The Tories will fight dirty... it is not over yet

Labour bigwig warns of more gutter tactics from Sunak

- JOHN STEVENS

THE Tories will launch an onslaught of smears against Keir Starmer in the final days of the election campaign, Labour's campaign strategist predicts.

Jonathan Ashworth said his party is braced for Rishi Sunak and his cronies to start fighting dirty in a desperate bid to cling to power.

The Shadow Paymaster General warned Labour voters not to repeat 1992 by believing the election has already been won.

He said: "Don't make the mistakes that people made in the past when thinking it's all over. You may think it's all over, it's not yet.

"Look at what is at risk in this election. I think people will be asking themselves, how would they feel if they woke up the day after the election and the Tories have got in for another five years. How does that make you feel inside?"

He added: "I remember going to bed aged 13 in 1992, absolutely convinced that Neil Kinnock was going to win.

"And that feeling of devastation when we switched on the news the next morning. The Tories had squeaked over the line. Never ever again do I want to feel like that."

Mr Ashworth, 45, said there are still "huge numbers of people out there who have not made up their mind" and he warned against complacency.