General election latest: Sunak laughs off idea for extra bank holiday - as Reform's only MP hits back at 'load of rubbish' claim about Farage (2024)

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today claimed pensioners will "pay tax under Labour" as his party unveiled their triple-lock plus plans.

This would see a pensioner's allowance rise in line with either average earnings, inflation or by 2.5% - whichever is higher - from next April, echoing the rules on annual state pension increases.

Speaking to reporters in the East Midlands, he was asked why he decided to stop an effective tax rise on pensioners - but allowed one to go ahead on working age people.

Has Mr Sunak given up on young voters?

"What I believe is that if you work hard all your life, you should have dignity in retirement - that's why we've protected the triple lock, which is going up by £900 this year for pensioners," he said.

"But today what we've announced is the triple lock plus. We're going to increase the personal allowance for pensioners, delivering a tax cut worth around £100 to millions of pensioners, demonstrating our commitment to them."

'Pensioners will pay more tax under Labour'

The prime minister says that, in contrast, the Labour Party "have said they oppose that policy".

"Which means pensioners will be paying tax under any future Labour government, and that's a clear choice on offer at this election."

He calls this a tax cut, and is asked if this is him admitting that a decision to freeze tax thresholds was a tax rise.

"I think most people recognise that the country has been through an extraordinary amount - the pandemic, and then the war in Ukraine - both of which meant that the government stepped in to support people."

Mr Sunak says that this called for "difficult decisions".

However, he says that the Tories have now been able to "cut people's taxes", pointing to two national insurance cuts in the last year.

Lord Cameron was asked by broadcasters if he is disappointed that some Tory MPs and candidates have publicly criticised Rishi Sunak's national service plans.

The ex-PM replied that it's a "really bold decision" to propose the plan, and says he "fully" supports it.

"In many ways, it's actually fired up this election campaign," he said, and added it shows a "choice" between Mr Sunak with a "clear plan" making "bold decisions", and Sir Keir Starmer with "absolutely no plan at all".

He also hit out at the Labour leader's pitch that "change" is "stability", characterising the assertion as "like sunshine for being cold or rain to stay dry".

Pushed on if the PM should keep expecting criticism of bold ideas, Lord Cameron replied: "What he should do is keep coming up with the bold plans and the bold ideas.

"In the end, elections are not a referendum on the government - they're a choice, and you can see a real choice opening up."

Lord Cameron might be on the campaign trail today, but he remains foreign secretary until the election at least.

To that end, he was asked by broadcasters for his reaction to the Israeli air strike in Rafah that saw many civilians killed, and the arrest warrants being sought by a prosecutor at the International Criminal Court for Israeli and Hamas leaders.

He replied that what happened "really did look very, very concerning, very worrying, and so we're asking for that to be investigated rapidly".

"The Israelis have already said it was a tragic mistake, but we want to see that properly investigated."

He said he wants to see a pause in fighting, which "has been offered by the Israelis".

The aim is to get hostages out, aid in, and then that can become a "permanent, sustainable ceasefire".

Asked if he agrees with calls to recognise Palestine as a state immediately, he said he wants to see that as part of a two-state solution - "a secure Israel next to a secure, democratic Palestine".

"Recognition of course will come, but it shouldn't come at the start of this process. It doesn't have to wait until right at the end, but it should be part of bringing about a two-state solution."

You can get the latest on war in the Middle East in our dedicated blog:

The Conservative Policy's big policy announcement today is promising to cut taxes for pensioners by creating a new "age-related" tax-free allowance - dubbed "triple lock plus".

Currently, people can receive £12,570 a year of their pensions before they start paying income tax on them - the same figure as the personal allowance for those who work.

But if the party wins the next election, a pensioner's allowance would rise in line with either average earnings, inflation or by 2.5% - whichever is higher - from next April.

Lord Cameron has been on the campaign trail today, and was asked by broadcasters if Rishi Sunak is having to undo the damage he caused after he scrapped the special thresholds for pensions in 2014 when he was PM.

'Clear choice has opened up'

The now foreign secretary said he put in place the triple lock on pensions, which "has actually seen real increases for pensioners, real gains".

He went on: "What we're adding now is the triple lock plus - we're saying that if you have a pension which is rising, it's never going to be subject to tax."

He said a "real, clear choice has opened up between doing right by the pensioners under the Conservatives, or having the retirement tax under Labour", because they have not committed to matching that pledge.

But Lord Cameron did not answer whether Mr Sunak is undoing the damage he did as PM.

