Editorial 30 June 2024.
‘Labour will deliver real change that Britain desperately needs’
The Sunday papers focus on the final stretch of the general election campaign with the papers declaring who they think should be in No 10 come July 4.
Most of the papers declare their endorsements for either Labour or Conservatives – but some papers – The Sun and The i most notably, offer no endorsement to either party.
‘Vote Labour’
The Observer says only a Labour government will bring about real change to Britain – change the paper says the country desperately needs. In an article for the paper, Sir Keir Starmer says a victory for his party “would relight the fire” among the British people and rekindle their faith in politicians as public servants.
The Sunday Times gives a surprising verdict. The paper says the Tories have, in effect “forfeited their right to govern”. Its editorial says the paper believes it’s now the right time for Labour to be “entrusted with restoring competence to government”.
“The exhausted Conservatives are neither up to it nor up for it. There comes a time when change is the only option,” it says. The paper also carries a joint interview with Sir Keir and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves and says the pair are gearing up for a homebuilding blitz if they form the next government.
The Independent offers its entire front page to ask its readers to vote for Labour. The paper says it rarely backs one party for power, but after 14 years of Tory rule, the paper feels the need to back Labour. Its support does come with a warning though: “Labour must turn its promises into policies that benefit the hardworking and hopeful people of this country.”
The Sunday Mirror urges its readers to vote for the Labour Party. The paper has reprinted its own front pages – covering the last 14 years of Tory rule – and labels it “Tory chaos”. The paper tells its readers to be on the right side of history.
‘Four days to stop a supermajority’
The right-leaning newspapers offer up their support for the Conservative Party.
The Mail on Sunday says voters have “four days to stop a supermajority.” The paper includes comments from PM Rishi Sunak warning that Sir Keir will “wreck Britain in just 100 days.” The paper cites Labour policies such as scrapping the Rwanda plan, imposing VAT on school fees and giving votes to under-18s.
The Sunday Telegraph interviews the prime minister who says a Labour government would “bankrupt people in every generation.” He says buying your first home, starting a family, sending your kids to a fee-paying school, investing your savings, receiving your state pension, or leaving an inheritance would be harder under a Labour government. The paper’s editorial says Labour is set to secure a massive majority and that it would be a “disaster for Britain if Labour were to be given unparalleled power to refashion the country”.
The Sunday Express describes Sunak’s warning about a Labour government as “chilling” calling it a nightmare vision.
The Sun on Sunday does not cover the election on its front page – instead an interview with Defence Secretary Grant Shapps inside the paper. Shapps claims voters can’t trust Labour with Britain’s nuclear weapons. He warns that Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner – who hasn’t hidden her opposition to Trident – could be only a heartbeat away from commanding Britain’s response if the country is attacked.
Away from UK politics, The FT Weekend covers the US election debate. The paper says Joe Biden has refused to bow out of the US presidential election race, despite widespread calls for him to leave – following his poor performance during the CNN election debate.
The back pages look at England’s upcoming Euros Round of 16 match against Slovakia.