Labour's Greatest Asset In This Campaign Is Still Truss
The Independent|June 27, 2024
There was no handshake at the end. After 75 minutes of name calling, Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak couldn’t wait to see the backs of each other. Don’t be surprised if there are no head-tohead debates at all in the 2029 general election.
JOE MURPHY
Labour's Greatest Asset In This Campaign Is Still Truss

Sunak marched from his car outside Nottingham Trent University looking tense and grim – a contrast with Starmer,who strolled in beaming, pausing for a chat with some BBC top brass. A fresh arrival from Mars could not mistake which of the two is 20 points ahead in the polls.

Brassy, imperious fanfares then announced the final time these two will have to endure proximity until they sit on opposite sides of the House of Commons despatch boxes next month.

It was called, portentously, The BBC Prime Ministerial Debate, but there really wasn’t much prime ministerial behaviour from the individual who actually holds the title of prime minister. Rishi Sunak was in shin-kicking, finger-jabbing mode – a snappy cornered terrier with nothing left to lose and nowhere else to go but forward.

Inevitably, the first question was about the latest gambling scandals and loss of trust in politics. Sue, the questioner, shook her head sadly as she spoke.

Sunak, brow furrowed, claimed he had been “crystal clear” about this all along, despite taking 13 days to withdraw support from Craig Williams, his own bag carrier who had “a flutter” on the election date. Even less plausibly, he claimed loss of trust was caused by Starmer “changing your mind on every issue”, rather than Partygate and sundry other “gates”, from PPE contracts to gold wallpaper, from donors to peerages.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 27, 2024 من The Independent.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 27, 2024 من The Independent.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من THE INDEPENDENT مشاهدة الكل
An emergency cut short our trip - can we get a refund?
The Independent

An emergency cut short our trip - can we get a refund?

I am sorry to hear of the reason for curtailing the holiday. In such circumstances, the first issue is the arrangement for returning home early.

time-read
1 min  |
July 02, 2024
'Winning ugly' Raducanu evokes Three Lions spirit
The Independent

'Winning ugly' Raducanu evokes Three Lions spirit

It’s been two years since Emma Raducanu – 2021’s breakthrough British sporting star – strode out onto the Wimbledon stage with the weight of an expectant crowd on her shoulders.

time-read
4 mins  |
July 02, 2024
Southgate hopes the lessons of 1966 can inspire success
The Independent

Southgate hopes the lessons of 1966 can inspire success

As the Three Lions scrape through to the quarter-finals at Euro 2024, the England manager is drawing on history to keep his whole squad of players hungry

time-read
4 mins  |
July 02, 2024
Shootout sends below-par Portugal into quarter-finals
The Independent

Shootout sends below-par Portugal into quarter-finals

The Cristiano Ronaldo show rumbled into Frankfurt, and it didn’t disappoint.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 02, 2024
Dour France get lucky to sink Belgium in a stinker
The Independent

Dour France get lucky to sink Belgium in a stinker

Of course, it wasn’t pretty.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 02, 2024
Bankers' bonuses return as families struggle with bills
The Independent

Bankers' bonuses return as families struggle with bills

The bonus boys and girls look set to make a comeback in the City of London.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 02, 2024
Why Russia is ordering its troops to take no prisoners
The Independent

Why Russia is ordering its troops to take no prisoners

Putin's commanders in Ukraine are compelling their men to murder defenceless enemies

time-read
5 mins  |
July 02, 2024
Banksy's Glastonbury boat stunt was tasteless and lazy
The Independent

Banksy's Glastonbury boat stunt was tasteless and lazy

Rather than Coldplay’s “spectacle of a lifetime”, or the return of Avril Lavigne, or the return (again) of the Sugababes, the Glastonbury moment that caught the nation’s attention was a tasteless stunt by Banksy.

time-read
2 mins  |
July 02, 2024
Here's why I'm glad I caused a BA flight to be cancelled
The Independent

Here's why I'm glad I caused a BA flight to be cancelled

It was all going swimmingly until we began our descent into Gatwick.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 02, 2024
A 'Republican front' could yet deprive Le Pen of power
The Independent

A 'Republican front' could yet deprive Le Pen of power

“We are in uncharted territory”, was the most neutral assessment of the first-round results in France’s legislative elections.

time-read
5 mins  |
July 02, 2024