Our political correspondent Tamara Cohen is on Labour's campaign bus today and was in the room for Rachel Reeves's speech this morning.

She says it was all about trying to "reassure businesses and workers", with absolutely no policy announcements.

Tamara notes this election has seen something of a role reversal for the two main parties.

"Compared to the last three elections I've covered, it's the Tories who are chucking out different offers and Labour being very safety first," she says.

Ms Reeves's message was "very much Labour is the partner of business".

"It's been on a journey since their terrible defeat in 2019, but she says they now represent the centre ground of British politics," Tamara says.

One other thing to note - a slight dividing line between Ms Reeves and her boss Sir Keir Starmer.

He was asked yesterday if he'd define himself as a socialist, and the Labour leader said yes.

Not so Ms Reeves.

We heard a short while ago from Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, after he told party supporters they will defeat the SNP.

SkycorrespondentAshna Hurynag asked him why he didn't mention Rishi Sunak by name during that speech, and seemed to avoid his party's record in Westminster.

Mr Ross replied that the PM was in Scotland "within 24 hours of the election being called", saying he'll be back during the campaign.

'Taking the fight to SNP'

He argued that there are "key seats" throughout Scotland that will be a "straight choice between the Scottish Conservatives and the SNP".

"So voters can unite behind the Scottish Conservatives, beat the SNP, and get the focus onto the real priorities that people have up and down the country."

Asked if he is worried about how dysfunctional the Tory campaign is down south, Mr Ross did not push back on that assertion.

Instead, he replied: "I want to focus on what we're doing up here in Scotland. It's taking the fight to SNP.

"If we beat the SNP, we can end their obsession with independence."

By Matthew Thompson, correspondent

On the six-hour drive from London to the Lake District yesterday, journalists outnumbered actual Liberal Democrats by four to one.

It made it feel more like a newsroom away day than an actual general election campaign.

Today though, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey has finally joined us.

Party spinners say that, in the same way Air Force One is only given that name when the US president steps aboard, now we can finally give the bus its official moniker: Yellowhammer One.

The idea being it will smash into the so-called Tory Blue Wall.

Get it?

It's been a stunt-heavy start to the week, with Ed Davey speaking to us from a paddle board on Lake Windermere, shortly after taking a not entirely accidental dip in the water.

Now we're on our way to Wales, where the party hopes to regain at least one MP.

Stunts of course, will only get them so far.

Rachel Reeves is a former Bank of England economist who is vying to be the UK's first female chancellor.

Alongside Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, she has worked to change the party's image among voters after it suffered its worst defeat since 1935 at the 2019 election.

Ms Reeves has sought to portray Labour as fiscally responsible, saying she would never "play fast and loose" with the nation's finances.

She is seen as a crucial component in making Labour appear more credible to voters and in providing business with the reassurance it craves following years of upheaval.

She could be one of the most significant political figures in the years ahead, so Sky's political reporter Alexandra Rodgerstakes a look at her background, and how her political career has unfolded:

By Gurpreet Narwan, political correspondent

This was billed as a policy event, but it was really the Nigel Farage show.

He made his first appearance on the campaign trail in Dover today, where he warned about the threat of illegal and legal migration.

The event was light on actual policy announcements, but Reform will be grateful for his intervention.

It's a relatively new party, and doesn't have the money, personnel or machinery of more established political parties - something that was painfully clear in Skegness last week, where only 17 people showed up.

Farage offers a certain celebrity appeal that allows the party to punch above its weight.

He had fans outside, asking for selfies and calling him a hero.

Others were less kind, yelling expletives.

He is, of course, a divisive figure. The problem for the Tories is that in the areas they need to win, his party may be more popular than they are.

By Tim Baker, political reporter

Reform UK's honorary president Nigel Farage has been speaking to Sky political correspondent Gurpreet Narwan in Dover.

Understandably, given the location, Mr Farage wanted to talk about migration.

He also reiterated comments he made to Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, in which he said there were issues with young, Muslim, men being radicalised.

"I'm being accused of intolerance for calling out intolerance," Mr Farage says.

He highlighted Angela Rayner meeting a group in her constituency in which he claimed no other women were present.

Mr Farage said the marginalisation is something seen in "extreme forms" of Islam - and women have a "different place in their society".

This is something he "hadn't noticed in the Church of England".

Asked about his rhetoric being used by racist people, Mr Farage says "they are a tiny, tiny, irrelevant fringe minority" - and that he has "never had anything to do with them".