In response : “I know the economy is not his strong point,” Sunak retorted. He had some figures from the highly respected Institute of Fiscal Studies up his sleeve, saying that “the link between national insurance and the financing of public services is illusory”.
Once again with emotion: Starmer tried a second time, arguing that “the value of the state pension would almost halve” if national insurance was scrapped. Would Sunak, he asked, “finally rule out cutting their state pension to plug the huge black hole in his spending plans?”
Blast from the past: Sunak insisted the state pension would not be cut and recalled the New Labor years. “It’s the Labor Party that always hits pensioners hard,” he sang.
Tears for fears: Starmer rounded off his questions by asking Sunak how he felt going into an election, saying “vote Tory, risk your pension”. The Prime Minister was having none of it, pleading with Tory mayors and lambasting Labour’s Sadiq Khan: “From the West Midlands to Teesside to London. There is only one choice: vote Conservative. The man supports his self-shock!
Without forgetting : New Labor MP Dan Poulter, who left the Conservatives last weekend, sat proudly on the opposition benches. Starmer said Poulter had concluded it was “time for change”. Sunak mocked Poulter’s alleged lack of participation in the Commons, saying he was “glad to actually see the honorable gentleman”.
Useful interventions of the week: Conservative vice-president Jonathan Gullis pointed out that a failed asylum seeker was ultimately deported to Rwanda… Conservative loyalist Lisa Cameron welcomed the government’s increased defense spending… and Tory MP Bill Wiggin thanked Sunak for canceling high-speed rail to fund local improvements. It’s almost like there are elections.
Totally unscientific scores on doors: Starmer used brute force and kept throwing around a big figure of £46 billion to scare pensioners. Sunak didn’t really make any moves and inserted a few pre-scripted lines about the Tory vote. But no one really learned anything. Sunak gets 5/10 … Star 6/10 …And voters desperately want Election Day to end and deserve it 100/10 points.
Politico
