James Cleverly has said 18-year-olds would not be sent to jail if they refused to take part in the Conservative’s national service plan.
Rishi Sunak has announced if he wins the election he will introduce the “mandatory” new scheme.
Under the policy, every 18-year-old would have to either join the military or spend one weekend a month carrying out a community service.
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Labour has ridiculed the idea as nothing more than a “headline-grabbing gimmick”.
In an interview with Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme, Cleverly defended the policy.
“We want to build a society where people mix with people outside their own communities, mix with people from different backgrounds, different religions, different income levels,” he said.
“The bulk of this is about helping build a cohesive society where people mix outside their bubble.”
Asked what the punishment would be for people who refused, the home secretary added: “There’s going to be no criminal sanctions, nobody’s going to jail over this.”
The Tories have said their national service programme will cost £2.5 billion a year by 2029/2030.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “This is another desperate £2.5 billion unfunded commitment from a Tory Party which already crashed the economy, sending mortgages rocketing, and now they’re spoiling for more.
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“This is not a plan – it’s a review which could cost billions and is only needed because the Tories hollowed out the Armed Forces to their smallest size since Napoleon.
“Britain has had enough of the Conservatives, who are bankrupt of ideas, and have no plans to end 14 years of chaos. It’s time to turn the page and rebuild Britain with Labour.”
It is perhaps fitting that the Conservative Party is ending this parliament just as it has spent much of the previous five years: bitterly divided.
Reactions to Rishi Sunak’s shock decision to call a snap election range from astonishment to anger to grim resignation.
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“No one sees the reason for the rush and feel like he has lost the plot,” one senior Tory told HuffPost UK. “None of us are ready for this.”
Support was also far from unanimous as the prime minister told his cabinet on Wednesday afternoon that he had decided to go to the country on July 4.
But the PM’s mind was made up, despite the fact that Labour remain 20 points ahead in the opinion polls and election experts all agree that the Tories are heading for a historic defeat.
One minister said most Tory MPs are simply resigned to their fate, and hit out at his malcontented colleagues.
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He said: “In the tearoom I see cheerful stoicism all round. I suppose the whingers are the ones who prefer a leadership contest to a general election.”
Another MP was happily laying bets that the Conservatives will still emerge as the largest party in the Commons.
“I’m glad the phoney war is finally over and we can get on with the election,” the MP said. “We will fight for every vote.”
A senior Tory aide summed up the schizophrenic nature of MPs’ response to Sunak opting for a summer poll.
“A week ago they all wanted it over and done with and now they are furious it hasn’t gone longer,” he said. “I strongly suspect vast majority are resigned to fate and don’t feel that strongly about it.”
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The sight of a bedraggled Sunak announcing the election date in the pouring rain outside No.10 has summed up the Tory campaign so far.
That gaffe was further compounded on Friday when the PM inexplicably visited Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, thereby linking him in voters’ minds with the world’s most famous sinking ship.
Nevertheless, Tory bosses want to run a presidential campaign, urging voters to stick with the man who bankrolled the government’s response to the pandemic rather than take a risk with the untried Keir Starmer.
The problem with that approach, however, is that voters already seem to have decided that they want Sunak and the rest of his government ejected from office as soon as possible.
Chris Hopkins, political research director at pollsters Savanta, said: “The prime minister already had a mountain to climb in this election, with a massive polling deficit and Labour leading them on every policy issue.
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“On top of this, Sunak himself is hugely unpopular with the public, and based on our research, so are his most senior ministers.”
Polling done by the More in Common think-tank in the wake of the election announcement, shared exclusively with HuffPost UK, shows that only 29% of voters see Sunak as an asset to his party, compared to 46% who don’t.
Jenna Cunningham, More in Common’s research and data analyst, said: “There’s no doubt that Rishi Sunak was a popular Chancellor, especially after the furlough scheme, but questions remain about the effectiveness of the current presidential campaign strategy when only three in ten voters think he is an asset to the Conservative Party.
The general feeling among senior Labour figures is one of bafflement at Sunak’s decision to call an election now rather than wait until the autumn.
“I don’t understand the logic,” one adviser to Starmer told HuffPost UK. “If he’d gone for May he could at least have masked the local election results. Summer seems to be the worst of all worlds for them.
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“It could be that the economic conditions are much worse than they thought they were and Rwanda isn’t going to work as well, so he’s decided they couldn’t hang on any longer. But you can see why Tory MPs are furious about it.”
