Reform overtakes Tories in polls for first time
“Nigel Farage’s Reform party has overtaken the Conservatives in a poll for the first time in a symbolic moment that deals another blow to Rishi Sunak’s electoral hopes. The YouGov survey for The Times found that support for Reform had increased by two points to 19 per cent while the Tories were unchanged on 18 per cent. It is the first time any poll has shown Reform ahead of the Tories, a so-called crossover moment. It will particularly concern Tory strategists as it was carried out after the party released its manifesto on Tuesday. After the poll was released Farage declared: “We are now the real opposition to Labour.” However, in somewhat better news for the Conservatives the poll also found that 80 per cent of those backing Reform said that a very large majority for Labour would be a “bad thing for the country”. – The Times
- Tories overtaken by Reform – Daily Telegraph
- Bombshell poll puts Reform ahead of Tories – Daily Mail
- Tories are imploding and we will take them over, claim Reform – Daily Telegraph
- Farage piles pressure on Conservatives – Daily Mail
- As he claims Reform is now the opposition to Labour – Daily Mail
- How Tories’ second safest seat is on brink of falling – The Sun
- Sunak and Meloni share a special relationship but is it about to end? – Daily Telegraph
- Female election candidates report increased abuse – Guardian
- Parties accused of ‘conspiracy of silence’ on tax and spending – The Times
- Bomb squad called to candidate’s office – Guardian
>Today:
Sunak warns Starmer is playing into Putin’s hands
“Rishi Sunak last night warned Sir Keir Starmer was playing into Vladimir Putin’s hands — by not raising defence spending in his manifesto. He said Labour’s failure to match the Tories’ increase risked Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s war effort. Speaking at the G7 in Italy, Mr Sunak said: “I can sit there and tell Zelensky, yep, as long as it takes, we will have the money to continue supporting you . . . the Labour Party can’t say that.” Mr Sunak also held talks with Mr Zelensky, the pair embracing at the end as Ukraine’s leader wished the PM “all the best” for the election. It came after the G7 agreed to loan Ukraine £50billion to rebuild.” – The Sun
Labour 1) Rayner stays tight-lipped on capital gains tax in TV clash, as party launches manifesto
“Angela Rayner declined to say whether Labour would raise capital gains tax if it won the election as she clashed with Penny Mordaunt during a seven-way televised leadership debate. Mordaunt, the leader of the Commons, asked Rayner during the ITV debate whether Labour would raise the tax, which is levied on the sale of assets such as shares or property. She asked: “Will you commit to ruling that out now?” Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, responded by saying that Labour would not raise taxes on working people. “We have set out that we would not raise income tax, national insurance and VAT,” she said.” – The Times
- ‘Crazy’ private school tax raid will drive children to state sector, Mordaunt claims – Daily Telegraph
- How Labour will push the tax burden to a record high – Daily Telegraph
- Labour sets out how it will raise £8.6bn – FT
- Rayner says Labour would never take country back into EU – FT
- Wealth creation at heart of manifesto – Guardian
- Starmer faces questions on cost of manifesto – Guardian
- Labour steps up the charm offensive to woo City bosses – The Times
- What Labour has not explained — from tax to private schools – The Times
- Labour manifesto unpicked – The Times
- The Labour manifesto subject to a survey – The Times
- Largest shake-up of Whitehall in decades planned by Labour – FT
- Labour vows to hold inquiry into ‘Battle of Orgreave’ clash between police and miners – Daily Telegraph
Comment
- Labour super-majority doesn’t mean red alert – Patrick Maguire, The Times
- Riding to the rescue – Editorial, The Times
- Starmer’s first year in power could be his critics’ worst nightmare: a success – Fraser Nelson, Daily Telegraph
- The people will rise up against Labour’s bonkers Left-wing agenda – Allison Pearson, Daily Telegraph
- The most dangerous part of Labour’s manifesto is the bit no one will read – Tim Stanley, Daily Telegraph
- Things can only get smugger as Keir’s rock stars take the stage – Madeline Grant, Daily Telegraph
- Labour is about to give Middle England a simple choice: emigrate or give up – Annabel Denham, Daily Telegraph
- Starmer is more dangerous than Blair ever was – Miriam Cates, Daily Telegraph
- Has the dullest manifesto on record just sealed the deal for Starmer? Tom Harris, Daily Telegraph
- The Labour Party hasn’t really changed – Editorial, Daily Telegraph
- A dangerous manifesto – Editorial, Daily Mail
- Why should anyone believe Starmer now? – Editorial, Daily Telegraph
Labour 2) Starmer rejects Khan’s plan to extend his grip beyond London
“Labour has rejected Sadiq Khan’s bid to seize control of rail routes serving commuter towns outside of London. In its manifesto published on Thursday, Sir Keir Starmer’s Opposition ruled out any further expansion of Transport for London (TfL), which falls under Mr Khan’s remit. The Mayor of London, who recently secured his third term, had campaigned to expand TfL’s operations as far as Sevenoaks in Kent and Stevenage in Hertfordshire, which he said would help deliver more frequent services, improved reliability and simpler fares. However Labour confirmed it had snubbed Mr Khan’s proposal as part of its manifesto announcement, which said mayors will be restricted to overseeing “services in their areas”. – Daily Telegraph
Bookmakers told to find all substantial bets on July poll after Sunak aide’s ‘flutter’
“Bookmakers have been asked by the Gambling Commission to trawl through all substantial bets placed on a July election after one of Rishi Sunak’s closest aides put a wager on the poll date just days before it was announced. The prime minister said he was “disappointed” with the behaviour of Craig Williams, which was revealed in the Guardian, but neither would be drawn on whether they had discussed the date of the election prior to the bet being placed. The watchdog has now asked bookmakers to provide information on all substantial bets on the timing of the election after odds shortened on a July poll in the week before the date was announced.” – The Guardian
- Sunak’s aide apologises for placing bet – Guardian
Farage defends Reform UK candidates who are ‘friends’ with fascist
“Nigel Farage has defended the 41 candidates found to be social media “friends” of a fascist leader, saying: “I apologise that not all of our candidates have been to Eton.” Close to one in ten candidates for the Reform UK party in England were found to be connected on Facebook with Gary Raikes, the British fascist leader, The Times found. On Thursday Farage claimed it was “utter cobblers” to say they had Nazi sympathies because “on Facebook mates send each other things” without “having any idea where it comes from”. During a phone-in segment on an LBC radio show, he said: “I can only apologise that not all of our candidates have been to Eton, to Oxford, not all of our candidates are part of the London set.” – The Times
Comment
News in Brief
