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Parliament was dissolved, leaving no MPs until the general election on 4 July. With hours to go, Diane Abbott had the Labour whip restored to her, and Lucy Allan MP was suspended from the Conservative party for endorsing the Reform UK candidate for Telford. Among bills that were lost was one prohibiting the sale of cigarettes to anyone born after 31 December 2008. Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, had provided an abiding memory by announcing the election standing in heavy rain in Downing Street and making a speech as though it weren’t raining. The Conservatives suddenly said that everyone should do a form of national service at the age of 18. The Tories proposed adding to the triple lock for state pensions a promise that they would never incur income tax.
Sir Keir Starmer made a speech telling the world that his sisters and his uncle lived for many many years in Worthing but he was raised in Oxted, where it was easy to get pocket money ‘clearing stones for the local farmers’. He proposed ‘a Britain once more in the service of working people. Country first, party second’. He repeatedly used the word ‘change’. Labour confirmed its policy of immediately imposing VAT and business rates on private schools after the election. Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, said: ‘We certainly won’t be increasing income tax or national insurance if we win.’ In a letter to the Times, 121 business people, including Jimmy Wales and Tom Kerridge, endorsed Labour. Greater Manchester Police said it would take no further action over allegations concerning the sale of a council house by Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader.
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