One word we are all going to be sick of hearing over the next six weeks is “change”. It was on Starmer’s lectern as he responded to the PM’s announcement and will be emblazoned on thousands of Labour posters on the run-up to polling day.
Labour want voters to think that only Keir Starmer represents “change”.
Gareth Fuller – PA Images via Getty Images
“It’s very important that voters know that the only way to end the chaos of the last 14 years is to vote Labour,” said one party stretegist.
“The fact that the Tory campaign has so far been so chaotic – his ludicrous speech in the pouring rain and their MPs all saying he shouldn’t be doing it – just helps us to reinforce that message.”
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At the moment, Labour’s main opponent seems to be complacency.
“We’re going to fight this campaign as if it’s still neck and neck,” said one insider. “We will be fighting to win day by day, week by week
Rishi Sunak’s bold decision to call a general election in the middle of yesterday’s downpour has opened the floodgates on social media.
The prime minister stood outside No.10 Downing Street, in the pouring rain, and declared a general election would be held on July 4.
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He then immediately tried to rally voters with a few digs at Labour over the party’s campaigns and policies.
But, no one really focused on that. Most of the attention was on Sunak’s suit, which became completely sodden within minutes.
While all the journalists there to capture the historic moment were sensibly wearing coats or carrying umbrellas, the PM’s bizarre decision to go without for such a pivotal moment, has been demolished by everyone, including today’s newspapers.
Protesters also blared Labour’s 1997 election theme tune – D:Ream’s Things Will Only Get Better – throughout the PM’s speech.
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And so critics were quick to coin the phrase “Things Will Only Get Wetter” in a scathing take on Sunak’s announcement.
Considering the Conservatives are around 20 points behind Labour in the opinion polls right now, the image of a downtrodden Sunak standing in the rain was seen as an apt metaphor by many people on social media.
Others pointed out that the Conservatives actually set up an expensive press conference room within No.10, which is warm, dry and available to use.
Either way, the impact that image of a soaked Sunak has had among his online critics – and the newspapers – is clearly significant.
Here’s a round-up of social media’s best jokes about the embarrassing PR gaffe…
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I wonder if he thought addressing the nation in the rain, facing down the elements, would make him look heroic. But to do so you have to be wearing something from Game Of Thrones, not a Henry Herbert suit.
its how the speaker playing “things can only get better” during todays speech had an umbrella and rishi sunak didn’t. just pure comedy, chaos and shambles. pic.twitter.com/GvkYUxDi9q
“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe… Gullis eating soup with a fork. I watched Braverman try to deport a sofa. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain… Time to die.” pic.twitter.com/6Uzq14BcRa
Ofcom has ruled that GB News broke guidelines around impartiality with a broadcast involving prime minister Rishi Sunak earlier this year.
Back in February, Sunak held what was billed as a “people’s forum” in which he answered questions from undecided voters in County Durham in a much-derided live broadcast.
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A week after it aired, it was revealed that more than 500 viewers had complained to Ofcom about the segment, which led to an investigation.
On Monday morning, the media regulator confirmed that GB News did, in fact, break impartiality guidelines by not incorporating a more “wide range of significant views” into what was technically a news broadcast.
In a statement on their website, they explained: “Ofcom has no issue with this programme’s editorial format in principle. In line with freedom of expression, broadcasters are free to innovate and use different editorial techniques in their programming – including offering audiences innovative forms of debate. But in doing so, they must observe the rules in our Broadcasting Code.
“We recognised that this programme would focus mainly on the Conservative Party’s policies and track-record on a number of specific issues, meaning that Conservative viewpoints would be prevalent. We are clear that this, in and of itself, did not mean the programme could not comply with due impartiality rules under the Code.
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“It was incumbent on GB News, however, given the major matters under discussion, to ensure that an appropriately wide range of significant views was given due weight in the programme or in other clearly linked and timely programmes.”
GB News could now face sanctions due to this breach, with Ofcom adding: “Given the very high compliance risks this programme presented, we found GB News’s approach to compliance to be wholly insufficient, and consider it could have, and should have, taken additional steps to mitigate these risks.
“We found that an appropriately wide range of significant viewpoints were not presented and given due weight in the People’s Forum: The Prime Minister, nor was due impartiality preserved through clearly linked and timely programmes.
“As a result, we consider that the Prime Minister had a mostly uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his Government in a period preceding a UK General Election.”
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This is far from the first time that GB News has been in hot water with Ofcom, though.
