General Election postal votes ‘delays’ urgently investigated – reside updates
Despite huge leads in the polls, Labour are warning that the General Election is by no means a foregone conclusion – and that unless voters turn out on Thursday, they could risk waking up to five more years of the Tories.
The Conservative party have meanwhile launched a new round of desperate attacks on Keir Starmer. After the Labour leader said he would try to spend time with his family on Friday nights beyond 6pm if he enters Number 10, health minister Maria Caulfield bizarrely claimed on Sky News that he was planning a “four day week”.
But she was quickly corrected by the presenter, who pointed out that he had made the comments about observing the traditions of his wife’s Jewish faith.
Number 10 ‘not concerned’ that people could lose vote from postal delays
Rishi Sunak is not concerned that some people could be disenfranchised by delays to receiving their postal votes ahead of polling day, Downing Street has said.
The Government is aware of some issues around the printing and delivery of postal ballot packs in some local areas and is working to help resolve them, according to No 10.
It comes after Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney warned that some Scots could be “disenfranchised” if their postal votes cannot be filled out and returned on time.
Voters north of the border reported still not having received their ballots with days to go until July 4, with some now overseas.
Some 2,600 postal votes were also reportedly sent out late in Essex’s Uttlesford District Council, whose chief executive apologised for the delay caused by “human error”.
Wes Streeting says attacks on Keir Starmer’s family time ‘total disgrace’
The attacks on Labour leader Keir Starmer are a “total disgrace”, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting has said.
Asked on Times Radio if he would work beyond 6pm on a Friday, Mr Streeting said: “I’m sure I will be and I’m sure Keir will be doing so too.
“The attacks on him are a total disgrace and it shows how far these people have fallen, how heavily they’re scraping the barrel and why they need to be removed from office on Thursday.”
He added: “Let me say something about the Conservative Party. The party that turned Number 10 into a giant lockdown party now wants to lecture others on their work ethic.
“It’s a disgrace and the stench of their lies and hypocrisy is even more overwhelming than the vomit they left for Downing Street cleaners, and like those cleaners we’ll clean up the Tories’ mess too if we’re given the chance on Thursday, and as far as I’m concerned, given their behaviour this morning, that change can’t come soon enough.”
Sunak told there’s more chance of ‘lightning striking twice’ than him staying
Rishi Sunak has been told there’s “more chance of lightning striking twice in the same place” than him remaining PM after the General Election.
The brutal moment came as the Tory leader was read out a piece of analysis from the elections expert Professor John Curtice during a BBC Breakfast interview. The polling guru had told the broadcaster: “There is more chance of lightning striking twice in the same place and a bit more than Rishi Sunak remaining as Prime Minister”.
Asked whether he accepted the fate, Mr Sunak replied: “That’s his view. That’s not going to stop me from working as hard as I can over these final few days to talk to as many people as possible about the choice.
Wes Streeting confident of doing deal with junior doctors
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting refused to “negotiate live on air” when asked about pay increases for junior doctors but added: “I do think we can find a deal.”
He told Times Radio: “I spoke to the BMA the other week ahead of this round of strike action, I asked them to call this round of strike action off and made the case to them as to why they should consider doing that, obviously they went ahead anyway.
“They know not just through that discussion, that particular discussion, but through discussions we’ve had privately through what we’ve said consistently publicly, that the 35% pay demand that they’re making is not one that we will be able to afford if we’re in government on Friday, that we’re willing to negotiate on pay, and we’re willing to negotiate on the wider range of conditions that junior doctors are suffering under and I use the term suffering deliberately because I’m pretty appalled at the way junior doctors are treated in terms of placements, rotations and so on.”
Mr Streeting said 35% is “not affordable” and asked whether 12% is affordable, he said: “Well, if I’m on your programme on Friday, which is a high probability based on this election campaign, I wouldn’t be negotiating live on air then and I’m certainly not going to do that now.
“I do think we can find a deal, I really hope that the BMA will work with us to do that. I am optimistic because they have indicated a willingness to move on pay.”
Rishi Sunak tours supermarket as if it was a museum
The PM later this morning went to a Morrisons supermarket where he walked down aisles and pointed at items as if it was a museum.
He then stacked bread under a sign saying: “Your baker today is Rishi.”
Mr Sunak also embarked on a McDonald’s charm offensive with the journalists in the press pack accompanying him.
The PM handed out breakfast hash browns and bacon McMuffins like a gleeful Santa Clause. He’s been putting on a smile and has been in a seemingly good mood as polling day looms.
