Labour call for immediate general election as senior Tories congratulate Rishi Sunak
Labour has reiterated its calls for an immediate general election after it was confirmed Rishi Sunak will become the UK’s next prime minister.
After a rapid political comeback, the former chancellor will become the UK’s youngest prime minister in modern political history and the country’s first-ever Hindu leader after being selected unopposed by Conservative MPs to succeed Liz Truss.
The title of youngest ever prime minister belongs to William Pitt the Younger, who was just 24 when he took office in 1783.
Mr Sunak will enter Downing Street less than two months after he lost the last Conservative leadership race in the summer.
Sunak to become next PM – Politics latest
But Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner accused the former chancellor of having “no mandate, no answers and no ideas”.
“What we’ve seen played out is a coronation here and not an actual election where people have a mandate to serve the British people of this country,” she said.
“Nobody voted for this. The public deserve their say on Britain’s future through a general election. It’s time for a fresh start with Labour.”
Ms Rayner added: “Rishi Sunak was rejected by his own party membership only weeks ago.
“The people in this country now deserve us to go to the electorate to put our policies forward about how we’re going to deal with this cost of living crisis that the Conservatives have put upon the British people and let them have a vote.”
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon reinforced this view.
“That he becomes the first British Asian – indeed the first from any minority ethnic background – to become PM is a genuinely significant moment. It certainly makes this a special Diwali,” she said.
“As for the politics, I’d suggest one immediate decision he should take and one he certainly should not. He should call an early general election. And he should not – must not – unleash another round of austerity. Our public services will not withstand that.”
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‘Sunak should call general election’
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey accused the Tories of installing “another out-of-touch prime minister”, as he also called for the public to have the chance to go to the polls.
“The Conservative Party has trashed the British economy, pushed local health services to the brink, and added hundreds of pounds to people’s monthly mortgage payments,” he said in a statement.
“Now Conservative MPs have installed another out-of-touch prime minister with no plan to repair the damage and without giving the British people a say.”
Accusing Mr Sunak of not understanding “the challenges facing struggling families and pensioners”, he continued: “The only way to end the chaos is a general election now.”
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But former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith disagreed: “I don’t think there is any need for a general election, I don’t want one now. I want us to deliver on what we said we’d do and then go to the polls in the normal time.”
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Rishi Sunak addresses British public
Former PM David Cameron was among the first senior Conservatives to offer his congratulations to Mr Sunak, adding that he is “proud” to see Mr Sunak become the UK’s first British Indian prime minister.
“Huge congratulations Rishi Sunak on becoming PM to lead us through challenging times,” he posted on social media.
“I predicted a decade ago that Conservatives would select our first Brit Indian PM and proud today that comes to be.
“I wish Rishi the v best, he has my wholehearted support.”
Conservative peer Baroness Warsi, a former cabinet minister, described Mr Sunak’s election as a “historic moment”.
“Whatever your politics, this moment shows change and what is possible,” she said.
“The party that once had amongst its ranks Oswald Mosley and in living memory Enoch Powell now has a PM of Indian heritage and of the Hindu faith and notably. Rishi Sunak is unapologetically both.”
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Analysis: Challenges ahead for Sunak
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Nadhim Zahawi said Mr Sunak’s election proves “the United Kingdom is a place where you can achieve amazing things”.
In a post on social media, he added: “Under Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives we will never stop helping people make their British dream come true, regardless of their background. Congratulations, Rishi.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also wished Mr Sunak his “warmest congratulations” and said he looks forward to the pair “working closely together on global issues”.
“Special Diwali wishes to the ‘living bridge’ of UK Indians, as we transform our historic ties into a modern partnership,” he said.
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‘Tories keep dolling out PMs’
Ms Truss, who quit as PM last week after just 44 days, offered her congratulations to Mr Sunak, adding: “You have my full support.”
Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt, who withdrew from the contest at the last minute, said the same – and urged her Conservative colleagues to “unite and work together for the good of the nation”.
Fellow cabinet ministers echoed this message.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told Sky News: “We have absolutely got to focus on the needs of the British people
“That means uniting round the prime minister. We don’t have the luxury of argument and division. We have to focus on delivery for the British people.”
Boris Johnson-backer and Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg agreed “now is the time for party unity”.
