Rishi Sunak warns the UK to "stick to the plan" as he begins general election campaigning

Rishi Sunak, the UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer, will kick off months of general election campaigning by warning the country to "stick to the plan." Sunak will criticize Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, claiming that he will "go back to square one" and offer "no plan, no progress" along with higher taxes and borrowing. Sunak's remarks come after Starmer accused him of prioritizing his own vanity by delaying the election until after his two-year anniversary in office.

Sunak accuses Starmer of lacking a plan and progress

Sunak will begin his campaign by traveling across the country, starting with a visit to Lancashire. In response, Starmer accused Sunak of putting "vanity before country." However, a source from 10 Downing Street defended Sunak's decision, stating that the choice is between sticking with the plan that is delivering long-term change or going back to square one with the Labour Party. The source emphasized that the Prime Minister is committed to confronting difficult challenges and governing in the national interest.

Starmer challenges Sunak to set a date for the election

Starmer challenged Sunak to set a date for the election, claiming that if he had a plan, he would do so. He accused Sunak of prioritizing his own premiership over the well-being of the country. Starmer also criticized the high tax burden but did not specify which taxes should be cut. Additionally, he faced criticism for his pledge to invest £28 billion per year until 2030 on green projects, as the target has been watered down. However, Starmer affirmed his readiness to defend Labour's green pledges in a general election campaign.

Tory Party chairman criticizes Starmer's energy promise

Tory Party chairman Richard Holden criticized Starmer for recommitting to his 2030 energy promise, arguing that it would result in higher taxes for every Briton. The criticism comes after Starmer's Sunday league football team, Homerton Academicals, suffered a 14-8 defeat, with Starmer failing to perform well as the goalkeeper. To add insult to injury, Starmer's favorite team, Arsenal, later lost 2-0 to Liverpool in the FA Cup.