Party leaders travel breadth of UK to woo voters

7 Jun 17

Political leaders are travelling across the UK today in the last day of campaigning before voters go to the polls tomorrow.

Conservative leader Theresa May started in London to then visit the south coast, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire and the Midlands in a bid to woo the electorate.

Meanwhile Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is hitting six stops in Glasgow, Weaver Vale, Clwyd, Watford, Harrow and finally his own seat of Islington.

May’s final pitch is centered on her Brexit-negotiating prowess. She is urging the public to vote for her so she can “battle for Britain in Brussels”.

“My plan to deliver that brighter future will make sure all four corners of our United Kingdom benefit from the opportunities Brexit will bring – with more jobs, more homes, better roads and railways, and world-class digital connectivity wherever you live,” she said.

May has also promised to rip up human rights laws if they prevent the government deporting foreigners convicted of terrorist offences.

She also wants to further restricting the movement of terrorist suspects who pose a threat but can’t be prosecuted due to lack of evidence.

Labour’s last ditch plea to the people is a rallying cry for the health service. Today Corbyn will tell them that they have “24 hours to save our NHS”.

He said: “Tomorrow, the British people will be able to vote for a government that will put an end to the rigged system that benefits the super-rich.

“Every vote for Labour will be a vote to put power, wealth and opportunity back in the hands of the many, not the few.”

Labour has also today announced it will temporarily replace shadow home secretary Diane Abbott with shadow policing minister Lyn Brown because Abbott was unwell.

The shadow home secretary had pulled out of two planned campaign appearances due to illness after she endured a difficult TV interview in which she struggled to recall details of a counter-terrorism report.

May has come in for heavy criticism during the election campaign over her tenure as home secretary from 2010, during which time the overall police budget was cut and police officer numbers fell by nearly 20,000.

Corbyn has said: “You can't keep our country safe on the cheap. Theresa May is refusing to put in the resources that are needed."

May in a speech on Monday said: "We have increased the number of armed police officers, improved cooperation between the police and specialist military units, and provided funding for an additional 1,900 officers at MI5, MI6 and GCHQ."

Keir Starmer, Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary, who served as director of public prosecutions, dismissed the Tory allegation that the Human Rights Act prevents authorities from fighting terrorism.

“There is no incompatibility between protecting human rights and taking effective action against terrorists,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron was in Solihull this morning, with the Lib Dem candidate for that constituency Ade Adeyemo.

He told ITV News May’s pledge to change human rights legislation would "play into the hands of terrorists".

Did you enjoy this article?

AddToAny

Top