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Indian people ‘proud’ as Sunak is next PM
Conservative Party chairman Sir Jake Berry called for an end to Tory infighting, saying: “Now is the time for the whole party to come together and unite four-square behind Rishi, as he gets on with the vital work of tackling the challenges we face as a country.
He added that “the time for internal debates is well and truly over”.
Former PM Theresa May was among others to offer their congratulations.
“Rishi will provide the calm, competent, pragmatic leadership our country needs at this deeply challenging time. He has my full support,” she said.
Mr Sunak will be formally appointed to the role in a handover of power overseen by the King.
World
Body pulled from mine after police cut off supplies to ‘smoke out’ thousands of illegal miners
A body has been recovered from a South African mine after police cut off basic supplies in an effort to force around 4,000 illegal miners to resurface.
The body has emerged from the closed gold mine in the northwest town of Stilfontein a day after South Africa’s government said it would not help the illegal miners.
Around 20 people have surfaced from the mineshaft this week as police wait nearby to arrest all those appearing from underground.
It comes a day after a cabinet minister said the government was trying to “smoke them [the miners] out”.
The move is part of the police’s “Close the Hole” operation, whereby officers cut off supplies of food, water and other basic necessities to get those who have entered illegally to come out.
Local reports suggest the supply routes were cut off at the mine around two months ago, with relatives of the miners seen in the area as the stand-off continues.
Relatives of miners and community members wait at the mine shaft. Pic: AP
A decomposed body was brought up on Thursday, with pathologists on the scene, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said.
It comes after South African cabinet minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told reporters on Wednesday that the government would not send any help to the illegal miners, known in the country as zama zamas, because they are involved in a criminal act.
“We are not sending help to criminals. We are going to smoke them out. They will come out. Criminals are not to be helped; criminals are to be prosecuted. We didn’t send them there,” Ms Ntshavheni said.
An aerial view of a mineshaft. Pic: AP
Senior police and defence officials are expected to visit the area on Friday to “reinforce the government’s commitment to bringing this operation to a safe and lawful conclusion”, according to a media advisory from the police.
In the last few weeks, over 1,000 miners have surfaced at various mines in South Africa’s North West province, where police have cut off supplies.
Many of the miners were reported to be weak, hungry and sickly after going for weeks without basic supplies.
Illegal mining remains common in South Africa’s old gold-mining areas, with miners going into closed shafts to dig for any possible remaining deposits.
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Relatives of miners and community members wait near the mine shaft. Pic: AP
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The illegal miners are often from neighbouring countries, and police say the illegal operations involve larger syndicates that employ the miners.
Their presence in closed mines has also created problems with nearby communities, which complain that the illegal miners commit crimes ranging from robberies to rape.
Illegal mining groups are known to be heavily armed and disputes between rival groups sometimes result in fatal confrontations.
World
Ukrainian frontline commander warns: ‘The world is scared of Russia and losing is not only our problem’
In the courtyard of a farmhouse now home to soldiers of the Ukrainian army’s 47th mechanised brigade, I’m introduced to a weary-looking unit by their commander Captain Oleksandr “Sasha” Shyrshyn.
We are about 10km from the border with Russia, and beyond it lies the Kursk region Ukraine invaded in the summer – and where this battalion is now fighting.
The 47th is a crack fighting assault unit.
They’ve been brought to this area from the fierce battles in the country’s eastern Donbas region to bolster Ukrainian forces already here.
War latest: Russia ready to carry out ‘massive attack’
The captain known by his men as ‘Genius’
In the summer, Ukraine launched an incursion into Russian territory, in Kursk
Captain Shyrshyn explains that among the many shortages the military has to deal with, the lack of infantry is becoming a critical problem.
Sasha is just 30 years old, but he is worldly-wise. He used to run an organisation helping children in the country’s east before donning his uniform and going to war.
He is famous in Ukraine and is regarded as one of the country’s top field commanders, who isn’t afraid to express his views on the war and how it’s being waged.
His nom de guerre is ‘Genius’, a nickname given to him by his men.
Captain Sasha Shyrshyn and Sky News chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay
‘Don’t worry, it’s not a minefield’
Sasha invited me to see one of the American Bradley fighting vehicles his unit uses.
We walk down a muddy lane before he says it’s best to go cross-country.
“We can go that way, don’t worry it’s not a minefield,” he jokes.
