Labor sets fire to Rishi Sunak’s ‘failures’ over cost-of-living crisis in flash ad campaign | Politics news

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Sir Keir Starmer has told his shadow cabinet that voters “should know Rishi Sunak’s fingerprints are covering their struggling family budgets” as they prepare to go to the polls on May 4.

By Alexandra Rogers, Political Correspondent @Journoamrogers

Tuesday, April 11, 2023 02:17, United Kingdom

And Labor will continue its controversial attacks on Rishi Sunak by turning attention to the government’s “failures” with regard to the cost of living crisis.

The Labor leader described the prime minister as “the main architect of choices that put the wealthy first” as both parties prepare for local elections next month.

In a letter to the Shadow Cabinet, Sir Keir Starmer said voters “should know that Rishi Sunak’s fingerprints cover their struggling family budgets”.

In the memo, seen by Sky News, the Labor leader wrote: “With 24 days to go to polling day we must continue to focus relentlessly on exposing the failures of 13 years of a divided and weak Conservative government and showing how we can deliver to working people across the board. across the country.”

He added, “Rishi Sunak is the main architect of choices that prioritize the wealthy and the failure of the government to control the economy and the continuation of growth.”

He accused Mr Sunak of “presenting the touch card to another Conservative government to blow up the economy” as a minister and then continuing in the tenth position to “take cost-bearing decisions”.

Sir Keir’s intervention comes after Labor came under fire for a series of ads that critics have described as “rock bottom politics”.

The first ad, released on Thursday, read: “Do you think adults convicted of child sexual abuse should go to jail? Rishi Sunak does not.”

Photo: Labor party tweet on Rishi Sunak’s gun crime record

She cited data from the Department of Justice showing that 4,500 adults convicted of child sexual acts have avoided jail time since the Conservatives came to power in 2010.

Despite the ensuing backlash from across the political spectrum, the Labor Party issued a second tweet accusing Mr Sunak of being indulgent with gun filth and a third suggesting it did not believe thieves should be punished.

Labor officials were upbeat over the weekend about the effectiveness of their ads, with briefings indicating they would step up their efforts despite the criticism.

A Labor source told Sky News: “Mission accomplished – we’ve taken control of the news agenda and started a serious conversation about the Tories’ appalling record on crime.”

And in his letter to his top staff, Sir Keir said the focus of their domestic campaign should shift from crime to the cost of living.

Read more: Labor takes inspiration from Australia with Sunak attack ads – but they need more to get Labor ad out on Twitter for second attack against Rishi Sunak despite row over ‘bottom politics’

The Labor leader also reiterated directly to colleagues that he “makes no apologies whatsoever” for the ads despite the backlash.

In an article for the Daily Mail, Sir Keir said he “Whoa[s] Every word Labor has said on this subject, no matter how sensitive some may feel.”

Labor is hoping to reap the benefits of a recessionary economy in local elections on May 4 in England, as the Conservatives continue their struggle at the polls.

However, a new voting intention poll by Redfield and Wilton Strategies shows Labor at 44%, down 1% since last week, while the Conservatives are at 30%, an increase of 2%.

It marks Labor’s narrowest lead over the Conservatives since Sunak became prime minister in October.

On Tuesday, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves will highlight the party’s pledge to help more first-time buyers onto the housing ladder on her campaign visit to Brighton.

New analysis from the party shows first time buyers are facing a nearly £500 a month spike in mortgage bills in the wake of Liz Truss’s ill-fated mini-budget and soaring interest rates.

The governors have been contacted for comment.

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