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UK general election LIVE: Keir Starmer on power trip in Scotland as Labour insists its clean energy plan will cut household bills while Rishi Sunak gets tough with fly-tippers - latest updates from the campaign trail

5 months ago 21

By Jamie Bullen

Published: 07:43 BST, 31 May 2024 | Updated: 10:59 BST, 31 May 2024

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Sir Keir Starmer will push Labour's energy plans in Scotland today with a promise to cut household bills by setting up a public company to invest in domestic power.

Rishi Sunak heads to the north west after the Conservatives announced new policies aimed at cracking down on fly-tippers and anti-social tenants.

Meanwhile, as the first full week of campaigning nears it end, a new poll suggests more than half of voters have yet to make up their minds five weeks out from election day.

Follow MailOnline's live coverage of the campaign trail and join in the conversation in our comments section

Starmer on stage at Labour event

 Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Keir Starmer is now speaking in Scotland where he is unveiling Labour's energy plans.

He told voters he didn't want them to 'send a message but to send a government'.

We will bring you the best of his speech.

Anas Sarwar - GB Energy is 'transformational opportunity we cannot afford to miss'

 Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

We can now bring you some remarks from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar who has described the party's GB Energy pledge as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Scotland

At the launch event for Labour’s six steps for change in Inverclyde – the party’s doorstep offer to Scots – he said:

Labour is committed to setting up GB energy, a publicly owned energy generation company headquartered right here in Scotland to cut bills for good and so we finally realise Scotland’s energy potential.
That’s billions of investment for Scotland, more jobs for Scotland, lower bills for Scotland and greater energy security for Scotland.
That’s 53,000 new clean energy jobs here in Scotland and another 16,000 jobs with our warm homes plans to insulate hundreds of thousands of Scottish homes.
A transformational opportunity for Scotland that once again we cannot afford to miss. And one which will be funded by the windfall tax on the huge profits of energy giants, a windfall tax which shamefully the SNP continues to oppose.
So we cannot afford to miss this opportunity to build a greener Scotland. So only a vote for Scottish Labour at this election will switch on GB Energy, create more jobs and cut energy bills for people right across Scotland.

Starmer to speak in Scotland

We are waiting to bring you lines from Keir Starmer's visit to Scotland where he will talk up Labour's plan to decarbonise Britain's power supplies by 2030 through a new publicly-owned company GB Energy.

Scottish Labour has posted a stream of the event if you'd like to watch live, otherwise we'll bring you the best of Starmer later on.

Memes of the week: See the tongue-in-cheek tweets of the election campaign

As a little Friday treat, we have compiled some of our favourite memes posted by political parties throughout the first full week of the election campaign.

Here you go:

Conservatives

Labour

Liberal Democrats

SNP

Greens

Reform

Watch: Daily politics briefing on day nine of the election campaign

If you're just waking up here's footage explaining today's political briefing as campaigning gets back under way.

Created by the PA News agency, see the video below:

Morning broadcast round: What was said?

Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, and Peter Kyle, the shadow science, secretary toured the broadcast studios this morning on behalf of the Conservatives and Labour

Here's a brief summary of what was said:

Mel Stride

 Photo by Thomas Krych/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock (14511368e) Work and Pensions Secretary MEL STRIDE is seen outside Westminster studios during a morning media round. Mel Stride During the Morning Broadcast Round, London, England, United Kingdom - 28 May 2024

  • He warned that if Sir Keir Starmer cannot make a decision on Diane Abbott how will he sort out Vladimir Putin - echoing Jeremy Hunt's interview yesterday
  • Said it was disappointing former Tory MP Mark Logan had defected to Labour and noted he didn't cite one policy reason for doing so
  • Claimed Labour will drag 'millions of pensioners into paying income tax' as he talked up the Tories 'triple lock plus' policy to raise the tax-free pension allowance

Peter Kyle

 Photo by Thomas Krych/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock (14486252w) Shadow Science Secretary PETER KYLE is being interviewed in Westminster during the morning media round. Peter Kyle broadcast round, London, England, United Kingdom - 17 May 2024

