Rishi Sunak vows to combat for each vote following assist for Reform
Rishi Sunak yesterday vowed to fight for every vote in the midst of an onslaught from Nigel Farage‘s Reform party.
The Prime Minister’s resolve came as one poll put Reform ahead of the Conservatives for the first time in a further blow to Tory morale.
His woes were compounded by a bouyant Mr Farage declaring himself as the ‘real opposition to Labour‘, demanding a one-on-one TV debate with Keir Starmer.
The YouGov survey for The Times put support for Reform at 19 per cent, just ahead of the Tories on 18 per cent. Labour remains on top at 37 per cent.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaking during a press conference at the G7 leaders’ summit at the Borgo Egnazia resort, in Puglia, Apulia, Italy. He has vowed to remain an MP even if Labour win
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (pictured) arrives for a press conference at The Wellington, central London. He has claimed his party is the ‘real opposition to Labour’
Asked by reporters at the G7 summit in Puglia, Italy, whether he was ‘despairing’ about the poll, Mr Sunak said: ‘If that poll was replicated on July 4, it would be handing Labour a blank cheque to tax everyone – tax their home, their pension, their car, their family.
‘I’ll be fighting very hard to make sure that doesn’t happen. I’m still fighting very hard for every vote.’
There was little outward sign of panic from Tory MPs, however, following four other polls in the last 48 hours finding no such lead for Reform.
‘My experience on the doorsteps is not reflected in the polls,’ veterans’ minister Johnny Mercer told the Mail. He added, however: ‘If you vote for Reform, you are going to get Labour MPs and a massive Labour government. I can’t be the only one to be seriously worried about that.’
There were also signs that Labour were starting to get unnerved by the return of Mr Farage. The party tweeted attacks directed at him about his stance on the NHS following the poll, rather than focusing on the Tory government.
Mr Sunak also pledged to stay on in Parliament for five years even if Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes over in Number 10.
There were also signs that Labour were starting to get unnerved by the return of Mr Farage
Asked by reporters at the G7 summit in southern Italy if there would be a late change to his campaigning strategy, he replied: ‘No, we’re out and about’
But at the halfway point of the election campaign and with the Tories now trailing Reform UK as well as Labour in the polls, Mr Sunak said he would not be changing tactics.
Asked by reporters at the G7 summit in southern Italy if there would be a late change to his campaigning strategy, he replied: ‘No, we’re out and about, and it’s really good that both manifestos are out now because it’s really clear what the choice is at the election.’
He went on: ‘I think you can see that most clearly on tax: if I am re-elected there will be a tax cut for people at every stage of their lives – everyone in work, everyone who is setting up a small business or self-employed, young people who are buying their first home, young families with children, but also pensioners.
‘People at every stage of their lives are going to get a tax cut, because I do think you can curb the unsustainable increase in the welfare bill, and that I think is the right choice for the country, and in contrast Labour are just going to put up your taxes.
‘And as you saw over the past few days, they just can’t tell people unequivocally that they are not going to do that and the analysis shows that they’ll raise the tax burden to the highest levels that this country has seen in our history.’
Asked if he would commit to serving a full five-year term as PM if he wins, and to serving for five years as an MP if he loses, he replied simply: ‘Yes. Yes.’
It is the first time he has pledged to stay in Parliament for five years regardless of the result of the election, although he has previously rubbished suggestions he would jet off to California if he is defeated and has insisted that he loves his constituency home in North Yorkshire.
