London: As British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hit the trail on the final day of campaigning before the UK general elections commence on Thursday (July 4), he urged voters to "not do something they regret" and warned against a "supermajority" for the opposition Labour. All pre-election opinion polls have indicated a resurgence for the Labour Party, poised to end Conservative rule after 14 years as Sunak has been unable to act on his promises to resolve lingering economic issues.
Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer, widely expected to become the next PM, used the final two days of campaigning to cover as many parts of the UK as possible to win over some undecided voters. "Once you make that decision on Thursday, there's no going back. Don't do something you might regret," said Sunak on X, warning that the "Labour without limits" will increase taxes and make people poorer.
"My point is if the polls are to be believed and Labour win a big majority, they will be unchecked and unaccountable to people and that will give them licence to put up everyone's taxes and make us a soft touch on migration when it comes to the entire European continent," the 43-year-old British Indian leader told BBC. "I want to continue in this job so I can cut people's taxes, protect their pensions and secure our borders."
Less than 24 hours to go for UK elections
It's less than 24 hours before the UK goes for polls on Thursday to choose the next government and PM, in what could be Sunak's final hours as the British premier. Sunak insists that “the outcome of this election is not a foregone conclusion” but Labour has received the support of large chunks of the business community and endorsements from even traditionally conservative newspapers.
People throughout the United Kingdom will choose all 650 members of the House of Commons on July 4 for a term of up to five years. The party that commands a majority in the Commons, either alone or in coalition, will form the next government and its leader will be the prime minister. That means the results will determine the political direction of the government, between the right-wing Conservatives and the left-leaning Labour.
The Labour Party is on course to win the upcoming elections with a large majority, ending 14 years of Conservative rule, with a margin of 20 points in the opinion polls. BBC’s polling expert Sir John Curtice declared there is more chance of lightning striking twice in the same place, than there is of Sunak remaining Prime Minister on Friday.
Meanwhile, Starmer, 61, has been keen to highlight that "every single vote counts" to counter any chance of apathy among the voters who may feel the election was a done deal in favour of his party. "There's tough yards ahead in terms of the inheritance if we come in to serve the country, almost everything is broken, nothing is working, nothing is better than it was 14 years ago. We need a strong mandate for that," he said.
The Labour Party has set out its vision as being focused on creating more growth, driven by major planning reforms and skill overhauls and has denied plans to raise taxes across the board. It has also pledged to invest in infrastructure and make Britain a “clean energy superpower.”
Sunak's widening problems
Sunak has struggled to restore his party's sinking popularity despite recasting himself at various points over the past year as a bold reformer. Sunak's abrupt decision to announce elections on July 4 surprised many and alarmed senior Conservatives concerned with the party's 20-percentage gap behind Labour, with some even considering submitting letters of no confidence.
Sunak struggled to meet his election promises, including a vow to grow the economy and resolve the cost-of-living crisis. On June 6, Sunak went home early from commemorations in France marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, missing a ceremony alongside United States President Joe Biden and France's Emmanuel Macron, a move widely seen as disrespectful to World War II veterans.
Several Conservatives close to Sunak are being investigated by the gambling regulator over suspicions they used inside information to place bets on the date of the election before it was announced. The scandal made it harder for Sunak to shake off the taint of political chaos and mismanagement that's gathered around the Conservatives in recent years.
The Conservatives were mired in a scandal since former PM Boris Johnson was ousted after he and his staff held lockdown-breaching parties during the COVID-19 pandemic. His successor Liz Truss rocked the COVID-weakened economy with a package of drastic tax cuts, making a cost-of-living crisis worse, and lasted just 49 days in office. The 42-year-old wealthy Sunak has also been mocked for trying to be relatable with voters.
(with inputs from agencies)
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