Rishi Sunak is delivering a pre-election speech in a move to pitch to voters after this month’s local election blow.
The Prime Minister has told voters the world is closest to nuclear war since the Cuban missile crisis.
Speaking from London, he has pledged that “more will change in the next five years than in the last thirty” if the Conservatives get re-elected.
Mr Sunak, who has branded Sir Keir Starmer “unprincipled” over Elphicke’s defection, has told voters they face a stark choice between the future and the past as he warned the country would be “less safer” under a Labour government.
Touting his leadership in areas such as security, he is seeking to draw a dividing line with Labour over defence spending following his commitment to hike it to 2.5% of gross domestic product by 2030.
It comes as his Conservative Party dropped behind Labour in the polls suffering a mauling in local and regional elections earlier this month.
Mr Sunak’s worries worsened with the astonishing defection of MP Natalie Elphicke in protest against his record on housing and stopping small boat Channel crossings.
In full: ‘War has returned to Europe,’ Rishi Sunak warns of nuclear escalation
In his long-waited speech, Rishi Sunak has highlighted the UK’s threats from authoritarian states including Russia, Iran, North Korea and China.
He added they are working to “undermine” the UK’s values.
Specifically focusing on Vladimir Putin, he said the Russian president’s “recklessness has taken us closer to a dangerous nuclear escalation than at any point since the Cuban missile crisis”.
Voting Intention: Labour widens the gap
The Labour Party keeps leading the way over the Tories, according to a survey by Deltapoll.
Today’s poll, conducted in the last three days, shows Labour at a 45 per cent of the voting intention.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party has gone up by two points since the last polling.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives are behind at 27%.
The Lib Dems have gone down by two points with only eight per cent.
DUP urges government to avoid fractures between regions with Rwanda policy
DUP interim leader Gavin Robinson has urged the government to prevent a fracture in immigration policy between UK regions.
He is accusing the Prime Minister of ignoring the fact his Rwanda plan was incompatible with the Windsor Framework.
It comes after the Belfast High Court has today ruled parts of the Illegal Migration Act cannot be enforced in Northern Ireland.
Welcoming the ruling, Mr Robinson said it serves to “blow the government’s irrational claims that the Rwanda scheme could extend equally to Northern Ireland completely out of the water”.
He added: “For ministers to ignore what the courts have said would not be merely a case of sleepwalking into the creation of immigration border in the Irish Sea, but rather embarking on such a path with eyes wide open.”
Bad polling for Rishi Sunak
Polling from Ipsos has revealed three in four Brits (75%) think it is unlikely he will win the next election.
He is left with only 14% of support from people who think he still has a good shot at remaining in Downing Street.
Ipsos head of political research Gideon Skinner said: “After a tough set of results at last week’s local elections, the public do not set much store for Rishi Sunak’s chances at the next general election.
“While they are not yet fully convinced by Keir Starmer, voters are clearly unimpressed with the performance of the prime minister and his government – and if anything getting worse – which at the moment is enough to fuel expectations of a Labour victory.”
Pictured: Labour cabinet meet regional mayors in Wolverhampton
In case you’ve missed it: The top takeaways from Rishi Sunak’s speech
The Prime Minister has set up national security as his main priority if he gets re-elected.
He has also used the issue to attack the Labour Party claiming the UK would be less safe if Sir Keir Starmer gets into power.
Here are the main points:
- Addressing voters, he said the upcoming election will be a choice between the future and the past.
- He said the world is closer to nuclear escalation since the Cuban missile crisis.
- He promised to invest in new technologies including AI.
- He addressed illegal migration and stressed support for Ukraine.
Rishi Sunak: Northern Ireland Rwanda court rule changes nothing
The Prime Minister says he still intends to send illegal migrants to Rwanda this July.
He adds: “This judgment changes nothing about our operational plans to send illegal migrants to Rwanda this July or the lawfulness of our Safety of Rwanda Act.
“We continue to work to get regular flights off to Rwanda in the coming weeks and nothing will distract us from that or delivering to the timetable I set out. We must start the flights to stop the boats.
“I have been consistently clear that the commitments in the Belfast Good Friday Agreement should be interpreted as they were always intended, and not expanded to cover issues like illegal migration. We will take all steps to defend that position, including through appeal.”
More support for Rishi Sunak: Former Conservative leader weights in
Former Conservative Party leader Lord Michael Howard has agreed with Rishi Sunak the UK would be less safe under Labour.
In a BBC Radio 4 interview he said Sir Keir Starmer is not ready to tackle the challenges the UK is facing.
Lord Howard said: “He is not prepared to face up to the dangers that the country faces and that lie before us.
“The Prime Minister was setting out this morning the clear choice which the country faces and it is a very clear choice.”
Rwanda deportations should not apply in Northern Ireland, Court rules
A judge has ruled that parts of the Illegal Migration Act, which allows to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, should not be enforced in Northern Ireland.
Mr Justice Mumphreys said they undermine human rights protections guaranteed in the region following post-Brexit agreements.
They are all stated in the Windsor Framework jointly agreed by the UK and EU.
It states there can be no diminution of the rights provisions contained within Northern Ireland’s Good Friday peace agreement of 1998.
In response, Dr Tony McGleenan KC, representing the Government, said he will consider an appeal.
It comes just hours after Rishi Sunak stressed he would not let the European Court of Human Rights derail his Rwanda asylum plan.
In full: Support for Ukraine will last for as long as it is necessary, PM vows
The Prime Minister would not be drawn on whether the UK was now in favour of Ukraine accepting a peace deal.
Instead, he reinforced the UK’s support for Kyiv and defence spending.
