Rishi Sunak’s election campaign has been dealt another hammer blow as a new poll shows Labour’s lead is at its highest level since Liz Truss’s premiership.
A survey by Opinium has Sir Keir Starmer’s party up four points to 45 per cent, with the Tories down two to 25 per cent, putting Labour on course for a landslide victory.
The poll, conducted between 29-31 May at a time of turmoil in Labour’s campaign, suggests that the prime minister’s eye-catching announcements on mandatory national service and tax cuts for pensioners have failed to land with voters.
Elsewhere, Sir Keir attempted to draw a line under the party’s row over Diane Abbott standing again in her London constituency.
He heaped praise on the veteran MP, the first black woman ever elected to parliament.
“Although I disagree with some of what she says, in terms of the battles she has been through and the terrible insults she has had to rise above, I have actually got more respect for Diane than she probably realises,” he said in an interview published in The Observer.
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Starmer: I have more respect for Diane than she probably realises
Sir Keir Starmer has said he has more respect for Diane Abbott than “she probably realises”.
The Labour leader was speaking following a row over whether the veteran MP could stand again in her London constituency.
“Although I disagree with some of what she says, in terms of the battles she has been through and the terrible insults she has had to rise above, I have actually got more respect for Diane than she probably realises,” he said in an interview published in The Observer.
![](https://i0.wp.com/static.independent.co.uk/2024/05/29/11/starmer%20abbott%20split.jpg?ssl=1)
Matt Mathers1 June 2024 23:16
Labour races to biggest lead over the Tories in the polls since Liz Truss downfall
A survey by Opinium has Sir Keir Starmer’s party up four points to 45 per cent, with the Tories down two to 25 per cent, putting Labour on course for a landslide victory.
Matt Mathers1 June 2024 23:13
Conservatives have ‘failed to fix crumbling hospitals’, say Lib Dems
A senior Liberal Democrat candidate has said the Government has “failed to fix our crumbling hospitals”.
The party’s manifesto will feature a pledge to “reverse cuts to the Public Health Grant” for local authorities in an “invest to save” bid, a spokesperson said.
Announcing the General Election pledge, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “The Conservative Party has decimated public health funding, leaving Britain with a ticking time bomb of health challenges.
“The public health crisis in our country has Rishi Sunak’s fingerprints all over it. He has slashed funding for vital local services that support children, failed to fix our crumbling hospitals and overseen a stark rise in health inequality.
“The Liberal Democrats would reverse these scandalous cuts and invest in empowering local communities and individuals to lead healthier lives. It is time to recognise that it is far cheaper to prevent ill health than to treat it.”
Tom Watling1 June 2024 23:00
Mapped: Where have the parties been campaigning today?
It has been a busy day for campaigning as both the Labour Party and the Conservatives launched their battle buses, set to drive across the country for the next five weeks.
The Reform Party, meanwhile, held a large event at the The Rifle Volunteer in Ashfield, Lee Anderson’s constituency. Both Mr Lee and Nigel Farage spoke at the event.
Below, you can see where Rishi Sunak, his counterpart Sir Keir and Mr Lee have been today.
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Tom Watling1 June 2024 22:00
Anderson and Farage hold Reform Party event in Ashfield
Lee Anderson and Nigel Farage have held a Reform Party event in Mr Anderson’s constituency Ashfield.
The event from earlier today was held at The Rifle Volunteers pub in Sutton-in-Ashfield.
Tom Watling1 June 2024 21:00
Tories heading for election wipeout as new mega-poll suggests they could win just 66 seats
The poll puts Labour on 46 per cent – a whopping 27 points ahead of the Conservatives on just 19 per cent.
The scale of the Tory defeat would see the party take just seven more MPs than the Lib Dems, who are predicted to win 59, according to the poll by Electoral Calculus and Find Out Now for GB News and the Daily Mail.
Matt Mathers1 June 2024 20:07
‘I’ve dealt with that’: Keir Starmer dodges questions about Diane Abbott
Tom Watling1 June 2024 20:00
Tories in crisis as furious party members refuse to fund Sunak’s bid stay in power
A begging letter sent to supporters warns the party will have to curtail its election campaign without an injection of cash.
Matt Mathers1 June 2024 19:44
Starmer launches Labour’s campaign bus along with six key election promises
Here we have a remind of Sir Keir Starmer’s six election promises as the Labour Party launched their battle bus.
Tom Watling1 June 2024 19:00
Sunak arrives in Blyth, northeast England
Rishi Sunak has arrived in Blyth, northeast England, in the first stop of his campaign battle bus.
![Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak waves as he speaks to local candidate Ian Levy, with Maureen Levy joining them as they walk near the beach huts on June 1, 2024 in Blyth, Britain](https://i0.wp.com/static.independent.co.uk/2024/06/01/15/SEI206968550.jpg?ssl=1)
![Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (2nd R) poses with some children and local candidate Ian Levy, (L) as Maureen Levy takes their photo near the beach huts on June 01, 2024 in Blyth](https://i0.wp.com/static.independent.co.uk/2024/06/01/15/SEI206965748.jpg?ssl=1)
Tom Watling1 June 2024 18:00