told him: “No, no, no – he’s the prime minister. These people work for him. He can do whatever he wants.

“If it were you, he’d say ‘James, tell me the truth. Did you or did you not?’. And you, being an honest man, would say yes or no.”

But the home secretary replied: “I don’t necessarily know the process in detail, but the Gambling Commission is the appropriate body for this. They have said they’re investigating and they’ve also said it is inappropriate for us to comment on what is a live investigation.”

Phillips hit back: “He’s the prime minister – he doesn’t get told what to do by the Gambling Commission.”

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‘Admission Of Defeat’: Laura Kuenssberg Calls Out ‘Desperate’ Tory Campaign Tactics

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Laura Kuenssberg laid into transport secretary Mark Harper on Sunday and said the Conservatives’ campaign tactics are “desperate”.

The Tories have been trailing in the polls for weeks now – YouGov even put them in third place behind both Labour and Reform on Thursday.

The Conservatives have responded by telling voters supporting any party other than them is the same as giving Labour a “blank cheque” for a huge majority.

So, on her show, Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the presenter said: “The message shifting somewhat in the last few days, not so much necessarily to say, ‘let’s win this,’ but to say ‘you should worry about a big Labour majority to stop the other side romping home’.”

She showed viewers one of the Tories’ more recent social media adverts, which predicts a Labour victory with 490 seats.

Kuenssberg showing Harper the Tories' own attack ad, which gives 57 seats.
Kuenssberg showing Harper the Tories’ own attack ad, which gives 57 seats.

“You seem to be resorting to just spooking people into some kind of massive majority.

“Isn’t that an admission of defeat, when as you said, not a single vote has been cast, apart from a few postal votes?” the BBC presenter asked.

The minister replied: “It’s not, it’s simply doing what you did before with me, just to point to the polls.

“All we’re doing is if you look at the polls, and if people voted the way the polls are suggesting, that’s what you’d get.

“And we’re saying to people is that what you want? And actually I don’t think it is what people want.”

He claimed the Tories are still fighting for every vote, and there’s still plenty of undecided voters.

According to research from consultancy firm More in Common, about 15% of voters are still undecided.

Kuenssberg hit back: “Isn’t that exactly the point?

“There are still millions of people in this country, probably many of them watching this morning, who haven’t decided what they’re going to do yet, and they’re hearing from you, is not ‘hey here’s our positive vision’.

“What they’re hearing is, ‘oh well you can’t give the other side everything they want so stick with us.’

“Isn’t that something that sounds a bit desperate?”

“Not really,” Harper said, and claimed broadcasters often talk about polls.

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Support For Tories Is ‘At Its Lowest Ever In British Polling History,’ Elections Guru Says

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Public support for the Conservatives have fallen to a historic low in polling history, John Curtice said today.

The famous pollster told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “Standing at just 20%, Conservative support is now at its lowest ever in British polling history.

“Mr Sunak, whose own personal ratings have clearly fallen, must be beginning to doubt his decision to call the election early.”

He added that a eight-point lead over Reform last week has fallen to just a four-point.

But Curtice also noticed that Labour are “being challenged by the Greens and the Lib Dems”, and support has fallen by two points – to 41%, on average.

His remarks came after another wave of polls predicted a pretty bleak result for the Conservatives when the public go to the ballot box.

A Savanta survey of 2,045 adults for The Sunday Telegraph found the party were at the lowest point since the final days of Theresa May’s time in office in early 2019, having dropped down four points to just 21%.

The same poll, conducted between 12-14 June and released on Saturday, showed Reform UK had climbed up three points to 13%.

Political research director at Savanta, Chris Hopkins, said it showed “nothing short of electoral extinction for the Conservative Party”.

“The hopes of Conservative candidates are being shot to pieces by poll after poll showing the Conservative Party in increasingly dire straits – and we’re only halfway through the campaign,” he said.

“There’s a real sense that things could still get worse for the Conservatives, and with postal votes about to drop through millions of letterboxes, time is already close to running out for Rishi Sunak.”

It comes after a separate Survation poll for Best for Britain, published in The Sunday Times, suggested the Conservatives would secure only 72 seats in the next parliament.

It predicted Labour would win 456, meaning the party would win a stomping 262 majority, the Liberal Democrats 56 seats, Reform seven and the Greens one.

Survation – which had polled 22,000 adults between 31 May and 13 June – showed the vote share would have halved from 44% in 2 019 to 24%.

Meanwhile, YouGov poll released last Thursday caused a huge stir within Westminster as it put Reform ahead of the Conservatives for the first time.

Nigel Farage’s populist party was on 19% of the vote while the Tories were on 18%, prompting his party to position themselves as the “opposition to Labour”.

Rishi Sunak downplayed this poll on Friday.

Speaking to journalists from the G7 summit in Italy, he said: “We are only halfway through this election, so I’m still fighting very hard for every vote.”

He also pledged to stay in parliament as an MP even if the Conservatives lose the election.

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