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Nigel Farage is pursuing legal action against the vetting company hired by Reform UK after it failed to run background checks on its candidates in time for the general election.
Vetting.com denied claims by Mr Farage of a “stitch up” over chair Colin Bloom’s past links to the Tory party, saying it simply did not have time to scrutinise all 609 of Reform’s candidates before the snap summer poll.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer refused to rule out changes to council tax rates in his plans for government, telling LBC he would not “write the budgets for the next five years”.
And Rishi Sunak insisted that Boris Johnson’s backing “will make a difference” to the ailing Tory campaign, Rishi Sunak has insisted – as his predecessor was drafted in to help fight Reform.
The prime minister said it was “great” that Mr Johnson – who is on holiday in Greece – would be endorsing Tory candidates in a series of videos and letters to voters in the coming days, in an intervention Mr Sunak said was “co-ordinated by the campaign”.
Key Points
- Nigel Farage pursuing legal action against Reform UK’s vetting company
- Keir Starmer refuses to rule out council tax rises
- Rishi Sunak says Boris Johnson intervention ‘will make difference’ to ailing campaign
- 62% say Tory manifesto pledges don’t add up – poll
- Labour could be in power for 20 years, warns Tory minister
- Farage told manifesto is ‘unserious’ due to £141bn extra spending plan
Badger culls have to be part of solution in preventing cattle TB, says Sunak
Rishi Sunak has said badger culls “have to be part of the solution” for preventing the spread bovine tuberculosis to cattle.
Speaking in a Q&A with farmers during a campaign visit to north Devon, the Prime Minister said: “The success of the badger culls where we’ve done them have brought the incidence rates down by just over 50%, so that shows that that plan is working.
“I believe in the science. And yes, of course a vaccine is good and we’re investing in research and development but that is going to take some time. So culls have to be part of the solution.
“And particularly when it comes to badgers, when you look around the world, there’s no country that I think I know of where they’ve eliminated TB in cattle without eliminating it in, whether it’s possums or badgers or the equivalent wildlife, which is why I think culls are important.”
Andy Gregory18 June 2024 16:04 1718722241Watch: Ed Balls grills Nigel Farage on 'who would benefit most' from Reform UK tax proposals
David Cameron warns Lib Dems would bring more ‘wokery’ to politics
Rishi Sunak said it has been “a real privilege” to understand the contribution farmers make to society.
The Prime Minister said at a Q and A with farmers in North Devon: “Now, I grew up in Southampton, and I didn’t come from a farming background. So it’s been a real privilege to understand the contribution that you make to our society.”
He was introduced by Lord David Cameron, who warned the Liberal Democrats would bring more “wokery” to politics.
Andy Gregory18 June 2024 15:35 1718720501Sunak and Cameron struggle to feed sheep on farm in Devon
Rishi Sunak and Lord David Cameron struggled to feed sheep on a campaign visit to a farm in north Devon.
“Come on,” the prime minister said as the flock ran to the other side of the pen.
“They don’t want to play ball,” a farmer accompanying Mr Sunak said.
Andy Gregory18 June 2024 15:21 1718719859Vetting firm being sued by Nigel Farage denies ‘stitching up’ Reform UK
The vetting company hired by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK to run background checks on its candidates has denied trying to “stitch up” the right-wing party.
Vetting.com, which is now being sued by Reform on Mr Farage’s orders, said it did not have time to scrutinise all 609 of Reform’s candidates before the snap summer poll.
A spokesman for the organisation said it had been working on the assumption the general election would be this autumn, giving it the summer to complete its work.
It came after Mr Farage lashed out at the company, claiming to have paid it £144,000 only to have been “stitched up”. The Reform leader blamed Vetting chairman Colin Bloom, who was faith engagement adviser for the Conservative Party under Boris Johnson.
Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell has the full report:
Vetting firm being sued by Nigel Farage denies ‘stitching up’ Reform UK
Nigel Farage and Richard Tice have said Reform UK is suing Vetting.com after alleging the firm’s chairman ‘stitched up’ the party
Andy Gregory18 June 2024 15:10 1718719491Rishi Sunak turns to Margaret Thatcher to save flagging campaign
Rishi Sunak has turned to a favourite of Conservative PMs looking to appeal to the party's base ... if in doubt, wheel Thatcher out.
The prime minister has posted a graphic of Lady Thatcher on Facebook alongside a 1989 quote from the Iron Lady railing against socialists.
Hours after the Tories took to warning of a decade of socialism if Sir Keir Starmer is elected on 4 July, Mr Sunak was highlighting Lady Thatcher's opposition to socialist tendencies.
In the quote, she said: “Socialists don’t like ordinary people choosing, because they might not choose socialism.”
Archie Mitchell, Political Correspondent18 June 2024 15:04 1718717905Watch: Starmer reveals wife Victoria had to cheer him up after ‘frustrating’ first TV debate
Starmer leaves door open to maintaining beer duty freeze
Sir Keir Starmer has not ruled out maintaining a freeze on beer duties, after shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves signalled in an interview with the Sun newspaper that Labour was open to such a move.
Asked about this, party leader Sir Keir told broadcasters in the South East: “I think it is important that we support hospitality and the beer duty is part of the package there. I am glad and obviously support what Rachel has already said.
“But it is part of the challenge for small businesses, whether it is hospitality, whether it is retail as we have just been talking about.
“That is why I am really pleased today to be unveiling our plan for supporting small businesses, for supporting high streets, to make sure that more people are out using those small businesses on their high streets.
“It is all part of our manifesto, which is a manifesto for wealth creation, for growth, and making sure that people genuinely feel better off with Labour.”
Andy Gregory18 June 2024 14:20 1718715685Britain’s future at stake, says Sunak
Rishi Sunak said it was important to register to vote in the general election because Britain’s future was at stake.
Asked why it was important to register on the last day of the window to do so, the PM told broadcasters: “This election there is a very clear choice.
“The future of our country is at stake, we are living in uncertain times, people need to decide who’s got the clearest plan and the boldest ideas to deliver a more secure future.”
He added that the choice was “crystal clear” with the Conservatives offering “tax cuts at every stage of your life”.
Andy Gregory18 June 2024 14:01 1718714845Sunak says Johnson support for Tories ‘will make a difference'
Rishi Sunak said Boris Johnson’s support for the Conservatives “will make a difference” and his interventions had been “co-ordinated by the campaign”.
The PM told broadcasters: “It’s great that Boris is supporting the Conservative Party, I very much welcome that. He is endorsing many candidates in videos and letters which have been co-ordinated by the campaign.
“I know that will make a difference and, of course, every week he is making the case in his column and making sure that everyone understands what the Labour government would do to this country and why it’s important that everyone votes Conservative and I’m glad he’s doing that.”
Andy Gregory18 June 2024 13:47 Newer1 / 9OlderDisclaimer: 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.
