2024 General Election

Sunak and Starmer’s first TV debate: a tetchy PMQs where no one dared mention the F-word

— The first 2024 election debate felt anticlimactic, with Rishi Sunak indirectly addressing the absent Nigel Farage. Sunak’s aggressive tactics against Labour’s Keir Starmer suggested future ambitions over current priorities.

2024 General Election

Teenagers have gone through enough – Rishi Sunak’s national service is too much to ask

— Rishi Sunak proposes reintroducing national service for 18-year-olds if the Conservatives win the general election. Critics argue it burdens youth already impacted by pandemic disruptions and severe cuts to youth services, worsening social and economic inequalities.

2024 General Election

Election 2024: Rishi Sunak has already lost control of the narrative

— Rishi Sunak struggles to control the narrative against Labour’s Keir Starmer. Criticised for lacking an engaging personal story, Sunak’s failure to seize narrative control risks undermining his leadership.

2024 General Election

Should Rishi Sunak even bother?

— With Labour leading in polls for over a year, Rishi Sunak faces a tough campaign to turn the tide. The PM’s campaign started poorly, suggesting the Conservatives might perform even worse than predicted in the General Election.

Immigration

New data shows net migration falling − What’s actually behind the numbers

— Making election promises about migration numbers is much easier than keeping them.

2024 General Election

Election 2024: Up to 8 million people are not properly registered to vote

— The general election on 4 July faces challenges, with 8 million potentially unregistered voters. Because of the Tory Government, voter ID is now required for the first time in a general election, and young people, especially students, are at risk of being excluded.

UK Rail

Britain’s railways were never properly privatised – Here’s how they could return to greater public control

— Public ownership, as advocated by Churchill, led to British Rail’s success. Privatisation under Thatcher and Major, however, resulted in inefficiencies and higher subsidies. Renationalisation, now Labour policy, is seen as a remedy for the current fragmented and costly system.

2024 General Election

UK election called for 4 July – what happens next?

— Rishi Sunak has announced a general election for 4 July, surprising many, including his own MPs. He argues only the Conservatives can lead through current challenges, despite criticism over their role in creating them. Polls suggest a Labour lead, potentially ending the Conservatives’ long tenure.

2024 General Election

Rishi Sunak fires election starting gun with a damp whimper – but Labour will want to play down talk of a landslide

— Rishi Sunak’s election prospects look grim after a poorly executed speech in the rain outside Downing Street. Labour leads in polls, but internal issues and voter apathy threaten their potential victory.

UK Crime

Most crime has fallen by 90% in 30 years – so why does the public think it’s increased?

— Despite public perceptions of rising crime in England and Wales, actual data from the Crime Survey reveals a 30-year decline in violence, burglary, and car crime. Security improvements and technology have played a key role in this reduction.

Student Protests

Gaza campus protests: What are students’ free speech rights and what can universities do?

— Universities have a difficult balance to strike between protecting student speech rights and ensuring campus safety.

Austerity

Rising knife crime in London is linked to austerity cuts to youth services

— In 2023, London saw a sharp increase in knife and gun crime, primarily attributed to significant police funding cuts and austerity measures by the Conservative government, which undermined efforts to tackle the escalating violence effectively.

Voter ID

If even the prime minister who introduced voter ID can forget his, do we need a rethink?

— Ironically, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who implemented the voter ID laws, was turned away from voting in the local elections due to not having proper identification, spotlighting significant flaws in the policy as a general election looms.

UK Politics

The size of the swing to Labour in the Blackpool South by-election made this such an unpleasant night for Rishi Sunak

— Debates ponder if the upcoming general election will mirror the close 1992 or landslide 1997 outcomes. Amid significant shifts, including in Blackpool South, Labour sees unprecedented by-election success, while the Conservatives face potential annihilation, struggling even against the Reform party.

OPINION

How right-wing do you need to be not to be welcome in the Labour Party?

— Marking a continuation of notable Tory defections to Labour, Natalie Elphicke, a staunch right-wing Conservative MP, has defected to Labour this week, highlighting shifts in party ideologies and stirring questions about Labour’s embrace of centre-right values under Keir Starmer’s leadership.

UK Politics

If Rishi Sunak is ousted, should Tory MPs or members pick his replacement?

— Rishi Sunak faces a potential Tory leadership challenge as 52 MPs could trigger a confidence vote. Leadership rules emphasize parliamentary support, yet member ballots could shift influence, reflecting broader legitimacy and control mechanisms within the Conservative Party.