Election campaigns get under way today with politicians dashing across the country to secure votes for their parties after Rishi Sunak called a vote for July 4.
Mr Sunak is set to embark on a whistle-stop tour of all four nations of the UK, while his rival Keir Starmer heads to the south east for Labour’s first major event in a traditional Conservative heartland.
It comes after the Prime Minister sprung a surprise on the steps of Downing Street last night by triggering a contest in the pouring rain after a day of frenzied speculation that a date had been set.
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Breaking:Rwanda flights will take off after election, Sunak concedes
Flights carrying migrants to Rwanda will take off “after the election”, Rishi Sunak has conceded.
The Prime Minister told LBC radio: “If I’m elected, we will get the flights off.”
Pressed further on timing, he said: “No, after the election. The preparation work has already gone on.”
Labour – Ignore polls and assume nothing about election
On the airwaves for Labour this morning is the party’s national campaign co-ordinator Pat McFadden (pictured above) who has given an interview to Good Morning Britain.
He is urging voters not to get complacent, the same message that will be repeatedly delivered to MPs over the next six weeks, by assuming Labour will score a comprehensive victory on July 4.
Look, I would encourage people to ignore the polls because we start this election with not a single vote being cast, not a seat being won, or lost, and we assume nothing about the outcome.
And the basic choice will be, we can carry on with five more years of what we’ve already had for the past 14, or we can vote for change.
Asked if they were caught off guard by the announcement on Wednesday, Mr McFadden said they weren’t expecting Sunak to call an election this summer as there had been indications a date in the autumn was being looked at.
Keir Starmer to kick off Labour’s election campaign in Kent
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been pictured leaving his London home this morning before he is expected to kick off the party’s general election in Kent.
Heading to a traditionally Conservative-voting area of the country may be seen as Labour trying to park its tank onto Tory lawns with Mr Starmer aware he will have to lure voters who shunned the party at the last election.
Rishi Sunak – Vote for me to deport migrants to Rwanda
The Prime Minister is touring the broadcast studios this morning and has urged voters to re-elect him if they want to see deportation flights to Rwanda take off.
Speaking to GB News from Derby in the East Midlands, Rishi Sunak said:
If you elect me, if I’m Prime Minister on July 5, those flights will go off to Rwanda and we will begin to put in place the deterrent that we need to stop the boats.
Because there is no way to stop this problem unless you can have a deterrent, unless it’s clear that if someone comes to our country illegally they won’t be able to stay and they will be removed.
Meanwhile, in a separate interview on BBC Breakfast, Mr Sunak denied suggestions he called an election because inflation is expected to rise again this year.
No, that’s not the real reason.
And when it comes to the economy, of course I know there’s more work to do. I know that people are only just starting to feel the benefits of the changes that we’ve brought.
Good morning
MailOnline will be reporting live updates on day one of the general election campaign with parties hunting for votes.
It comes after the Prime Minister sprung a surprise on the steps of Downing Street last night by triggering a contest in the pouring rain after a day of frenzied speculation that a date had been set.
We will bring you the latest political news, reaction and analysis throughout the day.
Key Updates
Rwanda flights will take off after election, Sunak concedes
Rishi Sunak – Vote for me to deport migrants to Rwanda