Introducing our daily-ish wrap, Campaign Uncut, bringing together the top 5 takeaways from the day’s action.
1. Rumour of the day: Morgan McSweeney to Makerfield
Word reaches Uncut that Keir Starmer’s most influential aide might soon be joining his boss on the green leather benches.
As a number of sitting MPs start to rethink their plans, throwing-up last minute selections, we hear that Morgan McSweeney is being linked with the Makerfield seat in Wigan, Greater Manchester.
Its a rock-solid redoubt and the former mining area has been represented by Labour MPs since the formation of the Parliamentary Labour Party in 1906.
Until 2010, it was Ian McCartney’s seat. He was the minister in the last Labour government who piloted the minimum wage legislation onto the statute book. In 1997, he won 73.6% of the vote.
Since 2010, Makerfield has been represented by Yvonne Fovargue. Until she announced she was standing down yesterday..
2. Worst take of the day: Nigel Farage scared Rishi Sunak into an early election
Farage WILL hit the campaign trail for @reformparty_uk in the upcoming election. Sunak got wind of his imminent return to the frontline, including planned campaign schedule, and panicked into calling the election. THAT is the real reason for the bizarre timing.
— Isabel Oakeshott (@IsabelOakeshott) May 23, 2024
There are layers here. Under normal circumstances this post could comfortably be ridiculed as a barmy take. But this is Rishi Sunak that we’re talking about, his judgement is that bad. It’s possible that he was scared into it by Nigel Farage. In which case this still wins worst take of the day, it just happens to be true.
3. Gaffe of the day: Sunak on the Euros while visiting Wales
Rishi Sunak taking a brave approach to small talk at a brewery in Wales.
He asked workers if they’re looking forward to ‘all the football’. One quickly pointed out that Wales haven’t qualified for the Euros pic.twitter.com/kiHRxNVipe
— Tom Larkin (@TomLarkinSky) May 23, 2024
ITMA! Extraordinary thing to say by Rishi Sunak, it’s a miracle he didn’t call it soccer-ball; props to Tom Larrikin who wins political X for the day with a delightfully understated post telling the tale
4. Funniest take of the day: Piers Morgan winning his Rwanda bet
Dear Prime Minister @RishiSunak @10DowningStreet .. following your admission today that no flights will take off to Rwanda before the election, please send £1000 to @BritishRedCross
– Kind regards, Piers. https://t.co/UiUltoQYHd— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 23, 2024
It takes some incredible positioning to make Piers Morgan the good guy, and not just that, a funny good guy. Hats off to the PM for another first.
5. Best take of the day: Michael Crick on the length of the real election campaign
So the whole dynamics of election campaigns is changed these days. The parties know that, but it’s very rarely acknowledged by journalists who still merrily talk as if all of us still traipse down to the polling station on “polling day”. Indeed, it’s probably true to say many… https://t.co/01URf1hA6V
— Michael Crick (@MichaelLCrick) May 23, 2024
Astute as ever by Michael Crick, whatever impact the campaign will have on voting intention, it needs to happen in the next 3 to 4 weeks.
Tags: Campaign Uncut, Makerfield, Morgan McSweeney, Nigel Farage, Piers Morgan, Rishi Sunak
