After a tumultuous European election that saw a lurch to the right, which G7 leader isn't a lame duck?

Labour could leave Ukraine in the lurch, says Rishi Sunak

By Martin Beckford  

A Labour government would risk leaving Ukraine in the lurch by failing to match Tory defence spending plans, Rishi Sunak warned last night.

The Prime Minister said Sir Keir Starmer could not provide the same guarantee of future military support that he was able to make to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

He spoke out yesterday at the G7 summit in southern Italy where he had a one-to-one meeting with Zelensky, and where he and fellow western leaders agreed a pioneering scheme to lend $50billion to Ukraine secured against the interest accruing on frozen Russian central bank assets.

Mr Sunak said it was ‘a demonstration that the G7 is prepared to do whatever it takes’ and that he is one of those ‘around the table who is increasing investment in defence. Keir Starmer can’t say that he would do the same’.

Mr Sunak, who came under fire for leaving recent D-day commemorations in northern France early in order to film a TV interview, denied he had been snubbed for bilateral meetings at the summit, explaining: ‘You can do lots of meetings with people in the margins of things and that’s exactly what I have been doing.’

One person who seemed glad to see Mr Sunak was Italian leader and G7 host Giorgia Meloni, who has grown into somewhat of an ally. She greeted the PM with a kiss.

 PM in dismay over aid's election bet

By Martin Beckford   

Rishi Sunak last night expressed his dismay that a close aide had placed a bet on the election date three days before it was called.

The Prime Minister said Craig Williams’s actions in laying the £100 wager with a bookmaker on May 19 were ‘very disappointing’.

But he refused to say if his parliamentary private secretary had been at any of the top-secret meetings where polling day was decided. And he would not say if he would disown Mr Williams as the Tory candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, citing a probe by the Gambling Commission.

Mr Sunak said: ‘It’s very disappointing news and you will have seen Craig Williams has said that it was a huge error of judgment.’ He added: ‘I’m sure you’ll understand that it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to comment while [the] inquiry is ongoing.’

Mr Williams, who earlier apologised in a BBC interview, would have won £500 at odds of 5/1.

YouTuber on 11 poll ballots 

By Martin Beckford

An internet prankster has seemingly been registered to stand as a General Election candidate in 11 constituencies, including Rishi Sunak’s seat.

The name of YouTuber Niko Omilana - who stood in the London mayoral election three years ago – is on the ballots as an independent, but it is unclear whether it is the same candidate or different ones who have legally changed their names.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said it was ‘liaising with the relevant authorities’.