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Rishi Sunak has clashed with Janet Street Porter on ITV’s Loose Women over his recent spring Budget. The Prime Minister was confronted on why he “hates pensioners” as some measures didn’t cater to older people.
It came hours after Sir Keir Starmer has launched Labour’s pitch to voters ahead of the general election, unveiling a set of six steps for government.
Speaking from Essex this morning, he is joined by deputy leader Angela Rayner and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
He vowed to deliver economic stability, cut NHS waiting times, create a new Border Security Command to end criminal boat gangs, and a publicly owned energy provider, to be called Great British Energy.
He promised to tackle on antisocial behaviour, and he will announce the recruitment of 6,500 new teachers.
The chief executive of Boots Sebastian James has endorsed Labour. The Old Etonian friend of Boris Johnson and David Cameron, praised Sir Keir’s focus on economic growth and Britain’s high streets.
Rishi Sunak delivered in his own keynote speech earlier this week where he criticised Labour for fighting based on “Starmer versus Sunak”.
Key Points
- Rishi Sunak is grilled on Loose Women
- Sir Keir Starmer has launched his electoral pitch
- Cameron’s Bullingdon club pal endorses Labour
- Education Secretary announces changes to sex education in schools
- Labour chief claimed £40,000 expenses to rent house next door
David Cameron’s Bullingdon Club pal endorses Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour
The chief executive of Boots has endorsed Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party in a major blow to Rishi Sunak.
Sebastian James, an Old Etonian friend of Boris Johnson and David Cameron, praised Sir Keir’s focus on economic growthand Britain’s high streets.
And he welcomed Labour’s plans to “put more money in people’s pockets” to help address the cost of living crisis, which he said Boots customers still complain about daily.
The Boots chief is the latest business leader to get behind Labourahead of the looming general election, four years after industry shunned the party under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
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Salma Ouaguira16 May 2024 14:58 1715867304Starmer’s election battle pledge echoes the days of Tony Blair
In 1997 Tony Blair launched his pitch to voters under the slogan ‘New Labour because Britain deserves better’.
Keir Starmer is setting out a pre-election six-point pledge that is similar to what the former Prime Minister launched at the time.
This is what he promised in the 90s:
- Basic minimum workers rights for the individual at the workplace.
- Accept the global economy as a reality and reject the isolationism and ‘go-it-alone’ policies of the extremes of right or left.
- More spending on education as the cost of unemployment falls.
- Tackle crime and halve the time it takes persistent juvenile offenders to come to court.
- Rebuild the NHS and increasing spending on patient care learning.
‘Labour’s six doorstep pledges are too timid,’ leftwing groups say
Leftwing Labour group Momentum has dismissed Sir Keir Starmer’s six-point pledge.
A spokesperson said: “Britain has big problems, and they require big solutions. Sadly, these fixes fall desperately short of the bold policies needed to fix the Tories’ broken Britain, from mass building council housing to renationalising our public services.
“Worse still, Starmer is failing to break with the Conservatives’ disastrous austerity dogma.”
Salma Ouaguira16 May 2024 14:42 1715866524Tory MP ordered to give back taxpayer’s cash used for party work
Pensions Minister Paul Maynard has been investigated by a watchdog overseeing MPs expenses.
Rules state MPs can only claim costs made to fulfill their parliamentary duties
But the MP for Blackpool North and Cleveleys has been accused of covering costs of his constituency office and political campaigning.
As a result, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority ordered the repayment of £1,367, which Mr Maynard repaid earlier this month.
Salma Ouaguira16 May 2024 14:35 1715865924Watch: The moment Rishi Sunak is grilled on Loose Women
Loose Women presenter Janet Street-Porter asked the prime minister: “Why do you hate pensioners?”
‘Being PM impacted on my family,’ Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak revealed being a Prime Minister has negatively impacted his family.
He claims he hasn’t been able to be “as good” a dad or husband as he would like to be.
Asked if it played on his mind, Mr Sunak said: “Yes. I was very fortunate, I was raised in a very loving, tight-knit family.
“I think family is really important, probably the most important thing in all of our lives and not being able to be as good a dad, as good a husband as I would ordinarily like to be, of course it weighs on me.”
Watch: Education minister fails to give specific examples of ‘inappropriate teaching’ in schools’ sex education
Gillian Keegan failed to give specific, non-anecdotal evidence that she has seen “inappropriate material” being taught in classrooms as she was grilled on the government’s approach to sex education.
The education secretary told BBC Breakfast: “There have been materials which I’ve seen … things like choosing lots of different genders and identities, and saying which ones of these are gender identities, gender spectrum, it can be a spectrum, it’s fluid, you can have different genders on different days.”
It came after reports that age limits are set to be imposed for the first time on when children can be taught about sex education.
Former Conservative donor backs Sir Keir Starmer
Rob Boughton, who runs one of the biggest developers in the southeast has appeared during Labour’s election pitch.
Mr Boughton, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Thakeham, previously donated nearly £1million to the Conservative party since 2017.
But he is now supporting the Labour party’s bid to “renew Britain”.
Labour goes on a 48 hour campaign blitz
Labour has set out its target constituencies for a 48-hour campaign blitz.
Following Keir Starmer firing the starting gun on their general election campaign, Labour will splurge its biggest spend on advertising since 2019.
On Thursday and Friday, there will be a series of adverts dropping across the country to mark the launch of Starmer’s first steps for change.
Shadow cabinet members will also be taking Labour’s message to the country on a series of visits and ad vans in areas such as Wolverhampton, Bassetlaw, Swindon, Leigh, Doncaster, Barnet, Newcastle, Aldershot and Thurrock.
Labour has said to expect to see billboards up and down the country in London, Rochester, Swindon, West Mids, Loughborough, Manchester, Doncaster, Newcastle, Leigh, Bristol, Norwich, Peterborough, Leeds, Darlington, Bolton, Great Yarmouth, Northampton, Mansfield, Burnley, and Stoke on Trent.
All these are seats they have lost to the Tories in the last 15 years and hope to win back.
David Maddox 16 May 2024 13:35 1715862805Sunak grilled on ITV’s Loose Women
Rishi Sunak joked that appearing on the show was on the “more intimidating end” of the things he had to do since becoming PM.
He told ITV’s Loose Women programme he will be staying as an MP even if the Conservatives loose the general election.
He said: “Yes of course I am staying. I love being an MP, I love my constituents, I love my home in North Yorkshire, it is wonderful and I love being able to get back there.”
Salma Ouaguira16 May 2024 13:33 Newer1 / 7OlderDisclaimer: 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.
