By David Churchil Chief Political Correspondent
Published: | Updated:
Rishi Sunak will today channel Sir John Major by urging voters to carefully weigh up the long-term consequences of a Labour government.
The Prime Minister will echo a speech made by the former Tory premier ahead of the 1992 election in which Sir John warned that a vote for Labour could lead to the break-up of the UK because of the party's 'appeasem*nt' of Scottish nationalism.
Sir John also warned that a vote for the pro-Brussels Labour or Liberal Democrats would see Britain join the Euro currency and thrust into a 'federal Europe' of closer integration.
The warning, four days before voting day, helped Sir John go on to win a fourth term for the Tories after 13 years in power despite opinion polls suggesting that Labour was ahead.
Similarly, Mr Sunak will today urge voters to properly scrutinise what allowing Labour into power would mean as he launches the party's manifesto in Wales.
Rishi Sunak (pictured) will today channel Sir John Major by urging voters to carefully weigh up the long-term consequences of a Labour government
The Prime Minister will echo a speech made by the former Tory premier ahead of the 1992 election in which Sir John (pictured above) warned that a vote for Labour could lead to the break-up of the UK because of the party's 'appeasem*nt' of Scottish nationalism
He will argue that it would lead to higher taxes, relinquishing Britain's hard-fought Brexit freedoms and empowering the unions.
Urging voters to give the Tories another term after 14 years in power, he is expected to say: 'Do not let Labour waltz into office without scrutinising them, without seeing what their policies would mean for our country and your family's security. Do you really know what you are going to get with Labour?'
He is set to accuse his opponents of being willing to 'change every rule they can' to ensure they stay in government once they gain power, warning 'once you hand Keir Starmer a blank cheque, you can't get it back'.
He will also warn that Sir Keir Starmer will look to expand a 'death tax' which is being considered in Labour-run Wales.
The Prime Minister will sound the alarm over the potential £295 million raid on grieving families and will also pledge to reverse 20mph zones imposed on drivers in the country.
The Labour-run Welsh administration is currently consulting on scrapping the council tax exemption for homes in probate, which would clobber grieving families with thousands of pounds in new taxes. The Tories say this would be a double whammy on top of inheritance tax.
Sir Keir has previously described Wales as his party's 'blueprint for what Labour can do across the UK'.
He has already pledged to follow the country's lead by allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in elections, which the Tories claim is a bid to rig future polls because younger voters tend to vote Labour.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has pledged that a Labour Government will 'look at every single tax break' to raise money to fill the £38.5 billion hole in the party's manifesto spending plans.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves (pictured) has pledged that a Labour Government will 'look at every single tax break' to raise money to fill the £38.5 billion hole in the party's manifesto spending plans
Bim Afolami (pictured), Economic Secretary to the Treasury, last night accused Labour of trying to tax dead people 'before your casket is even closed', adding: 'Now we know, Labour will tax you from cradle to beyond the grave'
Bim Afolami, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, last night accused Labour of trying to tax dead people 'before your casket is even closed', adding: 'Now we know, Labour will tax you from cradle to beyond the grave.'
The Labour Welsh Government started consulting on the 'death tax' plans in November last year.
Currently, the 'class F' exemption stops a home from being liable for council tax until six months after probate to give families time to grieve before selling a property as part of probate.
But if this was curtailed or axed, the tax could be applied from the day someone dies.
Each year, 135,000 homes in England and 7,500 in Wales currently benefit from the exemption, saving bereaved families an estimated £295 million a year in England alone.
Is timing of Boris's book release a hint at the future?
By Martin Beckford Policy Editor
Boris Johnson's memoir will be published the week after the Conservative conference.
Titled Unleashed, it will hit bookshops on October 10. It will cover his two terms as Mayor of London, when the capital was gripped by riots but then successfully hosted the Olympics, as well as his time in Downing Street.
The former prime minister said yesterday: 'I am honoured that HarperCollins is publishing my personal account of the huge realignment that took place in UK politics in the last 15 years — and what may lie ahead.
'So stand by for my thoughts on Britain's future to explode over the publishing world like a much-shaken bottle of champagne.'
Boris Johnson's (pictured) memoir will be published the week after the Conservative conference
The timing of the book's release will likely spark fresh speculation about Mail columnist Mr Johnson's return to frontline politics.
He has been recording video messages and putting his name to letters on behalf of Tory candidates but has not appeared on the campaign trail as he has been on holiday.
Yesterday his former leadership rival Michael Gove praised Mr Johnson's interventions, including in his weekly Daily Mail column.
The Housing Secretary told reporters: 'I'm a Boris fan. But I think he is playing a role. So I think the columns he has written have been some of the best critiques of what a Starmer government would look like.'
WalesKeir StarmerLiberal Democrats
