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UK general election latest: Boris Johnson boosts Tory hopes ahead of final day of campaigning as race for Downing Street between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer enters final hours

4 months ago 13

By Jamie Bullen

Published: 08:04 BST, 3 July 2024 | Updated: 08:54 BST, 3 July 2024

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Boris Johnson has made a dramatic 11th hour intervention in the general election campaign by addressing a Conservative rally in London in a boost for Rishi Sunak just hours before Britain heads to the polls.

The former prime minister received a warm reception as he attacked Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage and appealed to undecided voters to back his party.

But while his return to the political front line may have raised hopes Mr Sunak could pull off the unlikeliest of upsets, Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, declared 'it's over' for the Tories.

Follow live coverage from the final day on the campaign and join in the conversation in our comments section

Lib Dems insist Ed Davey has shone spotlight on 'serious issues'

 Matt Keeble/PA Wire

Lib Dems' education spokeswoman Munira Wilson has insisted party leader Sir Ed Davey has struck a balance between 'serious issues' and making sure he has a better time than party leaders.

Asked on LBC’s Nick Ferrari at Breakfast if Sir Ed’s 'boogie boarding to bungee jumping' campaign has worked, Ms Wilson said:

Well, we’re all talking about it and we are talking about the issues.
I think he’s really taken himself not very seriously to shine a spotlight on serious issues.
I think he’s got a balance between really serious issues that people are worried about and also, frankly, making sure that he has a somewhat better time than some of the other party leaders – but also not taking himself too seriously, which I think politicians too often do.

The Lib Dem leader has spent six weeks carrying out a series of election stunts which have included falling off a paddleboard, conducting interviews on a waterslide and bungee jumping.

Read more here:

Mel Stride - Labour heading for extraordinary landslide

 Photo by Wiktor Szymanowicz/Shutterstock (14531084ag) Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride gives an interview to the media outside the BBC Broadcasting House after attending the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show. Guests Attend BBC Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg Show, London, UK - 09 Jun 2024

Rishi Sunak's arch loyalist Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, has toured the broadcast studios again this morning making it the umpteenth time he has batted for the Conservatives in the morning interviews.

Here's the main points from his interviews earlier this morning with LBC, Sky News, GB News and BBC Radio 4.

  • Mr Stride warned Labour is heading for an 'extraordinary landslide' never before seen in this country and told voters they would 'regret' a situation in which Sir Keir Starmer is handed 'untrammelled' power.
  • He said there will be plenty of time for 'post-mortems' of the Conservatives’ performance after polling day, as well as the party's future direction.
  • He insisted 'many' public services in the UK have improved after 14 years of Tory rule which had seen readers become the 'best readers' in the Western world with fewer pensioners living in poverty.
  • Work and Pensions Secretary said he was most proud of having 'supported pensioners' during his time in government.

Final day of the election campaign: Where will the leaders be?

 UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak talks at a campaign event at the National Army Museum on July 2, 2024 in London, England. Rishi Sunak has been appealing to voters to stop a Labour "super majority" by lending votes to the Conservatives on the penultimate day of the general election campaign. (Photo by Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images)

So this it, in less than 24 hours the polls will open as six weeks of campaigning draws to a close.

But there's plenty happening today with Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer on the road for the last time before the country votes.

Rishi Sunak

  • The Prime Minister is expected to appear on the This Morning sofa before he heads to Hampshire this afternoon. Mr Sunak will also speak at a campaign event in the evening in his home county.

Sir Keir Starmer

  • The Labour leader will give a speech in Wales this morning before heading to Scotland in the afternoon and then the West Midlands this evening.

Sir Ed Davey

  • Lib Dem's chief will visit Chippenham this morning before also heading to Hampshire this afternoon and later Hertfordshire.

Nigel Farage

  • Reform UK leader will spend the afternoon campaigning in Clacton where he is standing in the election in his eighth attempt to enter Parliament.

John Swinney

  • Scotland's First Minister will visit Cumbernauld this morning before heading to Glasgow in the afternoon and will end the day with a speech in Leith this evening.

Rhun ap Iorwerth

  • Plaid Cymru's leader will join the party’s candidate for the Caerfyrddin seat, Ann Davies, for a campaigning event in Ammanford, Carmarthen, this morning.

Carla Denyer

  • Green co-leader will campaign in Bristol Central where she hopes to beat Labour in the election.

Watch: Boris Johnson wades into election campaign

Watch Boris Johnson make his surprise return to the campaign frontline as he spoke on stage at a Conservative rally in London.

During his speech, he attacked Sir Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage and urged undecided voters to support Rishi Sunak at the polls.

See the video below:

Read: Boris Johnson makes triumphant return to Conservative front line

There's no better place to start than the dramatic return of Boris Johnson who appeared at a Conservative campaign rally last night.

MailOnline's Eirian Prosser and The Daily Mail's Political Editor Jason Groves report Mr Johnson was unleashed as the Tory party's secret weapon last night, answering the Prime Minister's calls as he warned undecided voters a Labour landslide would be 'pregnant with horrors'.

Read their report here:

Good morning!

Hello and welcome to MailOnline's live coverage as we embark on the final day of campaigning for the 2024 general election.

Britain will head to the polls in less than 24 hours as voters decide the next Parliament tasked with taking the country forward.

Last night, Rishi Sunak received a welcome boost when Boris Johnson addressed a Conservative rally in London, marking his first major return to the political frontline since his premiership.

Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will whizz across the nation on campaign stops in Scotland, Wales and the West Midlands where no doubt he will urge against complacency ahead expectations he is heading for a huge majority.

Follow our live coverage throughout the day as we bring you the latest news, reaction and pictures as the campaign enters its final hours.

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