General election news latest: Tory manifesto aims to save ailing campaign with 2p national insurance cut

Mel Stride has claimed Labour is trying to “drift across the line” and into power and accused Sir Keir Starmer of using a “Ming Vase” strategy during the general election campaign.

The Work and Pensions Secretary told Sky News: “If you think about this election campaign, you have got Labour who don’t want to say anything, they want to keep a small profile, they want to carry that Ming Vase across the polished floor, they want to hold onto that lead and drift across the line.

“We are the party that is out there with the bold, clear plan for our country.”

The jobs market weakens again after an unexpected rise in unemployment rate to highest levels since 2021.

The Office for National Statistic (ONS) has said the rate has skyrocketed to 4.4 per cent in the three months to April, which is up from 4.3 per cent in the three months to March.

Vacancies also plummeted again, down 12,000 to 904,000 in the three months to May.

But the figures showed regular earnings growth remained unchanged at 6% in the three months to April and continued to outstrip price rises – up 2.9% when taking Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation into account, which is the highest since the three months to August 2021.

The ONS said: “This month’s figures continue to show signs that the labour market may be cooling, with the number of vacancies still falling and unemployment rising, though earnings growth remains relatively strong.”

The work and pensions secretary has doubled down on the claims despite the figure being contested.

Mr Stride has been challenged after citing the figure and told Labour had branded it a “barefaced lie”.

He replied: “Well, no, not at all. I don’t know if you saw the Prime Minister on Panorama’s interview last night, he set out very clearly where those figures come from.

“There are 27 different spending commitments, 21 of them have been costed by the Treasury. Two of them actually are Labour’s own figures including the largest figure of all, this so-called green prosperity plan that they have which is costed at £23 billion.

“There is no getting away from the fact that there is this £38.5 billion black hole. What that is going to mean is more tax.”

Tory right-wingers are plotting to urge Rishi Sunak to toughen up action on immigration and human rights law before the election if his promises fall flat today.

Politicians including Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick are among figures waiting to see the manifesto result, according to The Guardian.

If the launch doesn’t land well among voters, they plan to set out an emergency press conference next week to offer alternative pledges.

A former cabinet minister said the rebel manifesto could be published inn the days ahead, adding: “We’ll just have to see what emerges.”

One Tory source said: “Sunak doesn’t want to leave. This is just language to appease the right. It’s signalling. There’s no way he wants a cabinet row over this in the middle of the campaign, and some of his ministers are firmly against.”

The Conservatives are expected to promise to cut national insurance by another 2p at the manifesto launch later today.

Rishi Sunak and chancellor Jeremy Hunt have already reduced 4p off in the past months.

But despite the attractive offer, the Tories are still struggling behind Labour in the polls.

Mr Hunt previously admitted the tax cuts haven’t made a difference among voters.

He told the Mail last week: “The fact that we’ve had two significant tax cuts that haven’t really changed the polls demonstrates to me that having a third one with the same again is unlikely to change the calculus.”

The Cabinet minister has promised that the Conservatives will not rise any taxes if they win the general election.

The work and pensions secretary was asked whether there would be not ax rises under the Tories.

Mr Streeting told BBC Breakfast: “We are not able to make that commitment today because the money simply isn’t there and I think Rishi Sunak should level with people that the money simply isn’t there.

“I think he is taking people for fools.”

Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting is doing the media round this morning. He is now speaking about the Tories’ plan to cut 2p from National Insurance.

Mr Streeting has been asked whether the party would match the Conservative promise, but he says Rishi Sunak won’t be able to stick to that commitment because “the money simply isn’t there”.

He told BBC Breakfast: “We are not able to make that commitment today because the money simply isn’t there and I think Rishi Sunak should level with people that the money simply isn’t there.

“I think he is taking people for fools.”

Here’s what we can expect:

• Rishi Sunak is launching the Tory party manifesto later this morning.

• Sir Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting are campaigning in the south east.

• Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey’s next stop in the campaign trail is the south east.

• Nigel Farage will appear in Yorkshire, East Midlands and the east of England.

• The Reform UK leader is next to get grilled on BBC Panorama.