PA/ The Mirror
Prime minister Rishi Sunak was taunted by the Mirror’s chicken amid accusations that he is putting “vanity before country” by waiting to clock up two years in Downing Street before calling an election.
Last week, Sunak, who became PM in October 2022, said it was his “working assumption” that he would call a general election in the second half of the year.
The stance opens the door to a potential autumn general election.
Sir Keir, the Labour Party leader, said Britain was drifting while the country waited to elect a new Westminster government.
Speaking to Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme, Sir Keir said he wanted an election “as soon as possible”, stating that he thought the “country is ready for it”.
He continued: “I have to say, the Prime Minister is sort of almost taking himself out of this — the ‘working assumption’ is as if it is somebody else’s working assumption.
“If he had a plan, he would set the date and he should set the date because at the moment it is very hard to see how him continuing in Government improves the lives of anybody in the country, so there is drift.
“I can’t help feeling that all he really wants to do is to get two years clocked up of his own premiership, and that means he is putting vanity before country.
“And so my challenge to him would be: if you’ve got a plan, set the date.
“If you haven’t got a plan, just get on with it as quickly as possible.”
The decision by the Conservative UK Government to bring forward the 2p cut in national insurance, announced in the autumn statement, from April to January 6 was seen by commentators at the time as a signal Mr Sunak could trigger a spring election.
But as we pointed out in the latest Elevenses, it was probably nothing more than a clever piece of electioneering from the Labour Party.
Related: Thornberry says May election is ‘worst kept secret in parliament’