  • He said Diane Abbott is a 'trailblazer' but that the election is 'about the future' as he insisted any decision on whether she will represent party will be made by Labour's NEC
  • Also insisted Labour should not have to apologise for raising the standards of its members
  • Added Labour would 'never leave communities behind' after being asked whether there is a risk to oil and gas jobs in a similar way to Britain's coal-mining areas in the 1980s

Rishi Sunak - GB Energy is just a 'logo'

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issues a statement after British and US forces struck Houthi targets in Yemen, at 10 Downing Street, London, Friday May 31, 2024. The U.S. and Britain struck 13 Houthi targets in several locations in Yemen on Thursday in response to a recent surge in attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden over the Israel-Hamas war. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP)

Rishi Sunak has dismissed Labour’s aim to decarbonise Britain by 2030 as a 'logo' despite an endorsement from the Government’s former chief scientific adviser.

Asked for his reaction to Patrick Vallance writing in support of Labour’s flagship policy in The Times, the Prime Minister said:

All this new policy is, is a logo. You don’t deliver energy security for our country with a logo.
There’s a clear choice on this issue. My view is we have to prioritise this country’s energy security, that’s why we’ll continue to support Britain’s North Sea energy industry.
That’s not something that the Labour Party supports, they will ban further energy exploration there even though independent experts all say that we need that energy for decades to come.
On top of that, I’ll make sure we get to Net Zero in a proportionate way that does not load up ordinary families with thousands of pounds worth of costs. So yes, we’ll get to Net Zero, but I will do it in a way that prioritises our country’s energy security and household bills.

Sunak and Starmer quizzed on Trump conviction

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer have been questioned this morning on the historic court case involving Donald Trump which resulted in him becoming the first former president convicted of criminal offences.

Mr Sunak refused to comment on Trump’s guilty verdict in a Downing Street press briefing this morning.

Asked whether he was willing to work with a convicted felon in the White House if he wins July’s election, the Prime Minister said:

You wouldn’t expect me to comment on another country’s domestic politics or judicial processes.
I’m focused squarely on the election here at home talking to people across the country about the choice at our election. That’s my focus.

While Mr Starmer was asked how he might deal with a possible Trump administration during an interview with BBC Scotland.

He says Labour would work with whoever is the US president, but notes it is a 'wholly unprecedented situation'.

Read more on the Trump conviction here from our reporters in New York:

Cabinet minister - We're disappointed by Tory MP's defection

Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, has said the Conservatives are 'disappointed' its former MP Mark Logan has joined Labour.

Mr Logan, the ex-Bolton North East representative, said Labour could 'bring back optimism into British life' as he backed them to win the election on July 4

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Stride said:

It’s disappointing, Mark will have his own reasons as to why he’s decided to do that.
I’m disappointed, and of course we’re disappointed when those things happen, but the big picture here, and there’s a lot at stake here – over and above what Mark Logan may or may not decide to have done – is the future of our country.

Read the story here about Mark Logan's defection:

Starmer refuses to budge on Abbott stance

British opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer attends a Welsh Labour general election campaign event in Abergavenny, Wales, Britain May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska

Despite travelling to Scotland to talk up one of Labour's key election pledges, Sir Keir Starmer continues to field questions surrounding Diane Abbott.

He has this morning refused to say if he would like Diane Abbott to stand for the party at the next election.

He was asked the question after his deputy Angela Rayner said she sees no reason why she shouldn't, while Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said he agreed with her

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland during a visit north of the border, Mr Starmer said the decision rests with the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC).

Diane Abbott has had the whip returned to her, no decision has been taken to bar her from standing and the NEC will come to a decision in due course.

Asked if he would like her to be a candidate, Sir Keir added:

Ultimately, that will be a matter for the NEC but no decision has been taken.

What's happening today on the campaign trail?

Before we bring you some news lines from the morning broadcast round, let's take a look at the campaign agenda today with parties once again spread across the country.

Rishi Sunak will be in the north west this afternoon after the Tories announced plans for fly-tippers to face driving bans under new plans to crack down on anti-social behaviour.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride is on the morning round

Keir Starmer heads north of the border to launch Labour's plans for clean energy with Scotland the planned headquarters for Great British Energy - a publicly owned company to invest in domestic power sources.

