The ‘wheels are coming off’ Keir Starmer’s leadership, declares Rishi Sunak as election battle goes up a gear
RISHI Sunak yesterday declared the “wheels are coming off” Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership as the election battle cranked up a gear.
The PM said Labour’s leftie deputy leader Angela Rayner is calling the shots in the wake of the Diane Abbott row.
He accused Sir Keir of being a flip-flopper who cannot be trusted.
It came as Labour and the Tories both launched their rival campaign battle buses.
Mr Sunak told The Sun on Sunday: “The wheels are coming off Keir’s leadership with his deputy and the Left pushing him around.
“If he can be pushed into letting Diane Abbott back into the party, he can be pushed into caving to the unions and raising taxes on working people.”
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In a big U-turn, Sir Keir caved and said Ms Abbott can stand to be a Labour MP after Ms Rayner backed the Hackney MP.
The PM was speaking as he launched the Tories’ giant blue Mercedes-Benz Tourismo bus at Redcar Racecourse, North Yorks. Emblazoned with the slogan, “Clear plan, bold action, secure future”, it will travel the length and breadth of Britain over the next five weeks.
Delivering a fiery stump speech, Mr Sunak warned Labour will put all the progress made on the economy “at risk” if they win on July 4.
He said: “I can say that because Labour opposed pretty much every single decision I took to restore that economic stability.”
He claimed Labour would clobber families with a £2,000 tax hike — something Sir Keir denies.
Mr Sunak said: “When it comes to economic security for families, we’re going to deliver more with lower taxes and protection for pensioners.”
He added: “The uncertain times we’re living in mean our country needs a clear plan and bold action that is underpinned by conviction and values — and that’s what you’ll get with me.”
Meanwhile, Sir Keir suffered an awkward interview over his flip-flopping on Ms Abbott at his own bus launch in South London.
Asked repeatedly why he U-turned, he said: “I dealt with that issue yesterday.”
Labour’s bright red bus is a new 73-reg Yutong coach with the word “Change” on its sides more than 30 times.