Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli occupation forces bombing the Gaza Strip
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Ceasefire in Gaza takes effect
The Kremlin: Negotiations toward a settlement in Ukraine are currently at a complete standstill
Abu Mujahid: The steadfastness of the Palestinian people and the Resistance thwarted the displacement plan and allowed us to secure the best possible terms in an agreement to halt the genocidal war
Abu Mujahid: We salute whosoever made sacrifices in support of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the martyred Sayyed Nasrallah and Sayyed Safieddine, as well as the people of Yemen and Iran
Abu Mujahid, head of the media office of the Popular Resistance Committees, to Al Mayadeen: The people of Gaza have sacrificed and given their most precious offerings for the Al-Aqsa Flood
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Israeli artillery shelling targeted Khan Younis and the al-Bureij and al-Maghazi refugee camps
Captives may be released as early as Saturday and by Monday at the latest: Source briefed on the details of the agreement.
Netanyahu set to convene security cabinet at 1500 (1200GMT) and government at 1600 (1300GMT) to approve the deal: Source briefed on the details of the agreement
Within the first 24 hours, the Israeli military will complete the first phase of partial withdrawal: Source briefed on the details of the agreement

Ex-UK PM, in first appearance, takes jab at Starmer, disdains Sunak

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 3 Jul 2024 13:28
4 Min Read

The former home secretary argues that voters abandoned the Tories because they failed “to cut immigration or tax or deal with the net zero and woke policies we have presided over for 14 years."

Listen
  • x
  • Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, delivers a speech at a Conservative Party campaign event at the National Army Museum in London, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP0
    Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, delivers a speech at a Conservative Party campaign event at the National Army Museum in London, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP)

Less than 48 hours before voters head to the polls, Boris Johnson made his first and only appearance ahead of the general elections, with no mention of Rishi Sunak's performance as Prime Minister of the UK. 

During an unexpected appearance at a Tory rally in Chelsea, the former Prime Minister pointed fingers at Keir Starmer for trying to “usher in the most leftwing Labour government since the war,” adding that he would raise taxes and that he would fail to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Johnson said that it was "way past Keir Starmer's bedtime," thanking everyone who stayed for the late event at the National Army Museum and the sole reference to Sunak was to thank him for his invitation.

Commenting on the Labour Party, he said, “They can achieve nothing in this election except to usher in the most leftwing government since the war with a huge majority, and we must not let it happen.”

Read next: UK party leader sparks outrage after saying West provoked Ukraine war

He added, “Don’t let the Putinistas deliver the Corbynistas. Don’t let Putin’s pet parrots give this entire country psittacosis – which is a disease you get, by the way, from cosying up to pet parrots. If you want to protect our democracy and our economy and keep this country strong abroad by spending 2.5% of our GDP on defence, which Labour still refuses to, then you know what to do, don’t you, everybody.”

During his speech, Johnson praised his own policies implemented when he was in office and did not mention those of Sunak. 

After Johnson left, Sunak appeared on stage and said, “Isn’t it great to have our Conservative family united, my friends? Just think, it was the other day when Keir Starmer was saying that Jeremy Corbyn would make a better prime minister than Boris.”

The Liberal Democrats reacted to Johnson's appearance as an “insult to everyone who made heartbreaking sacrifices during the pandemic”.

Related News

Labour Party members vote for recognizing genocide in Gaza

Britain poised to formally recognize Palestine on Sunday

Failed 'woke' policies

Mel Stride, the work and pensions secretary and Tory cabinet minister, admitted what seemed like a defeat on the Today program.

"I totally accept that, where the polls are at the moment, means that tomorrow is likely to see the largest Labour landslide majority, the largest majority that this country has ever seen. Much bigger than 1997, bigger even than the National government in 1931," he said.

Stride added, "What, therefore, matters now is what kind of opposition do we have, what kind of ability to scrutinise government is there within parliament."

In the Daily Telegraph, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman argued that voters abandoned the Tories because they failed "to cut immigration or tax or deal with the net zero and woke policies we have presided over for 14 years."

Furthermore, she persisted in criticizing the Tories for taking money from its largest donor and UK businessman Frank Hester after The Guardian disclosed that he had made remarks about Diane Abbott during a confidential staff meeting that were universally denounced as racist.

"Reform demonstrably failed to vet its candidates properly and these people should be nowhere near public life. I’ve been on the receiving end of racism myself and it’s right that the PM called it out. But cries of hurt and anger look less powerful when the Conservative Party was perfectly happy to take the money from Frank Hester," she said.

Read more: Israeli pressure on Labour Party, British politics 'huge', Corbyn says

"Remarks about hating black women were glossed over in the name of filling our party coffers. I don’t follow the logic. Nor do the voters. Whatever “the smartest men in the room” might privately think, the public are not in fact mugs," she noted. 

Most Tories condemned Hester's reported racist comments, but almost none of them called to stop taking funds from him despite the uproar against him. 

Sunak officially announced that the upcoming general election in the country is scheduled for July 4.

"Earlier today I spoke with his majesty the King to request the dissolution of parliament. The King has granted me this request and we will have a general election on the 4th of July," Sunak said in a statement outside 10 Downing Street.

  • Labour Party
  • Keir Starmer
  • Rishi Sunak
  • United Kingdom
  • Boris Johnson
  • 2024 UK elections

Most Read

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder revealed

Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder exposed

  • Politics
  • 5 Oct 2025
The Palestinian resistance and the people of Gaza showed that after combating Israeli aggression for two years, they remain victorious in the face of oppression (Mahdi Rteil/Al Mayadeen English)

Al-Aqsa Flood two years on, a tale of victory

  • Politics
  • 6 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
An Israeli armored vehicle moves on a street of a local market during a military raid in the West Bank refugee camp of Balata, Wednesday, October 8, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli settlers kill Palestinian youth near Ramallah amid raids

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks during the Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran interested in resuming nuclear talks: Lavrov

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva speaks during a news conference at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters in Washington, April 25, 2025 (AP)
Politics

IMF head flags US budget, Europe Defense spending challenges

Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, at UN headquarters (AP)
Politics

Meloni faces ICC complaint over Gaza genocide complicity with Israelis

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS