Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

'Super majority' for Labour can give Starmer 'unchecked power', warns Shapps

A recent YouGov poll placed the Conservatives just one point ahead of Reform UK, with Labour maintaining a significant lead.

'Super majority' for Labour can give Starmer 'unchecked power', warns Shapps

Grant Shapps has cautioned voters against giving Labour a "super majority" in the July 4 general election, warning it would grant Keir Starmer unchecked power.

The defence secretary said that a decisive win for Starmer could allow him to act without restraint, placing the country in a "dangerous place," as reported by The Telegraph.


Shapps' comments followed questions about Conservative social media adverts suggesting the Tories could be reduced to just 57 seats, indicating a defensive campaign.

A recent YouGov poll placed the Conservatives just one point ahead of Reform UK, with Labour maintaining a significant lead. The survey was conducted after Rishi Sunak's D-Day disaster.

Shapps told Times Radio: "If you want a proper system of accountability, you don’t want to give somebody a super majority. If Keir Starmer were to go into No 10 with unchecked power, it would be very bad news for people in this country."

Shapps emphasised that there is still "everything to fight for" and noted that "polls have been wrong before."

The Conservative strategy, supported by social media, aims to dissuade potential Reform voters from helping Labour secure a larger majority than Tony Blair's 1997 landslide.

An advert suggests the Tories could be left with only 57 seats on a 19 per cent vote share, even if Reform gained no MPs, reported the newspaper.

Shapps criticised Labour's plans, claiming they would cost £2,094 per working family. Labour dismissed this figure, with Keir Starmer calling it "absolute garbage" and accusing Sunak of "deliberately" lying.

Shapps added: "The country doesn’t function well with majorities the size of Blair’s. There are many hardworking MPs who can hold the government to account, and we’d say those are Conservative MPs."

His remarks come as Sunak and Starmer prepare for a Sky News event in Grimsby, where they will answer questions from journalist Beth Rigby and the studio audience.

More For You

 electricity-pylons-iStock

From 2026, households within 500 metres of new or upgraded electricity infrastructure will receive bill reductions of up to £2,500 over 10 years. (Representational image: iStock)

Residents near new electricity pylons to get bill reductions

THE GOVERNMENT announced on Monday that households living near new electricity pylons will receive discounts on their energy bills.

The move is part of efforts to expand electricity infrastructure, despite opposition to large-scale projects needed to connect renewable energy to the grid.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump

Speaking from the Oval Office on Friday, Trump had said the US has been economically and financially 'ripped off' by several countries, including India. (Photo: Getty Images)

India denies pledge to lower tariffs following Trump’s statement

INDIA has said it has not committed to reducing import duties on US goods, following US president Donald Trump’s claim that New Delhi had agreed to "cut their tariffs way down."

Trump, in the early weeks of his second term, has taken a tough stance on global trade, imposing tariffs on several countries, including India, and accusing trading partners of unfair practices.

Keep ReadingShow less
most polluted cities

India, home to six of the world’s 10 most polluted cities, saw a 7% reduction in air pollution between 2023 and 2024

iStock

Only 7 countries meet WHO air quality guidelines, UK falls short


Air pollution is a silent killer, claiming millions of lives annually and leaving nearly every corner of the globe gasping for clean air. According to the latest annual report by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, only seven countries worldwide met the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines for safe levels of PM2.5 pollution in 2024. These countries- Australia, New Zealand, Estonia, Iceland, and a handful of small island states- stand as rare exceptions in a world where dirty air has become the norm.

Keep ReadingShow less
London-ULEZ-iStock

Signs indicating Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on a street in London. (Photo: iStock)

London ULEZ expansion cuts pollution, increases compliance

LONDON’s air quality has improved following the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) across all 33 boroughs in August 2023.

The ULEZ requires vehicles that do not meet specific emission standards to pay a daily charge of £12.50. The scheme aims to tackle air pollution, climate change, and congestion.

Keep ReadingShow less
NHS England to Restructure: Workforce to Be Reduced by 50%

The changes aim to cut costs and eliminate duplication with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). (Representational image: Getty)

Getty Images

NHS England to cut workforce by half in major restructuring

NHS ENGLAND will reduce its workforce from 13,000 to about 6,500 as part of a restructuring led by Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

The changes aim to cut costs and eliminate duplication with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), The Guardian reported.

Keep ReadingShow less