Election latest: The Sun switches sides and backs Labour (2024)

Newspaper endorsem*nts don't have the impact they once had, but this afternoon's announcement from The Sun that it would back Labour is certainly symbolic.

It makes Sir Keir Starmer the party's first leader to earn the tabloid's support since Tony Blair in 2005.

Sir Keir has welcomed the news, saying: "I'm delighted to have the support and the backing of The Sun.

"I think that shows just how much this is a changed Labour Party back in the service of working people."

Our political correspondent Matthew Thompson is on theLiberal Democrats' election campaign battle bus ahead of Sir Ed Davey's final campaign stunt.

He says there is "one more thing left in Ed Davey's box of tricks".

"We think it will be something eye-catching," he says.

He goes on to say "it will happen within the next hour".

"There are a few scratchy throats on this bus and enough throat pastilles here to open up our own branch of Boots," he adds.

"There are few people quite relieved that we are near the end."

The closer we get to polling day, the more inevitable a huge Labour landslide victory seems.

Multiple polls are projecting even bigger victories than the one the party enjoyed under Tony Blair in 1997.

But a survey by YouGov today suggests those intending to back Labour this time round aren't doing so with much enthusiasm.

Just 5% of Labour voters are doing so because they agree with their policies and only 1% because of Sir Keir Starmer's leadership.

Almost half - 48% - say their primary reason for backing Labour is to remove the Tories from office.

You can see the full breakdown below:

Rishi Sunak has spoken to broadcasters as he continues to make his final pitch to the nation before polls open tomorrow.

It was put to him that his former home secretary, Suella Braverman, has said the Tories needs to prepare for opposition, while his work and pensions secretary, Mel Stride, has said Labour is likely to win a landslide.

Asked if he is the only person left who still thinks he has a chance, the prime minister replied: "No. Every vote matters tomorrow."

Mr Sunak claimed some seats were so close that "just 130,000 people could chance the outcome of the election".

He denied the Tories were trying to scare people into voting for them with their attacks on Labour, and said all Mr Stride was trying to do this morning was point out the "dangers" of giving Sir Keir Starmer's party a "blank cheque to do what they want".

"I appreciate people have frustrations with our party," he said, but urged voters to "think about what a Labour government would mean for your family" when voting tomorrow.

"I am proud this campaign has shone a spotlight on Labour's plans to raise people's taxes," he added.

Mr Sunak vowed to "keep going to the last second" - the polls open at 7am tomorrow morning and close at 10pm.

The day before polls open, The Sun newspaper has finally announced its endorsem*nt - and said it is backing the Labour Party at this election.

It is not exactly a wholehearted endorsem*nt, but the newspaper makes the case that the Tories can no longer govern, while Sir Keir Starmer has got his party back to a place where they can lead the country forward.

"It is time for change," the paper says, echoing Labour's slogan, as it calls for the "exhausted" Tories to face "a period in opposition".

The Sun dismisses Reform as a "one-man band" and the Lib Dems as a "joke" best known for Sir Ed Davey's "ridiculous stunts".

Of the Labour leader, the paper said: "By dragging his party back to the centre ground of British politics for the first time since Tony Blair was in No10, Sir Keir has won the right to take charge."

Our chief political correspondent Jon Craig acknowledges plenty of people say newspaper endorsem*nts "don't matter as much as they used to", but says this is a "big boost" for Labour.

"I remember being with some senior figures in 2010 when The Sun came out for David Cameron, and there was gloom among the Labour high command back then," Jon recalls.

"Labour will be delighted - the Tories will probably not be that surprised."

A second major poll in 24 hours has forecast a bigger Labour landslide than 1997.

The Tories would face their worst ever defeat with upsets for several cabinet ministers, according to More in Common.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and veterans minister Johnny Mercer were forecast to lose their seats in the poll of 13,556 adults for The News Agents podcast.

More In Common has listed Portsmouth North, which former Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt is contesting, as "too close to call".

More in Common forecast:

• Labour: 430 seats on 39.3% of the vote (Tony Blair won 418);
• Conservatives: 126 on 22.7%;
• Liberal Democrats: 52 on 13.5% (up from 11);
• SNP: 16 (slashed from 48);
• Reform UK: Two on 13.1%;
• Plaid Cymru: Two seats;
• Green: At least one seat.

Labour is set for one upset - Islington North, where Jeremy Corbyn has a 91% chance of winning.

A poll by Survation yesterday evening said Labour were 99% certain to beat the landslide win secured by Tony Blair in 1997.

Our live poll tracker collates the results of opinion surveys carried out by all the main polling organisations - and allows you to see how the political parties are performing in the run-up to the general election.

With just 24 hours to go, the Tories and Labour have taken a drop, while support for Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats is on the rise.

Read more about the trackerhere.

"I was supposed to parachute in," jokes Sir Ed Davey as he addresses supporters in Hampshire, his second stop of the day.

Campaigning alongside vet and Winchester candidate Danny Chambers, Sir Ed says: "We've got the pet vote, and the farm animal vote, all sewn up."

He continues: "This is a once in a century election. A chance where we can change the political geography of our nation, and in doing that, I want us to become a caring nation."

As the event winds down, he apologises for keeping his supporters waiting: "An hour?! I'm so sorry - I blame the Tories."

The full list of candidates running in Winchester include:

• Chris Barfoot, independent;
• Danny Chambers, Lib Dems;
• Kevin D'Cruze, independent;
• Andrew Davis, Social Democratic Party;
• Hannah Dawson, Labour;
• Flick Drummond, Conservatives.

Sky News will reveal the results of YouGov's final MRP poll of the election campaign at 5pm.

The polls have been consistently disastrous for the Tories throughout the campaign and the previous two in this series have been no exception.

Our last one, from 19 June, projected Labour to win a majority of 200 and many big name Conservatives to lose their seats.

Could things have got even worse since then?

Find out at 5pm, live on Sky News and here in Politics Hub.

The leader of Plaid Cymru has said the Conservatives are "desperate" for attacking Sir Keir Starmer for wanting to spend Friday evenings with his children.

Sir Keir said earlier this week that Friday night dinner is important to his family and that he tries to "not do a work-related thing after 6pm" on Fridays.

This led to senior Conservatives criticising the Labour leader, accusing him of being a "part-time prime minister".

Rhun ap Iorwerth, the leader of Plaid, said: "I think that the Conservatives are pretty desperate if they're coming down to that kind of level of personal attack.

"People attack me personally all the time and I tend to try to ignore it."

Plaid vows to 'hold Labour to account'

"What we need to focus on is what's really at stake in this election," he added.

"Conservatives are going - high time - Labour will form the next government, but we can hold them to account."

SNP leader John Swinney also criticised the Tory attacks on Sir Keir earlier today, labelling them "disgusting".