Last year, it faced another investigation due to a live broadcast which sawLaurence Fox launching into a sexist tirade against a female journalist during an appearance on Dan Wootton’s evening show.
In response to Ofcom’s latest decision, a GB News spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “Ofcom’s finding against GB News today is an alarming development in its attempt to silence us by standing in the way of a forum that allows the public to question politicians directly.
“The regulator’s threat to punish a news organisation with sanctions for enabling people to challenge their own prime minister strikes at the heart of democracy at a time when it could not be more vital.”
It went on to claim that their live programme gave an “gave an independently selected group of undecided voters the freedom to challenge the Prime Minister” and that they “cannot fathom” how Ofcom came to their conclusion.
They say the ruling should “terrifying anyone” who believes the “media’s role is to give a voice to the people of the United Kingdom”.
GB News’ statement concluded by saying: “We are proud to be the People’s Channel and we will never stop fighting for the right of everyone in the UK, whatever their political persuasion, to have their perspective heard.”
This article has been updated to include GB News’ response to Ofcom’s ruling.
Labour has taken a 30-point opinion poll lead over the Tories – just days after Rishi Sunak said the UK was heading for a hung parliament.
YouGov put support for Keir Starmer’s party on 48%, with the Conservatives on just 18%.
Reform UK are just five points behind the Tories on 13%, with the Lib Dems on 9% and the Greens on 7%.
It is the biggest lead Labour has enjoyed since Liz Truss’s disastrous time as prime minister.
The poll is yet another hammer blow for Sunak, who is still reeling from Natalie Elphicke’s shock defection to Labour yesterday.
Earlier this week, the PM said last week’s local elections – in which the Tories lost nearly 500 council seats – “suggest we are heading for a hung parliament with Labour as the largest party”.
But according to the Electoral Calculus website, Labour would have a 452-seat majority if the YouGov poll was replicated at the general election, with the Tories left with just 13 seats.
Announcing his decision on X (formerly Twitter) he said: “The time is right for a new, energetic Conservative to fight for the honour of representing Stratford-on-Avon.”
Health minister Maria Caulfield struggled to answer as Justin Webb pointed out the major flaws in the prime minister’s argument.
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Sunak has said an analysis of last week’s local elections, in which the Tories lost nearly 500 seats, showed Keir Starmer will not win a majority and will need to be “propped up by the SNP, Liberal Democrats and Greens”.
That was a reference to a projection by the polling expert Michael Thrasher, who said the results suggest Labour’s lead over the Conservatives is just seven points, well short of what opinion polls have been saying for months.
However, other polling experts pointed out that Thrasher’s forecast was based on the assumption that Scotland – where there were no local elections last week – would vote the same way it did in 2019, when Labour won just one seat.
On Radio 4′s Today programme this morning, Webb told Caulfield: “Let’s look at what you and the prime minister are depending on.
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“Number one: it’s not a prediction, it’s a projection based on these results. In other words, if these results were replicated, this would be the result in a general election. But people vote much more for third parties in local elections than they would in a general election.
“Number two, how many seats under this projection, would Labour win in Scotland?”
Caulfield replied: “Well I think because there were English local elections it doesn’t touch on the Scottish result.”
Webb then told her: “It assumes it would be the same as last time, so one seat. Do you seriously think that’s probable, that Labour will only win one seat in Scotland?”
Avoiding the question, the minister replied: “Polls are just projections and the polls were clearly wrong ahead of these local elections.”
But Webb said: “So do you believe that in Scotland, Labour will only win one seat at the next election? Is that the working assumption of the prime minister, because that seems to be it?”
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The minister said: “These are not our analysis, and the BBC did their own analysis as well and showed it will be a hung parliament based on these results.”
Webb then told her: “But that’s the point, isn’t it? Based on these results, but nobody is suggesting that these results would be replicated at a general election. The experts aren’t suggesting it.
“I put it to you that the prime minister, if he is suggesting it to his own side, he’s taking them for fools.”
But Caulfield said: “What we can see from these results, is that people are not switching to Labour. Labour did not get the results in places like Teesside or Harlow that they were expecting, even though they threw the kitchen sink at some of those.
“Our voters are tending, at the moment, to stay at home. They don’t want a Labour government.
“The polls that were saying we would lose by about 20% did not materialise in London, did not materialise with Andy Street in the West Midlands, and we had some good results as well.”
Labour are on course to win the general election, Rishi Sunak has admitted.
In extraordinary remarks, the prime minister said they will be “the largest party” after the country goes to the polls.
