General election 2024 live: Rishi Sunak’s July 4 vote branded ‘kamikaze’ as PM says no Rwanda flights before polls

Nigel Farage is not standing as a candidate in the general election, he has announced.

The former UKIP leader said he thought “long and hard” about contesting the general election, but has decided to help with Donald Trump’s re-election bid in the US instead, Archie Mitchell reports.

“Important though the general election is, the contest in the United States of America on 5 November has huge global significance,” Mr Farage said.

Despite not standing as a candidate, Mr Farage, who is Reform’s honorary president, said he will “do my bit to help in the campaign”.

“But it is not the right time for me to go any further than that,” Mr Farage said.

He offered his full support to Reform and its current leader Richard Tice, adding that the choice between Labour and the Tories is “uninspiring”.

“Only Reform have the radical agenda that is needed to end decline in this country,” he said.

He said in a statement posted on X: “I have thought long and hard as to whether I should stand in the upcoming general election.

“As honorary president of Reform UK, I am fully supportive of Richard Tice’s leadership and urge voters to put their trust in him and Lee Anderson. I will do my bit to help in the campaign, but it is not the right time for me to go any further than that.

“Important though the general election is, the contest in the United States of America on November 5 has huge global significance. A strong America as a close ally is vital for our peace and security. I intend to help with the grassroots campaign in the USA in any way that I can.

“The choice between Labour and the Conservatives is uninspiring, and only Reform have the radical agenda that is needed to end decline in this country.” 

The latest net migration estimates could become the first focus of debate among voters this morning.

The Office for National Statistics will publish the figures at 9:30am on Thursday, Holly Bancroft reports.

At the same time the Home Office will release their quarterly immigration statistics, containing updates on visas, the asylum system and Channel crossings.

Despite recent changes to restrict student and health care visas, the ONS migration stats are unlikely to show a significant reduction as they cover the year up to December 2023.

The Home Office have already stressed the ONS figures “do not take into account the major package measures announced in December which have already started to have an effect”.

Rishi Sunak refused to give a commitment that the first illegal migrants would be sent to Rwanda before Polling Day, merely saying flights were scheduled for July.

Instead he turned his fire on Sir Keir Starmer claiming a Labour government would make Britain “the soft touch of Europe” on immigration.

He said: “If I am re elected as Prime Minister I’m going to get the flights off. Keir Starmer will offer an amnesty to illegal immigrants making us the soft touch of Europe.”

Amid rumours Jeremy Corbyn could stand as an Independent in Islington North, MPs are already voicing their support.

John McDonnell has said the former Labour leader would still have “a lot of very personal support”.

Rishi Sunak said the economy is going “gangbusters” in his first major election interview today.

He gave his upbeat verdict after being challenged over his claim that the British economy is now growing faster than the US. 

Mr Sunak told BBC Radio Four: “You had the person from the ONS talking about economic growth in the first quarter of the year. He used the word gangbusters – I will leave it at that.”

The comment the prime minister was referring to was made by ONS Chief Economist Grant Fitzner who said: “You could say the economy is going gangbusters.”

Mr Sunak had been questioned by BBC ‘Today’ host Nick Robinson who said that Britain’s economic growth “compared miserably’ to that of America in recent years.

If Rishi Sunak hoped to catch Labour off-balance by calling an early election on July 4, his advantage is unlikely to last more than a few hours, says John Rentoul.

Tobias Ellwood told Times Radio that Rishi Sunak has made absolutely the right decision” to go to the polls to avoid a clash with the US election.

He said people should “stop whinging” and “suck it up”.

The former chair of the defence select committee added “from a security perspective” there is an “unwritten rule” against the US and UK holding an election in the same period.

He adds: “I understand the speculation that you’ve just been discussing there, but from the bigger picture, you cannot have us going to the polls when the United States also goes to the polls as well. 

“We cannot have two countries, Britain and America, involved in domestic issues when an adversary or competitor would take full advantage of us looking in a different way, distracted, a prime opportunity to do something significant.”

Nigel Farage is reportedly set to attend the launch of Reform UK’s general election campaign as rumours of a return for the ex-party leader swirl, Archie Mitchell reports.

The right-wing challenger party has vowed under current leader Richard Tice to fight the Conservatives on all fronts in the general election, standing candidates in every seat.

And the Conservatives have been warned it could deprive them of majorities in tens of crucial seats.

But all eyes have been on arch-Brexiteer Mr Farage and whether he will make a return to the political front lines.

With the ex-UKIP leader in a prominent role, Tories fear support for the party will surge, adding to the scale of the election defeat facing Rishi Sunak.

Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats Daisy Cooper has refused to rule out joining forces with Labour.

She said MPs are out across the nation today challenging 80 Conservative seats were they could have a chance to win.

Asked about which party the Lib Dems would forge a deal with, she said: “We have ruled out doing any deal whatsoever with this Conservative government because it is quite clear there are lifelong Conservative voters who can no longer stomach voting for this party.

“They simply don’t recognise it anymore.”