RISHI Sunak today burst onto the election campaign trail with a blast that Sir Keir Starmer will clobber families with tax hikes.
Kicking off a lightning tour of all four nations, the PM said that "more spending equals more taxes" with Labour.
Labour have denied plotting tax and pensions raids although have come under constant scrutiny about their spending plans.
Mr Sunak lashed out at a campaign event in Derbyshire on the first full day on the road.
He said: "Crucially, talk about pound in your pocket, your taxes are being cut. Because of what we’ve been able to do, an average person earning £35,000 is getting a £900 tax cut.
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“That’s what you get with the Conservatives, your taxes being cut so your hard work is rewarded, your family has financial security.
In key election developments:
- Rishi Sunak said Rwanda flights will take off only if he wins te election
- Nigel Farage ruled out standing as a Reform candidate in a boost for Sunak
- But Reform leader Richard Tice insisted his party would win seats in what he dubbed the "immigration election"
- New stats showed annual net migration remained stubbornly high at more than 600,000 albeit dropping slightly
- Sir Keir visited Gillingham football club where he blasted the Tories for their "unforgivable" record
- Three Tory MPs today announced they would not stand at the election
- The Lib Dems have drawn up a list of 80 target seats where they came second to the Tories in 2019
- SNP leader John Swinney has admitted his party will have a "tough time" at the election
“That is a contrast at this election because, as I said, the Labour Party are going to spend more money, and that is just going to put your taxes up.
“There’s no other way to pay for it, they can pretend all they want. More spending equals more taxes, and I don’t want to see that happen."
At a rival event Sir Keir hit back that the Tories simply offered five more years of "chaos".
The race for No10 kicked into life this morning as both the PM and Sir Keir Starmer hit the campaign trail on day one.
Six weeks of vote-battling commences as the PM embarked on a media blitz from Derbyshire before a whistle-stop tour of all four UK nations.
All party leaders are out in public following yesterday’s dramatic announcement of a July 4 poll.
During a series of interviews this morning Sunak put the economy and immigration at the heart of his pitch to voters.
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Pointing to inflation falling, he said: "I think after a difficult few years, I'm pleased that economic stability is now returning to the country."
And he hailed the "bold" Rwanda plan and said border controls was "a great thing to be talking about at this election".
But he admitted that a flight to Kigali will not take off until after the election if he is re-elected.
He said: "If I'm elected I'll get the flights off... after the election."
It raises the prospect of not a single flight going to Rwanda as Sir Keir has vowed to scrap the plan if elected.
Yesterday rain-drenched Mr Sunak blindsided the country - including most of his own Cabinet - by gambling on an early election rather than waiting until the autumn.
Asked why he braved the downpour, Mr Sunak this morning said he felt it proper to call the election outside the famous black door of No10 as has become tradition.
Fellow Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg praised the weather-defiance saying: "I thought it was absolutely magnificent. I thought it was just the best British stoicism, the stiff upper lip."
Economy dominates
During a blizzard of media interviews from Derbyshire, the PM hammed up his economic credibility.
He said: "I think after a difficult few years, I'm pleased that economic stability is now returning to the country.
"We've just seen that inflation has returned to normal, the economy is growing at a healthy rate again, wages have been rising sustainably for several months now, and although I know not everyone is feeling the full benefits of that yet, it's clear that we have turned a corner.
"So now is the moment to look to the future, and the world is clearly in a more uncertain place than it's been in decades.
"And the question for the country is, the choice of this election is, who's got the boldest ideas, the clearest plan to provide a secure future for you and your family?"
He will go on to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland today in a UK campaign blitz.
Mr Sunak was given a boost today as Nigel Farage ruled out standing for the Reform Party - saying he is focused on the US election.
The leading Brexiteer decided that now is "not the right time" to push for a Westminster seat.
The Reform Party President made the call after sleeping on the decision overnight.
His decision will be seen as a coup for the Tories who were fearful he could take support away from their core vote.
Meanwhile Sir Keir Starmer visited Gillingham Football Club this morning as he kicked off his campaign in the Kent target seat.
He said: "This election is for you, because you now have the power, the chance to end the chaos, to turn the page and rebuild Britain."
He said what the Tories have done to the country is "unforgivable" and voters "do not need to put up with it".
Tory chairman Richard Holden hit back: "Starmer has a track record of lacking the courage and strength to stick to his guns and that means you cannot trust him not to increase your taxes, raid your pension or burden your children with extra borrowing."
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey is also set to begin his targeting of the “Blue Wall” areas of once traditionally Tory southern seats.
The economy and immigration are set to dominate the campaign, as well as whether voters want to stick to what they know or if there is an appetite for change.
Campaigning will be in full swing as the nation starts watching Harry Kane's Three Lions and enjoys major summer events such as Taylor Swift's tour and Wimbledon.
The Prime Minister leapt on news of tumbling inflation to take a massive gamble on his chances of staying in No10.
Standing in a Downing Street downpour at 5pm, the drenched Prime Minister declared it was time to choose between him and the man he says has no plan — Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
At times Mr Sunak was drowned out by protesters blasting Labour’s 1997 election anthem — D:Ream’s Things Can Only Get Better — from a nearby street.
