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More than 10,000 migrants are thought to have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel, in a blow to the prime minister who has made “stopping the boats” a flagship promise.
Rishi Sunak has pointed to his Rwanda deporations plan to achieve this, describing it as an “indispensable deterrent”.
But he has been forced to admit flights to Rwanda will not take off before the election.
However, the prime minister is now set to “double down” on the stalled deportation scheme by using the Tory manifesto to announce ambitions for similar schemes with other countries, according to The Times.
The Tories and Labour are fighting over the economy today as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer focuses on the cost-of-living crisis, while chancellor Jeremy Hunt hinted at tax breaks for high earners.
His shadow, Rachel Reeves, vowed to deliver financial stability with a Thatcher-style commitment to “sound money”.
Sir Keir also confirmed he wanted to lower the voting age to 16.
Key Points
- Number of migrants passes 10,000 in blow for Rishi Sunak
- Starmer says he wants to lower voting age to 16
- Minister denies Sunak taking day off
- Michael Gove joins exodus from Parliament
- Boss of firm backed by Rishi Sunak’s wife says she’s voting Labour
- Prime minister says he avoided catching pneumonia in the rain
Scottish party leaders hit out at SNP
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is due to visit Wishaw in North Lanarkshire following the official launch of Scottish Labour’s campaign.
Mr Sarwar said: “This chaotic and dysfunctional Tory government has let down Scots and put their own party interest ahead of the national interest - but the same is true of the SNP.
“This is a pivotal moment for Scotland and a chance to reject the division and decline of both the Tories and the SNP.”
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross was joined by Stephen Kerr, the party’s candidate for Angus and Perthshire Glens, as he visited a railway station in Brechin.
Mr Ross said: “Our campaign to beat the SNP and end their obsession with independence is going full steam ahead.”
Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said it was time to “tear down the acid yellow wall of the SNP” as he campaigned in Mid Dunbartonshire, which he claimed would be the most tightly fought seat in Scotland.
Jane Dalton25 May 2024 12:55 1716637153
All the MPs standing down at election as Gove and John Redwood join exodus
Use our clickable map to see which MPs are standing down, the size of their majority and who came second in the seat at the last election, including number of votes won:
Mapped: All the MPs standing down at general election as Gove and Redwood join exodus
More than 120 MPs have decided to quit ahead of the next general election - including likes of Angela Leadsom and Theresa May
Jane Dalton25 May 2024 12:39 1716635939Starmer confirms plan to lower voting age to 16
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed that he wants to give 16- and 17-year-olds the vote after suggestions that changes to the voting age would appear in the Labour manifesto.
Speaking at Marston Road, the stadium of Stafford Rangers FC, on Saturday morning, the party leader told reporters: “Yes, I want to see both 16- and 17-year-olds. If you can work, if you can pay tax, if you can serve in your armed forces, then you ought to be able to vote.”
Jane Dalton25 May 2024 12:18 1716635597Rachel Reeves promises spending controls
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves is due to meet supermarket workers in London to talk about the cost-of-living crisis, attacking the Conservative approach to the economy as she pitches Labour as the party of “stability and tough spending”.
In an article for the Daily Mail, Ms Reeves said: “Back in the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher proclaimed that the Conservatives were the party of sound money”, adding: “I will never play fast and loose with your money... I believe in sound money and public spending that is kept under control.”
Ms Reeves appeared to drop a hint that she may eventually be able to cut taxes for workers under a Labour government, saying saying she supported reductions when there is a plan to pay for it.
Jane Dalton25 May 2024 12:13 1716634941Freeze migration, says Reform leader as he echoes Donald Trump
Reform Party leader Richard Tice has launched his campaign to become MP in the seat of Boston and Skegness, mirroring Donald Trump’s “make America great again” slogan by saying “let’s make Britain great again”.
Mr Tice called for a freeze on net migration and to have no waiting lists in the NHS.
“We’ve got to make work pay. We’ve got to get to zero waiting lists on our hospitals and health care. And also we’ve got to get to zero tolerance in law and order,” he said.
Rising migration was so unfair, he claimed, because it made housing prices for young people unaffordable, caused pressure on the NHS and pushed down wages.
“We can have smart immigration, highly skilled, highly qualified, focused on healthcare, but actually we can do so much better, this great nation of ours. We’ve got to make it great again,” he said.
John Rentoul has analysed Reform’s electoral chances:
What are Reform UK’s chances now Farage has ducked the election?
Richard Tice, the leader, bravely claimed that the party’s founder ‘will be everywhere’ during the campaign, writes John Rentoul
Jane Dalton25 May 2024 12:02 1716633957Government confirms migrant numbers top 10,000
Home Office figures just published show 288 people made the journey across the Channel to the UK in five boats on Friday, taking the provisional total for this year to date to 10,170.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We continue to work closely with our French partners to prevent crossings and save lives.”
Jane Dalton25 May 2024 11:45 1716632745Number of migrants passes 10,000 in blow for Rishi Sunak
More than 10,000 migrants are thought to have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel, in a blow to the prime minister who has made “stopping the boats” a flagship promise.
Migrants, including several children, were brought ashore in Dover, Kent, on Friday.
As of Thursday, 9,882 people had made the journey from France this year, according to provisional Home Office figures.
This is up 35% on the number recorded this time last year (7,297) and 6% higher than the same point in 2022 (9,326), according to PA news agency analysis of the data.
The latest arrivals suggest at least around 130 migrants arrived in the UK on Friday, indicating the number crossing the Channel for 2024 to date has hit 10,000, and more were seen making the journey as the day continued.
Number of migrants crossing Channel believed to have hit 10,000 for year so far
Groups of migrants, including several children, were seen being brought ashore in Dover, Kent, on Friday.
Jane Dalton25 May 2024 11:25 1716631828People keep giving me umbrellas, says Sunak
Rishi Sunak has said numerous people have given him umbrellas since Wednesday, when he was soaked while announcing the general election in Downing Street during a downpour.
But the prime minister defended making the announcement in heavy rain.
As he met local ex-servicemen at one of their regular Saturday breakfast meetings in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, in his Richmond constituency, he said he avoided catching pneumonia but admitted he was not sure what state his suit was in.
Vicky Rudd, who was sitting next to her husband Doug, asked Mr Sunak about his health, concerned he might have caught pneumonia.
The prime minister replied: “It was wet.
“The number of people who have given me an umbrella over the last couple of days...”
He defended making the announcement in the rain, saying: “When the moments happen, that’s what you do.
“That’s our tradition, the Prime Minister, in the big moments, they call the election and they go out there.
“I thought, ‘come rain or shine, it’s the right thing to do’.
“But no pneumonia yet, my suit on the other hand... I’m not quite sure what state it will be in when I get back down to London.”
During the meeting, staff brought over six large breakfasts which caught the group by surprise. The PM did not tuck in but carried on sipping from his cup of tea.
Starmer talks to voters about cost of living
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was out speaking to voters about the cost of living on Saturday.
He was on the campaign trail with Labour’s candidate for the constituency, Leigh Ingham.
Is Rishi Sunak’s election campaign the worst in history?
Political editor David Maddox looks at how Rishi Sunak’s election campaign launch compares with earlier ones, which have also had their hiccups:
Is Sunak’s election campaign the worst in history?
Every time you think this election campaign cannot get worse for Rishi Sunak it somehow does
Jane Dalton25 May 2024 10:45 Newer1 / 6OlderDisclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
