PM warns UK faces ‘among the most harmful years but’ in pre-election pitch
Rishi Sunak Sunak will warn in a major speech the UK faces “some of the most dangerous” years yet in a more volatile world.
In a desperate pitch to voters ahead of the general election later this year, the PM will say the public faces a stark choice as the country “stands at a crossroads”. He will brazenly attempt to pitch himself as the leader with the “bold ideas” needed to “change society for the better” after 14 years of Tory rule.
The PM will say on Monday: “Over the next few years, from our democracy to our economy to our society – to the hardest questions of war and peace – almost every aspect of our lives is going to change. How we act in the face of these changes – not only to keep people safe and secure but to realise the opportunities too – will determine whether or not Britain will succeed in the years to come. And this is the choice facing the country.”
He will add: “I have bold ideas that can change our society for the better, and restore people’s confidence and pride in our country. I feel a profound sense of urgency. Because more will change in the next five years than in the last thirty. I’m convinced that the next few years will be some of the most dangerous yet most transformational our country has ever known.”
No10 said he will use the address to look ahead to the next five years – despite polls showing the Tories are facing a historic wipeout later this year.
But Labour’s national campaign coordinator Pat McFadden said: “Nothing the PM says will change the fact that over the past fourteen years the Conservatives have brought costly chaos to the country, with this being the only Parliament in living memory where people’s standard of living will be lower at the end of it than the beginning.”
He added: “Even as the Prime Minister speaks, others in his party are positioning themselves to replace him. The only way to stop the chaos, turn the page and start to renew is with a change of Government. The Conservatives can’t fix the country’s problems because they are the problem. Another five years of them would not change anything for the better.”
The speech comes as Keir Starmer also gathers Labour’s newly expanded team of mayors on Monday after stunning victories in the local elections earlier in May. The Labour leader will say boosting regional growth will be “top of the agenda” and will feature in the party’s general election manifesto.He said the plan will “draw on the expertise and ideas of Labour mayors who know their communities best” and “set the ‘gold standard’ for delivering local growth”.
He added: “With our sleeves rolled up and plans already being developed before a general election, Labour will be ready from day one. We’ll turbocharge growth across our towns, cities and regions, put more money in people’s pockets and improving living standards across Britain.”
