Ms Reeves promised there was “not going to be a return to austerity”, saying commitments to boost frontline services were a “down payment on the changes that we want to make”. “But in the end we have to grow the economy, we have to turn around this dire economic performance. “I don’t want to make...
National service would engage young people in society again, Home Secretary James Cleverly has told the BBC, adding “too many young people live in their own bubble”. The Conservatives have set out a pledge for all 18-year-olds to take part in a mandatory scheme for military or non-military service if they win the general election....
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has vowed there “will not be a return to austerity” should Labour come to power after the general election. Speaking to the BBC, she also said there would be an “immediate injection of cash” for frontline public services. But she refused to rule out cuts to public spending under a Labour...
Home Secretary James Cleverly has said that Conservative plans to introduce compulsory national service for 18-year-old are aimed at “addressing the fragmentation we have seen in society”. The party has said that should it remain in power after the general election, teenagers will either have to join the military for a year, or volunteer for...
The Conservative Party has said it would bring back mandatory national service if it wins the general election. It said 18-year-olds would have a choice of either joining the military full-time, or volunteering one weekend every month carrying out a community service. The party is proposing a Royal Commission to consider the details but would...
BBC Douglas Ross boarded a steam train in Brechin on the first weekend of campaigning The leaders of Scotland’s major parties have hit the campaign trail on the first weekend of the general election race. The SNP, Scottish Labour, the Scottish Conservatives and the Scottish Liberal Democrats held events across the country in the early...
These mistakes are not his fault. But they are campaign mistakes nonetheless, giving the impression in these vital early stages that it’s all a bit of a mess. What is also damaging are the departures of more and more Conservative MPs, including Michael Gove, who had been a prominent personal backer of Mr Sunak himself....
Rishi Sunak has announced an election will take place on 4 July, which means Parliament has shut up shop. It also means the government had just two day to decide whether to try and rush through their remaining bills or simply abandon them. This period is known as “the wash-up”. Tobacco and Vapes Bill This...
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was meeting constituents in Northallerton when one remarked they thought he would be “in bed with pneumonia” after he was drenched by rain as he called the general election on Wednesday. Mr Sunak said it was tradition to make such announcements “come rain or shine” and joked about the state of...
The Conservatives and Labour have gone into election battle over the economy as the first weekend of campaigning kicks off. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has said he wanted make further cuts to National Insurance, the tax used to help pay for welfare benefits and the NHS. Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves promised voters Labour would “never play...