6:33 am, July 2, 2024
A big Labour majority would be ‘better for the country’, Starmer claims
Sir Keir Starmer has said a big majority would be’better for the country’, as the Tories continue to urge voters to proceed with caution and not hand Labour a ‘blank cheque’.
With just 48 hours to go until polling day, Rishi Sunak has repeated the warning that Labour could achieve a ‘supermajority’, allowing the party to raise taxes, which he claimed is in its DNA.
In an interview with The Times, Sir Keir said he needed a ‘strong mandate’ to reform the planning system and improve the economy. Asked if he was saying the bigger a majority, the better, he told the newspaper: ‘Better for the country. Because it means we can roll up our sleeves and get on with the change we need.’
Sunak to emphasise importance of voting in final stretch plea to wavering Tories
The outcome of the election is not a ‘forgone conclusion’ and the decision of a small number of voters could swing it away from a huge Labour majority, Rishi Sunak is to say.
The prime minister will urge wavering Tory voters to stick with his party in a speech during the final 48 hours of the General Election campaign.
Multiple opinion polls have suggested the Labour party is on course for a huge majority in Parliament following the election. The Conservatives have dubbed this an unaccountable ‘supermajority’, in a bid to dissuade voters who would usually back them from switching to rival political parties.
Sir Ed Davey urges public to choose Lib Dems and ‘vote for historic change’
Sir Ed Davey has urged the public to ‘vote for historic change’ by choosing the Liberal Democrats and getting rid of the Conservatives.
This comes after the party leader took part in a bungee jump before asking voters to take a similar ‘leap of faith’ on polling day.
Sir Ed said: ‘On Thursday, millions of people have a chance to vote for historic change. This will be a once-in-a-century election.’
Food inflation now lower than at any time since 2021, figures show
Food inflation is now lower than at any time since 2021, according to new figures.
Food prices were 2.5% higher than a year ago in June, down from 3.2% in May – well below the three-month average rate of 3% and the fourteenth consecutive slowing of inflation, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-NielsenIQ Shop Price Index.
Food inflation is now lower than at any point since December 2021, helped by falling prices for key products such as butter and coffee. Fresh food inflation slowed further to 1.5%, down from 2% in May.
Strikes ‘inevitable’ for Aberdeen, Glasgow airports as pay dispute escalates
Strike action at Aberdeen and Glasgow airports is ‘inevitable’ said the Unite union after workers overwhelmingly voted to strike in a pay dispute.
Unite confirmed the outcome of the vote on Tuesday with strike action supported by 98.5% of around 200 ICTS (UK) Limited workers at Glasgow and a further 100 or so at Aberdeen airport, for a total of 89.7% in favour of strike action.
Unite confirmed that the ICTS Central Search employees, who deal with passengers directly in the security search areas and process them for flights, could start action in mid-July unless ICTS significantly moves on pay in the coming days.
Listen to this week’s Car Dealer Podcast
Greenhous’s Ashley Passant joins James Baggott and Jon Reay to discuss last week’s biggest headlines. You can listen to the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts or another streaming service.
‘Bot-like’ X accounts having ‘oversized influence’ on General Election – study
A new study has found that posts from 10 ‘bot-like’ X accounts spreading disinformation and hate have been viewed more than 150 million times ahead of the UK General Election.
The accounts in question have shared more than 60,000 posts on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, since May 22, with those posts estimated to have been seen 150 million times, an investigation by non-governmental organisation (NGO) Global Witness found.
Many of the posts from these 10 prolific accounts contain ‘extreme and violent’ hate speech, disinformation, conspiracy theories and praise Russian president Vladimir Putin, the organisation said.
Landlords call for return of Bill banning no-fault evictions
Landlords have called on the next government to urgently pass legislation previously proposed by the Conservatives which would outlaw so-called ‘no fault’ evictions and boost tenants’ rights.
A joint statement by four organisations representing more than 100,000 landlords said the sector had faced five years of uncertainty over plans to end Section 21 repossessions and called for the issue to be brought to a conclusion as soon as possible.
The Renters (Reform) Bill would have also imposed new obligations on landlords aimed at ending discrimination against those on low incomes. It had reached its second reading in the House of Lords when the General Election was called and Parliament was dissolved.
Joe Biden attacks ‘dangerous precedent’ as presidents given broad immunity
President Joe Biden said the Supreme Court justices had set ‘a dangerous precedent’ by ruling that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution.
The ruling extended the delay in the Washington criminal case against Donald Trump on charges he plotted to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss and all but ended prospects the former president could be tried before the November election.
Lawyers for Trump responded by asking the New York judge who presided over his hush money trial to set aside his conviction and delay his sentencing, which is scheduled for later this month.
‘World’s most expensive’ remote-controlled car to be sold at F1 auction
A remote-controlled car is expected to fetch more than a quarter of a million pounds at auction to become the ‘most expensive’ in the world, according to experts.
The vehicle, which has a top speed of just under 50mph (80kp), is a scale model of the Ferrari F2002 driven by Michael Schumacher when he became Formula One world champion in 2002, and is a third of its size.
The car will be auctioned with a guide price of £200,000 at Whittlebury Park, Silverstone, along with 60 other items of motor racing memorabilia on Thursday, three days before the British Grand Prix.
Weather
A sunny start for many although the north-west and south-east may have the odd shower, reports BBC Weather. Cloud will develop during the day, bringing showing rain into northern areas. Highs of just 19 degrees.
Showery rain for the north-west this evening – dry elsewhere. Rain will sweep eastwards tonight, reaching southern England by dawn.
