Conservative MP Lee Anderson has given Sir Keir Starmer a 27-word demand as the Labour leader is urged to follow Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s lead. Last week, Mr Sunak attended an open forum organised by GB News.
Following the session, Mr Anderson took to X to call for Sir Keir to follow Mr Sunak.
Mr Anderson wrote: “Over to you @Keir_Starmer Let’s have you on @GBNEWS. I will send a bandwagon round to pick you up. Which one do you want this week?”
Following the eventful forum, Mr Sunak tweeted: “Free speech is the cornerstone of our democracy.
“I believe in having frank and honest debates about the issues that really matter. Thanks to everyone who joined tonight and contributed to that proud British tradition.”
Mr Anderson’s demand comes as Labour comes under renewed pressure from the Conservative Party following a series of U-turns in relation to their support for a candidate in Rochdale and reneging on their green investment plan.
According to new data from polling company Savanta, Labour’s lead over the Conservatives has shrunk in recent weeks with the latest poll revealing a five percent drop in two weeks.
Speaking about the results Savanta’s Political Research Director Chris Hopkins said there had been a “significant drop” in support for Labour.
Mr Hopkins added: “This poll still serves as useful a reminder as any that Labour’s lead – while consistently high for many months – is not infallible. Voters have not quite made up their mind about Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, and doubts could well be creeping back in.”
Mr Hopkins also warned: “A Conservative machine in full swing and the inevitable increased scrutiny from the media may well be very uncomfortable for the Labour Party.”
The poll comes days after Labour dropped their pledge to spend £28 billion a year on green investment in the UK.
Following the announcement, Rishi Sunak said: “Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed he doesn’t have a plan for Britain. The uncertainty about what a Labour government would do is a real risk to our country’s future.
“Labour’s pledge – in their own words – has a £28 billion price tag and now they have admitted there is no plan to pay for it. This will mean higher taxes for working people to fill Labour’s black hole.”
Mr Sunak added: “That’s why the choice this year is to stick with our plan that’s working or go back to square one with Labour which would put our country’s future at risk.”
Despite the u-turn, Labour MP Ed Miliband said the party would still go into the next general election with a “world-leading agenda” on energy.
He explained: “Labour will be fighting the election with a world-leading agenda on climate and energy with every single individual policy already announced now confirmed for the manifesto: Great British Energy, a National Wealth Fund, a Warm Homes Plan, a British Jobs Bonus, a Local Power Plan and no new oil and gas licences as well as our 2030 clean power mission.”
