Sir Keir Starmer brands Rishi Sunak ‘desperate’ and says ‘of course there will be TV debates’
Sir Keir Starmer has accused Rishi Sunak of “sounding a bit desperate” after he accused him of chickening out of TV debates.
The Labour leader told Sky News that “of course there are going to be TV debates” and they are “part and parcel of the election cycle now”.
“I obviously want to spend as much of my time talking to voters directly”, he added.
General election latest: Labour and Tories clash over energy
Sir Keir said he could do “100 debates with Rishi Sunak but I know what he’s going to say”.
“He’s going to say everything is fine, the cost of living crisis is over, the health service hasn’t got any problems.
“And that is all he ever says.
“Of course there are going to be debates, but he is sounding a bit desperate now.”
Sir Keir Starmer
However, Sir Keir would not commit to Sky News’ leaders event in Grimsby, one of our election Target Towns, saying that there will be “negotiations into what exactly we’re doing”.
It comes after Sir Keir was accused of “chickening out” of weekly showdowns during the election campaign and even branded “spineless” by his political opponents.
Mr Sunak last night challenged him to take part in six TV clashes debating issues like tax, the cost of living and security.
But Labour said Sir Keir would not agree to “tearing up” the format established in previous elections “just to suit this week’s whims of the Tory party”.
They indicated Sir Keir would be willing to take part in two debates – with the BBC and ITV.
TV election debates took off in the UK in the 2010 general election when Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg took part in three debates, on ITV, Sky News and the BBC.
Rishi Sunak speaks with brewery workers at Vale of Glamorgan Brewery in Barry, Wales
Realistically, TV schedules in June and early July are packed with the group stages and knock-out matches in the Euro 2024 football tournament – with England the favourites – meaning six election debates are highly unlikely.
In his interview with Sky News, Sir Keir went on to defend a series of policy U-turns, saying they are the “practical reality of Tory damage to the economy”.
Sir Keir has been criticised for rowing back on many pledges he won the Labour leadership on, such as scrapping university tuition fees and bringing utilities into public ownership.
He said the state of the economy meant he had to prioritise other issues, such as NHS waiting lists.
“I did advocate getting rid of tuition fees, you’re absolutely right about that,” Sir Keir said.
“Now, damage has been done to the economy, we’ve got to make a choice.
Read More:
Jeremy Corbyn confirms he will stand as independent in Islington North
Next government urged to abolish leasehold as pensioner facing £17k ground rent bill
“We’ve got (NHS) waiting lists that are the best part of eight million – the money is not available to do both.
“In the end, if you can’t do both, you have to make a decision. I’ve taken a political choice.”
He added: “It’s the practical reality of the damage that the Tories have done to the economy”.
Sir Keir is in Scotland today to launch the party’s General Election campaign north of the border.
Labour will need to win back many seats in its former traditional heartlands if it wants to secure a majority when voters go to the polls on 4th July.
Sir Keir will promote his plan for a publicly owned clean energy company, which will be headquartered in Scotland.
Meanwhile Mr Sunak will be in Northern Ireland for the fourth leg of his whirlwind tour of the UK.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
Read more from Sky News:
Ten Reform councillors quit in protest
Liz Truss sends cease and desist letter to Starmer
As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports9 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway