Starmer calls for Tories to face ‘democratic reckoning’ at the ballot box

Sir Keir Starmer called for voters to give him a “clear mandate” to govern as he warned Labour that political apathy could hand Rishi Sunak another five years in power. Opinion polls have given Labour an average lead of around 20 points over the Tories throughout the campaign, with modelling suggesting a 1997-style landslide for Sir Keir. The Tory strategy, with repeated warnings of a Labour “supermajority”, has been aimed at persuading would-be Reform UK voters not to contribute to ousting Conservative MPs in order to form an effective opposition. But Sir Keir stressed that he wanted a large majority to give him the parliamentary authority to implement his agenda.