The PM’s next stop is a grilling on BBC Breakfast. The first question is whether his attacks on Labour and his claim they could win a supermajority are the “language of defeat”. Looks like that smile’s just vanished.
Latest from Tory campaign trail as Sunak tours distribution centres
It’s the Mirror’s Political Correspondent Sophie Huskisson here sending this blog post in from the Tory campaign trail. I’ve been up since 3am travelling around as the PM makes a number of stops.
First stop was an Ocado factory at 5am where we got to see how their robot helpers pack online deliveries.
Tech-obsessed Rishi Sunak repeatedly said “brilliant” as he pointed at the more than 200 fast moving Wall-E-esque machines which zipped around collecting items and dropping them into relevant sections.
I wonder if Liz Truss would’ve been jealous of this visit.
The ex-PM could’ve asked how to improve delivery services to Downing Street after her painful struggle getting drop offs to No10 during her short tenure.
Rishi Sunak tries alternative career two days before election
Rishi Sunak has spent the morning helping to pack salmon and avocado at an Ocado factory and stacking loaves of bread at Morrisons.
Not sure Iceland is on our list of stops…
Rishi Sunak has spent the morning helping to pack salmon and avocado at an Ocado factory and stacking loaves of bread at Morrisons
Not sure Iceland is on our list of stops… pic.twitter.com/usrDnE00Uy
— Sophie Huskisson (@soph_husk) July 2, 2024
Tory Minister called out for fake Keir Starmer claim in Sky News clash
A Tory Minister has been slapped down by a Sky News presenter after falsely claiming Keir Starmer wants to do a four-day week in No10.
The clash came as the Tories ramped up attacks on the Labour leader after he suggested he’d make time in his diary for his son, 16, and daughter, 13. Health Minister Maria Caulfield told Sky News that a work-life balance was “pretty important”. But she added: “I would say a a minister, it’s not really that feasible.
“Probably what you are alluding to is Keir Starmer saying he’s going to be doing a four-day week and finishing at 6 o’clock every evening.”
But the presenter Matt Barbet shot back, saying: “No, he didn’t say a four-day week. He said he was going to finish work at six on a Friday like many people do and I believe that’s to help his wife observe her Jewish faith which is commonplace among Jewish people. So not a four-day week – that’s not true.”
Tory Minister called out for fake claim about Keir Starmer ‘four-day week’ in Sky News clash
‘Urgent’ investigation into postal votes after Royal Mail fails to deliver on time
The postal affairs minister is “urgently” investigating delays to postal ballots being delivered, Maria Caulfield has said.
Royal Mail has been criticised for failing to deliver votes in time for the General Election.
Health minister Ms Caulfield told Sky News: “Kevin [Hollinrake] is taking this very seriously. He’s in direct contact with the Royal Mail.
“It doesn’t seem to be an issue in my constituency, but I know a number of colleagues where people haven’t received their postal votes and are worried about that.
“Kevin is investigating this urgently. I know there’s extra resources going into this to try and do a sweep of all the sorting offices and make sure they’re out there.
“If people have only just received their postal vote, they can take it to their polling station on election day and it will still be counted.”
Keir Starmer did NOT say he’ll clock off work at 6pm every day – Tory lie debunked
The Tories have been accused of spreading desperate “lies” after they warned Keir Starmer would be a “part-time PM” for wanting to spend time with his family.
Rishi Sunak’s party ramped up its attacks on the Labour leader after he suggested he’d make time in his diary for his son, 16, and daughter, 13.
The Conservative Party tweeted: “You deserve better than a part-time Prime Minister.”
The criticism comes less than a fortnight after Mr Sunak lavished praise on Mr Starmer for trying to spend time with his family. Asked on LBC what he admired about his rival, the PM said: “These jobs all take a toll on everyone’s family. He does a very good job of balancing work life and family life. That’s a nice thing.”
A Labour source hit back at the Tory attacks, saying: “The only person who’s clocked off early in this campaign is Rishi Sunak at the D-Day commemorations.”
Keir Starmer did NOT say he’ll clock off work at 6pm every day – Tory lie debunked
Ex-Tory chairman fails to mention party anywhere on election leaflet
A former Tory chairman has failed to put the word “Conservative” anywhere on his election leaflet.
Greg Hands mentioned “Labour” 10 times on the flyer, but did not include the party he is standing for even in the small print. The ex-Cabinet minister is seeking re-election as the MP for Chelsea and Fulham.