He leads us across a muddy field and into a forest where the vehicle is hidden from Russian surveillance drones that try to hunt both American vehicles and commanders.
Sasha shows me a picture of the house they had been staying in only days before – it was now completely destroyed after a missile strike.
Fortunately, neither he, nor any of his men, were there at the time.
“They target commanders,” he says with a smirk.
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‘The world is scared of Russia’
It takes me a moment or two to realise we are only a few steps away from the Bradley, dug in and well hidden beneath the trees.
The disguised American Bradley vehicle hidden in the forest
Sasha tells me the Bradley is the finest vehicle he has ever used.
A vehicle so good, he says, it’s keeping the Ukrainian army going in the face of Russia’s overwhelming numbers of soldiers.
He explains: “Almost all our work on the battlefield is cooperation infantry with the Bradley. So we use it for evacuations, for moving people from one place to another, as well as for fire-covering.
“This vehicle is very safe and has very good characteristics.”
The American Bradley fighting vehicle that Ukrainian soldiers have found vital in their efforts
Billions of dollars in military aid has been given to Ukraine by the United States, and this vehicle is one of the most valuable assets the US has provided.
Ukraine is running low on men to fight, and the weaponry it has is not enough, especially if it can’t fire long-range missiles into Russia itself – which it is currently not allowed to do.
If President-elect Donald Trump cuts the supply of military aid, the Ukrainians will lose – it’s that simple.
US President-elect Donald Trump has been clear he intends to change his nation’s policy on the war in Ukraine. Pic: Reuters
Sasha says: “We have a lack of weapons, we have a lack of artillery, we have a lack of infantry, and as the world doesn’t care about justice, and they don’t want to finish the war by our win, they are afraid of Russia.
“I’m sorry but they’re scared, they’re scared, and it’s not the right way.”
Like pretty much everyone in Ukraine, Sasha is waiting to see what the US election result will mean for his country.
He is sceptical about a deal with Russia.
“Our enemy only understands the language of power. And you cannot finish the war in 24 hours, or during the year without hard decisions, without a fight, so it’s impossible. It’s just talking without results,” he tells me.
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‘Losing will be not only our problem’
These men expect the fierce battles inside Kursk to intensify in the coming days.
Indeed, alongside the main supply route into Kursk, workers are already building new defensive positions – unfurling miles of razor wire and digging bunkers for the Ukrainian army if it finds itself in retreat.
Barbed wire rolled out in the Sumy region ahead of expected fighting
Tank traps in the Sumy region
Sasha and his men are realistic about support fatigue from the outside world but will keep fighting to the last if they have to.
“I understand this is only our problem, it’s only our issue, and we have to fight this battle, like we have to defend ourselves, it’s our responsibility,” Sasha said.
But he points out everyone should realise just how critical this moment in time is.
“If we look at it widely, we have to understand that us losing will be not only our problem, but it will be for all the world.”
Stuart Ramsay reports from northeastern Ukraine with camera operator Toby Nash, and producers Dominique Van Heerden, Azad Safarov, and Nick Davenport.
A weather warning has been issued for parts of Spain, as the country counts the cost of recent flooding.
The orange warnings are in place for parts of southwestern Spain – the area around Seville down towards Gibraltar.
Up to 8cm (3ins) of rain could fall within 12 hours, but the weekend looks much more settled in the country.
The latest warnings come just two weeks after flash flooding in Valencia and other parts of the country killed more than 200 people.
Malaga saw 14.2cm (5.6ins) of rainfall on Wednesday – Spain’s highest of the day – most of which fell in six hours.
All train services were halted in Malaga. Some flights have now resumed after the initial disruption.
Pic: Jamie Marchant
Emergency services in the province have moved 3,000 people from homes at risk of flooding close to the Guadalhorce River in the west of the city.
Jamie Marchant, 29, from Caerphilly in South Wales travelled to Malaga last Wednesday.
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He told Sky News that “debris” had been left behind by the recent rainfall in the region.
“Everyone is pitching in to clean up and some shops are opening as usual,” he added.
Orange warnings for the Valencia region in eastern Spain expired earlier on Thursday.
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The adverse weather could lead to total insured losses of more than €4bn (£3.33bn), according to credit rating agency Morningstar DBRS.
Much of the claims are expected to be covered by the Spanish government’s insurance pool, the agency said, but insurance premiums are likely to increase.
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