Sunak says UK at ‘crossroads’ but refuses to call election
- Sunak defended the Tories’ 14 years in power and warned the UK would be less safe under Keir Starmer’s Labour opposition, which is favoured to win an election
- But refused again to say when he will call a vote, repeating it will be in the second half of the year. Sunak can go to the polls no later than January 2025
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday insisted that his beleaguered Conservative Party can win a general election despite polls consistently indicating the opposite, but refused to set a date for the vote.
Sunak mounted a defence of the Tories’ 14 years in power and warned that Britain would be less safe under Keir Starmer’s Labour opposition, which is widely tipped to come back to power.
The UK leader said he was “confident” his ruling party would win a fifth consecutive term but conceded that Labour, out of government since 2010, may ultimately inflict defeat.
“I’m clear-eyed enough to admit that, yes, maybe they can depress their way to victory,” Sunak said in a speech in central London, accusing Labour of “scaremongering” and “gaslighting”.
The next few years will be some of the most dangerous yet most transformational our country has ever known
“But I don’t think it will work, because at heart we are a nation of optimists,” he added, before warning of several dangers himself.
