Labour could change voter rules to hold power ‘for very long time’ says Hunt
Labour could be on course to one of the largest majorities in history and remain in power for “a very long time indeed”, Cabinet ministers acknowledged.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said Sir Keir Starmer could extend the franchise to under-16s and EU citizens to entrench Labour in power.
Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said opinion polls indicated Labour was heading towards “the largest majority virtually in the history of this country”.
The comments are further signs that the Tories are now focused on saving as many MPs as possible to form a credible opposition to Sir Keir.
Dangers
The Conservatives have warned would-be Reform UK supporters not to split the centre-right vote because Labour could benefit.
Mr Hunt said: “I think when people go to the polls, they will reflect on the dangers of Labour having such a big majority and then changing the rules by giving votes to people at the age of 16, giving votes to EU citizens, so that they’re here not just for a short time, for a very long time indeed.
“Compared to that, they will look at a Conservative government that hasn’t got everything right but took difficult decisions having inherited an economy that had higher inflation than nearly any of our major competitors.
“It is now lower, not just lower inflation but lower taxes, and soon hopefully lower mortgages as well.”
The Labour manifesto commits to lowering the voting age to 16 but does not include a policy of allowing EU citizens to take part in general elections.
Meanwhile Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride suggested voters should think about “what kind of opposition you’re going to get”.
Election
Asked about recent comments by Defence Secretary Grant Shapps that a Conservative victory is “not the most likely outcome”, Mr Stride told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Where Grant is absolutely right is that the polls have been stuck broadly in the same position for some time now.
“That shows us a long way behind Labour and, indeed, if you take those polls and extrapolate that into a result, you could end up seeing a Labour government with 450 or 460 seats, the largest majority virtually in the history of this country.
“And I think the question that Grant is servicing, which I think is a perfectly sensible question to ask, is that if that is where it goes – if the polls are right, and they stick where they are through to election day and that is the result – it is to some degree about what government colour you get, but it is also substantially about what kind of opposition you’re going to get.
“And whether you’re going to have a Parliament that is able to actually hold government to account or not.”
Mr Stride added: “I don’t think we should assume that the polls are the same as the only poll that’s going to matter is what happens on General Election day.”
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That’s the whole point of not having a written constitution, Jeremy. The government of the day can do whatever it likes.
Jeremy Hunt does love his “difficult decisions”. In what sense did they inherit an economy with high inflation. The rise in inflation occurred while they were in power.
Oh No this would be awful if a political party introduced changes that would skewer the electorate. can you imagine boundary changes that advantaged one party or ID checks that disadvantaged the young or removing seats from an area that doesn’t vote your way.
Jog On Hunt
To say they came into power and inherited an economy with high inflation, for it only to get worse, hitting 11.1% in 2022, the worst for 40 years, highlights their incompetence for failing to improve it following 14 years in power. Whatever they say only compounds the problems they have, and highlights their total and utter failure. Talking of fixing a vote, it was J Rees- Mogg Tory MP ,who said on TV that the Torys were ” gerrymandering ” while changing the system to reqire ” id ” for people to vote. Deny everything, and accuse your opponent of… Read more »
He could introduce competence tests for Ministers which would see Hunt confined to the attic where he should have been kept all these years…
How many would still be alive except for this man…!
Jeremy Hunt AKA Mr Bean omits his party history. Before the English Whig party led by “Pitt the Younger” in the 1780s split into two, the Conservatives & Liberals, it’s said that PM John Peel founded the Tory party in 1834. In fact, the Conservative & Unionist party themselves were in power for over 66 years until the one party state ended in 1900, which puts Welsh Labour’s unbroken 25 year Senedd Cymru rule in the shade. Personally, I find both Unionist Tory & Labour parties l are like limpets. Once they attach themselves are bloody difficult to remove. Bit… Read more »
His Aunty, Mrs Ravenscroft lived in Rhosneigr, where he spent his summer holidays prising limpets off the rocks…
Mmm – so if Labour were to implement what Mr Hunt describes it would be deplorable election manipulation. But when Mr Hunt’s government enacts compulsory presentation of personal ID to ‘combat’ a near non-existent problem of in-person fraud at polling stations by requiring a selection of qualifying forms of ID which favour the old over the young, somehow that isn’t manipulation? Even when Jacob Rees-Mogg has suggested, in an unguarded moment, that the intention was pretty much just that? Having personally known a number of them, I don’t myself hold to the view that ‘all politicians are the same’, out… Read more »
If Labour gets a super majority – the Tories only have themselves to blame. Years of badly managing the country comes at a cost. If any election rigging happens, it’ll be good for them to receive a taste of their own medicine.