He will be joined by Anas Sarwar, Angela Rayner, Ed Miliband and Ian Murray at a campaign event in Greenock.

Peter Kyle will represent Labour on the morning round.

Scottish First Minister John Swinney will call on the next UK Government to commit to an emergency budget immediately following the election at SNP campaign event in Glasgow this morning

Sir Ed Davey is making visits to Hertfordshire this morning before heading to South London this afternoon.

GB Energy: What is it? And how does it work?

Assets - Beatrice Offshore Windfarm

Labour are outlining their energy plans this morning with a policy to deliver 100 per cent clean power across the country by 2030.

Sir Keir Starmer is in Scotland where Labour say will be the base for GB Energy, a planned publicly-owned company that will harness Britain’s sun, wind and wave.

Labour has claimed the policy, which will see electricity supplies decarbonised by 2030, will permanently reduce energy bills, create thousands of jobs and deliver energy security.

But the policy is not without its critics.

The SNP has warned Labour's plan to halt any new oil and gas licences would cost 100,000 jobs and deter future investment in Scotland, while the Tories estimate 200,000 positions could be lost.

Sir Patrick Vallance backs Labour's green energy plans

 Photo by Mark Thomas/Shutterstock (14492655cg) Patrick Vallance, Scientist Chelsea Flower Show, Chelsea, London, UK - 20 May 2024

Labour has received a welcome boost after the party's energy proposals were backed by the UK's former chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance (pictured).

Writing in The Times, Sir Patrick, who was a prominent figure throughout the Covid pandemic, said he welcomed Labour's pledge to fully decarbonise Britain's power supplies by 2030.

He wrote:

I am often asked which of Britain’s many pressing public policy challenges need a vaccine-style approach.
I believe that one such priority is the urgent need to end the era of excessive carbon emissions, high energy bills and energy insecurity by accelerating the net zero transition to clean, homegrown energy.

Exclusive:Hope for Tories as only four in ten voters have made up their minds

Let's bring you the main political story in today's Daily Mail as a major new poll by Lord Ashcroft suggests that more than half of voters have yet to definitively make up their minds ahead of the election.

Research shared exclusively with the Mail found only four in ten have 'definitely decided' how to vote.

Read Harriet Line's report here:

Pictures: A snapshot of day eight on the campaign trail

Here are some of our favourite pictures from the campaign trail yesterday:

 Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

 Aaron Chown/PA Wire

 Rod Minchin/PA Wire

 Jane Barlow/PA Wire

 Photo by Tejas Sandhu/SOPA Images/Shutterstock (14515915ah) Leader of Reform UK Richard Tice and Honorary President of Reform UK Nigel Farage shake hands at a press conference centred around immigration in London. Honorary President of Reform UK Britain will go to the polls on July 4th after Prime Minister Rishi Sunakís decision to call a snap general election last week. Reform UK Election Immigration Press Conference in London, UK - 30 May 2024

 Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

What happened yesterday on the campaign trail?

Let's remind you of some stories from the campaign trail yesterday we that published on MailOnline:

We will continue to bring you stories from our website throughout the day.

Good morning

Hello and happy Friday!

Welcome to our live coverage of the general election build-up as we approach the end of the first full week of campaigning.

Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will both be hoping to head into the weekend with some momentum after enduring difficult days for different reasons yesterday.

Mr Sunak was hit with another defection as a former Tory MP urged voters to choose Labour on July 4, while Mr Starmer faces a split in his ranks over the Diane Abbott row as deputy Angela Rayner declared she should stand for the party.

We will bring you all the eye-catching moments from throughout the day plus news, analysis and reaction.

Key Updates

  • Rishi Sunak - GB Energy is just a 'logo'

  • Sunak and Starmer quizzed on Trump conviction

  • Starmer refuses to budge on Abbott stance

  • What's happening today on the campaign trail?

  • Sir Patrick Vallance backs Labour's green energy plans

  • What happened yesterday on the campaign trail?

Read Entire Article