PM found attack-dog mode and hammered home a winning mantra

AFTER a quiet, even dull start, the General Election has suddenly exploded into life this week, thanks to a pair of sensational developments.

- Leo McKinstry

The first was the announcement by Nigel Farage that he had not only taken over the leadership of the Reform Party but will also stand as a Parliamentary candidate in the Essex coastal constituency of Clacton, which was won by UKIP in a famous by-election in 2014.

It was the worst possible news for the Tories.

Already suffering record levels of unpopularity in the polls, they now face a deadly pincer movement from both Left and Right.

The second was the opening leaders' debate between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, which turned out to be surprisingly combative with the Prime Minister crackling into action.

Sunak had finally found attack dog mode. He accused the Labour Party of gearing up for a £2,000 yearly tax hike burden.

Who knows if it is true? But Starmer failed to deny it and the Prime Minister kept on hammering it home. Labour will cost you.

It was a winning mantra repeated over and over again during the hourlong debate.

In the build-up to last night's event, it was reported that both men had been rehearsing intensely, the Prime Minister with his deputy Oliver Dowden, who apparently is highly skilled at playing opposition politicians, and Starmer with the Labour official and policy expert Tom Webb.