Voters like Tory policies — but Labour still well ahead in polls
“The Tories are struggling to convert popular policy pledges into increased support, as Labour maintains its commanding lead over the Conservatives in the polls. The latest YouGov survey of voting intention for The Times shows the Tories are still trailing Labour by 25 points, a week into the campaign. This is despite significant backing for Conservative plans to provide a tax cut for pensioners, scrap so-called “Mickey Mouse” degrees, and to bring in national service for 18-year-olds. Overall YouGov found that just 6 per cent of voters had a better view of the Conservative party as a result of what they had seen and heard during the campaign so far, while 18 per cent had a worse view.” – The Times
- Ashcroft poll: Only four in 10 voters have made up their mind – Daily Mail
- Tory MP says ‘excrement’ posted through her constituency letterbox – Daily Telegraph
- Both main parties rule out VAT rises – FT
- Cameron on hols during campaign – The Sun
>Today:
Conservative MP defects to Labour
“Mark Logan, the Tory MP for Bolton North East for the last five years, has defected to Labour, joining the party and publicly supporting them at the general election. Mr Logan said the Conservative Party was “unrecognisable” from the one he joined a decade ago and revealed on Thursday he was applying to become a Labour member. He holds one of the most marginal seats in the country, winning with a majority of just 378 in 2019. Mr Logan said: “When I look back to my teenage years, in 1997 when Labour came to the fore at that time and we obviously heard the song Things Can Only Get Better, I feel that we’re at that point again in British politics and British history.” – Daily Telegraph
- Logan explains why he is joining Labour – BBC News
- Labour welcomes Tory defector – FT
- And Logan defects to Labour – The Sun
- Former Tory MP Knight set to stand as independent – Daily Express
>Today:
Fly-tippers could lose their driving licence under Sunak plan
“Fly-tippers will be punished with penalty points on their driving licence under a fresh crackdown on antisocial behaviour being announced by Rishi Sunak. The prime minister said that he will make fly-tipping a specific offence if the Conservatives win the election, with the worst offenders facing the prospect of losing their driving licence entirely. At present fly-tippers can ultimately face prison if they repeatedly refuse to pay the fine. The announcement comes as part of Sunak’s attempts to make antisocial behaviour an election issue as he pitches his party as more hardline on the issue than Labour.” – The Times
Labour 1) Rayner’s stance on Abbott infuriates senior Labour figures
“Angela Rayner has called for Diane Abbott to be allowed to stand as a Labour candidate in a direct challenge to Sir Keir Starmer, exposing a rift in Labour’s leadership. Starmer’s allies continue to insist that Abbott, who has represented Hackney North & Stoke Newington for nearly 37 years, would not be allowed to stand under Labour’s banner at the general election and on Thursday multiple shadow cabinet members declined to say they would support her doing so. But Rayner, Starmer’s deputy, refused to follow the Labour leader’s official stance that no decision had been made on Abbott’s future. Instead, she suggested that she would use her position to support the former shadow home secretary.” – The Times
- Starmer under pressure to back down on Abbott – Daily Telegraph
- Leading Black figures criticise Labour’s ‘disgraceful’ treatment of Abbott – The Guardian
- Labour leader faces backlash – FT
- Starmer told to end purge – The Guardian
- Treatment of Abbott having ‘impact with voters’ – The Guardian
- Blocked Labour candidate accuses party of ‘racism, Islamophobia and bullying’ – Daily Telegraph
- Rayner admits shoplifting in younger years – Daily Express
- Labour divisions widen – Daily Express
Comment
>Today:
>Yesterday:
Labour 2) Labour on course for victory in Scotland
“A new poll has handed fresh hope to the SNP to claw back ground on Labour in the general election, suggesting John Swinney’s leadership has “helped to steady the nationalist ship”. But the poll by Savanta for The Scotsman found Labour was still on course for a thumping victory in Scotland, although Sir Keir Starmer’s party has failed to increase its lead over the SNP at Westminster despite Mr Swinney’s party facing severe criticism over the Michael Matheson saga. Polling experts suggested Mr Swinney’s leadership had “managed to stem the SNP’s bleeding” by holding support steady against a resurgent Labour.” – The Scotsman
- Starmer waters down pledge to scrap smart motorways – Daily Telegraph
- Vallance backs Labour’s green energy plan – The Times
- Labour’s GB Energy ‘will only be a bit-part player’ in net-zero fight – The Times
- Private school fees rise 6.2pc to brace for Starmer’s VAT raid – Daily Telegraph
Comment
Trump guilty on all counts
“Donald Trump has been convicted of fraud by a New York jury that declared he was guilty of all 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a payment made to a porn star during his tumultuous 2016 campaign for the White House. The verdict made him the first former president in American history to be convicted in a criminal court. It came in the midst of a presidential campaign, sometimes conducted in a gloomy courthouse corridor, in which Trump, 77, could be returned to the White House months after a judge has decided whether or not to send him to jail. Speaking outside the courtroom, Trump condemned the trial and “corrupt” Judge Juan Merchan. “This was a rigged, disgraceful trial,” he said.” – The Times
Comment
News in Brief