However, he insisted an analysis of last week’s local elections, in which the Tories lost nearly 500 seats, showed Keir Starmer will not win a majority and will need to be “propped up by the SNP, Liberal Democrats and Greens”.
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That was a reference to a projection by the polling expert Michael Thrasher, who said the local elections suggest Labour’s lead over the Conservatives is just seven points, well short of what opinion polls have been saying for months.
If that was repeated at the general election, it would leave Starmer short of an overall majority, Thrasher said.
Speaking to The Times, Sunak said: “These results suggest we are heading for a hung parliament with Labour as the largest party.
“Keir Starmer propped up in Downing Street by the SNP, Liberal Democrats and the Greens would be a disaster for Britain.
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“The country doesn’t need more political horse trading, but action. We are the only party that has a plan to deliver on the priorities of the people.”
However, other polling experts pointed out that Thrasher’s forecast was based on the assumption that Scotland – where there were no local elections last week – would vote the same way it did in 2019, when Labour won just one seat.
A senior Labour source told HuffPost UK: “That Sunak has put his name to this bollocks is utterly demeaning. He really is a totally empty vessel.”
A former Tory minister said: “It’s a stupid line because he’s essentially telling people to vote Labour to kick us out.”
Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips yesterday accused transport secretary Mark Harper of “grabbing at straws” after he also claimed the local election results showed the opinion polls “are not correct”.
But, overlooking these devastating losses, Harper seemed to focus on just one piece of analysis in his interview – Sky News’ forecast that the next general election will result in a hung parliament.
He told the broadcaster: “That means Keir Starmer is not on course to win a majority, and that is before an election campaign where Labour’s lack of policy will come under scrutiny.
“So what that shows me is very clear: the polls are not correct, there is everything to fight for, and the Conservative Party under the prime minister’s leadership is absolutely up for that fight.”
That same projection from Sky still shows the Tories losing 130 seats.
Sky News host Phillips said: “This is grabbing at straws a bit – you actually took a whacking.”
“I was very clear – these are disappointing results,” Harper replied. “The point is, what they demonstrate from that scenario is that Labour’s not on course for that majority, Keir Starmer hasn’t sealed the deal with the public.
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“So that means there is a fight to be had, the prime minister is up for that fight, I’m up for that fight and I know the Conservatives are up for it.”
“I’m wondering if you’ve really got to grips with the scale of this,” Phillips said. “On Thursday, you won fewer council seats than Labour. And more importantly, you won fewer council seats than the Liberal Democrats.”
Labour now have 1,140 councillors in England, the Liberal Democrats 521 and the Conservatives 513.
The presenter said: “I know these are local elections so you can’t translate completely, but is it morally right that what is now the third most popular party is now squatting in Downing Street?”
“I don’t accept that analysis at all,” the cabinet minister replied.
“The Liberal Democrats beat you,” Phillips reminded him.
“No they didn’t,” Harper insisted. “If you look at the national equivalent vote share, that’s not correct.”
He said local elections are “always difficult” for the party in government, and that the results of the next general election “are not pre-determined”.
Tory mayors have distanced themselves from their party and Rishi Sunak in a desperate attempt to get re-elected.
Ben Houchen and Andy Street face major fights to hang onto their jobs when voters go to the polls in Tees Valley and the West Midlands.
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With the Conservatives trailing well behind Labour in the national opinion polls, both men have gone out of their way to avoid admitting they are actually Tories.
Street’s website has no Tory branding and is mainly coloured green rather than the traditional Conservative blue.
Meanwhile, his 300-word biography contains no mention at all of the party he represents.
Andy Street’s website has no Tory bradfing.
Andy Street
Houchen’s website does describe him as “the Conservative mayor of Tees Valley”, but during his election campaign he has at times gone out of his way to play down his party affiliation.
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In a video posted on Facebook, he said: “I’m less interested in national politics, I am the mayor of Tees Valley. My priority is always the people of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.”
And campaign leaflets put through doors in his area also fail to mention the party he represents.
A Ben Houchen campaign leaflet.
Ben Houchen
In a further snub for Sunak, both Street and Houchen were happy to receive the endorsement of Boris Johnson rather than the PM yesterday.
A Labour source told HuffPost UK: “Rishi Sunak chickened out of calling a general election and now his mayoral candidates are too scared to even acknowledge him.
“It seems they’ve concluded the only way they can win is to distance themselves from the failed Tory Party and pretend they’ve never heard of their beleaguered prime minister.”
