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 in South Lebanon: Israeli drone strikes town of Harouf, Nabatieh district.
Factions' statement: The attendees agreed to support and continue implementing the ceasefire agreement measures, including the withdrawal of the occupation and lifting the siege.
Factions' statement: Calling for an end to all forms of torture and violations against prisoners in occupation prisons and the necessity of obligating the occupation to do so.
Statement: The current moment is crucial, making the meeting a true turning point toward national unity in defense of our people and their right to life, dignity, and freedom.
Factions' statement: Call for an urgent meeting of all Palestinian forces and factions to agree on a national strategy.
Factions' statement: Continuing joint work to unify visions and positions to confront the challenges facing the Palestinian cause.
Statement of the factions: Emphasis on the unity of the Palestinian political system and the independent national decision.
Statement: Approval to establish an international committee to oversee the financing and implementation of the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Statement: The committee is responsible for managing life and services in cooperation with Arab brothers and international institutions, based on transparency and accountability.
Resistance factions' statement: Agreement to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a temporary Palestinian committee of independent technocrats.

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

Welsh nationalists' by-election win deals heavy blow to Labour Party

Labour Party members vote for recognizing genocide in Gaza

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

From previous scenes of the Qassam Brigades targeting an Israeli D9 bulldozer with a Yassin 105 shell, east of Deir al-Balah. (Military Media of the Qassam Brigades)

US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op., says journalist

  • Politics
  • 20 Oct 2025
'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
The Mann beach lighthouse stands next to Naufragio Bay in San Cristobal, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, May 2, 2020. (AP)
Politics

Ecuador's Noboa considering hosting foreign military bases

Inside Rubio's push for government change in Venezuela: DropSite
Politics

Inside Rubio's push for government change in Venezuela: Drop Site

Maduro rejects US accusations, highlights ties with Colombia
Politics

Maduro rejects US accusations, highlights ties with Colombia

Pentagon accepts $130M anonymous donation during shutdown
Politics

Pentagon accepts $130 mln anonymous donation during shutdown

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