Rishi Sunak’s Conservative campaign stumbled on its first day, marred by accusations of staged events, embarrassing gaffes, and policy delays. Here’s the full story.
Rocky Start
The campaign for the upcoming general election has only just begun, and Rishi Sunak’s first day on the campaign trail has got off to a spectacularly rocky start.
Apparent Employees
Sunak, Prime Minister for the time being, led the campaign with an event at a biscuit distribution centre in the marginal constituency of Erewash, taking questions from people who seemed to be business employees.
Staged Event
However, it was later revealed that two of the questioners were Conservative councillors, which led to immediate criticism that the party had staged the whole event.
Low-Ball Questions
Ben Hall-Evans and Ross Hills, who were identified by the Byline Times, were seen in high-visibility clothing, typically worn by workers. They asked Sunak a series of low-ball questions that allowed him to speak on his economic plans and his illegal Rwanda deportation scheme without the worry of being interrupted or challenged.
Misleading the Public
While not uncommon, this tactic drew criticism for potentially misleading the public about the spontaneity and authenticity of the event.
“Anyone Can Try and Ask One”
A Conservative source defended the setup, telling the Guardian, “We do not control who asks questions – anyone can try and ask one.”
Off to Wales
The day did not get any better for Sunak at his next speaking engagement in Barry, South Wales, where he spoke to a number of what appeared to be brewery workers.
European Football Championship
Sunak committed a slightly less serious gaffe after asking the supposed workers if the European Football Championship (Euros) tournament would benefit the business.
Ill-Prepared and Unsure
The question backfired in a most stunning fashion. It was quickly brought to Sunak’s attention that Wales had not qualified for the tournament, leaving Sunak looking ill-prepared and unsure of what part of the UK he was in.
Looking Bad
Even before the campaign began in earnest, the previous evening’s campaign rally in the ExCel Centre in East London ended up looking bad for Sunak. Sky News journalist Darren McCaffery was forcibly escorted out of the building by security live on air because he and his crew did not have permission to film.
Event Overshadowed
The Murdoch-owned Sky News complained of excluding its reporter from the building. This overshadowed the event and led to questions about the campaign’s transparency and ham-fisted media relations approach.
Failure to Launch
It wasn’t just on the campaign trail where things took a turn for the worse for Sunak, however, after he was forced on LBC to admit that his much-vaunted, illegal Rwanda flights for asylum seekers would not take off until after the election.
“After the Election”
Sunak told LBC, “If I am re-elected as prime minister on 5 July, these flights will go.” However, after the presenter pushed Sunak for a more definitive answer, he changed his tune, stating, “No, after the election. The preparation work has already gone on.”
Legal Challenges
This change comes amid ongoing legal challenges and record high Channel crossings, undermining the scheme’s already questionable effectiveness.
“Desperate Hope”
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated, “With all the hundreds of millions they have spent, it would be extraordinary if ‘symbolic flights’ didn’t take off in early July, as the Tories planned. But Rishi Sunak’s words confirm what we’ve known all along – he doesn’t believe this plan will work and that’s why he called the election now, in the desperate hope that he won’t be found out.”
“An Utter Humiliation”
The Liberal Democrats also weighed in, with Alistair Carmichael calling the delay “an utter humiliation and admission of defeat.”
“Victory for Compassionate People”
Human rights groups celebrated the delay, with Kolbassia Haoussou, a director at the charity Freedom from Torture, stating, “This is a victory for compassionate people up and down the country who have joined our calls for an asylum system that treats people fleeing torture and persecution humanely.”
Nail in the Coffin
The final nail in the coffin of Sunak’s first-day campaigning was the omission of one of Sunak’s landmark policies from the final House of Commons business schedule.
Not Included
Penny Mordaunt, Leader of the Commons, did not include the tobacco and vapes bill, a significant part of Sunak’s legacy plan, in the schedule for the final legislative session.
Smoke-Free Generation
The bill, which aims to ban the sale of tobacco products to individuals born after 2009 and create a smoke-free generation, has faced severe opposition from within Sunak’s own party and now has no chance of becoming law before the election.
Incredible Missteps
The Conservative campaign’s first day was marked by a series of incredible missteps, from accusations of a staged event and embarrassing gaffes to the delay and seeming cancellation of two of Sunak’s key achievements.
Too Early to Tell
However, it is still too early to tell if these blunders will affect the election outcome. Rishi Sunak will surely hope not.
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