LIVE UK general election latest: Rishi Sunak embarks on whistle-stop UK tour on first day of campaign while Keir Starmer heads to Kent as Nigel Farage confirms he WON'T stand on July 4 By Jamie Bullen Published: 07:49, 23 May 2024 | Updated: 09:51, 23 May 2024 e-mail 11 View comments Advertisement Election campaigns get under way today with politicians dashing across the country to secure votes for their parties after Rishi Sunak called a vote for July 4. Mr Sunak is set to embark on a whistle-stop tour of all four nations of the UK, while his rival Keir Starmer heads to the south east for Labour's first major event in a traditional Conservative heartland. It comes after the Prime Minister sprung a surprise on the steps of Downing Street last night by triggering a contest in the pouring rain after a day of frenzied speculation that a date had been set.
Follow MailOnline's live coverage below 08:51 Labour - Sunak's Rwanda flights admission shows scheme is 'con from start to finish' We're now getting some reaction to Rishi Sunak's admission earlier this morning that flights to Rwanda will not take off before the general election. Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has said Mr Sunak's words show the scheme has been a 'con from start to finish' Ms Cooper said: The Prime Minister’s own words this morning show this whole Rwanda scheme has been a con from start to finish. With all the hundreds of millions they have spent, it would be extraordinary if ‘symbolic flights�.