British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday that Britain is at a “crossroads” and needs bold new ideas as it tries to revive waning support for its ruling Conservative Party ahead of a general election, CNBC reports.
In a speech in central London, Mr. Sunak said the coming years would be some of the most challenging in Britain’s history and threats such as war, migration and technology would only intensify.
Mr. Sunak sought to portray the next election, due later this year as a vote on national security, as he claimed he had the “bold ideas” needed to turn things around after 14 years of Tory rule. He said at the Policy Exchange think tank in London:
“I feel a profound sense of urgency because more will change in the next five years than in the last 30. I’m convinced that the next few years will be some of the most dangerous yet most transformational that our country has ever known.”
Sunak said prioritising national security was a guarantee of a secure future for the UK, and said he was prepared to withdraw the UK’s membership of the European Convention on Human Rights, or ECHR, if necessary. He also added:
“Illegal immigration is placing an intolerable strain on our security and our sense of fairness, and unless we act now and we act boldly, this problem is only going to grow.”
The prime minister has previously said he is prepared to ignore ECHR rulings that contradict his basic policy of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Sunak also referred to growing threats from an “axis of authoritarian states” including Russia, Iran, North Korea and China, which he said undermine Western democratic values and increase the risk of conflict.
Current opinion polls show Labour ahead of the Tories by 30 points, and at least 64 Tory MPs have said they will resign at the general election.
Labour has said the Conservatives cannot solve Britain’s problems because “they are the problem themselves”. But Sunak, who sees tackling illegal immigration and harnessing the promise of artificial intelligence as key tenets of his premiership, insists he can move the country forward. He also said:
“Our country stands at a crossroads. Over the next few years, from our democracy to our society to our economy — to the hardest questions of war and peace — almost every aspect of our lives is going to change. How we act in the face of those changes, not only to keep people safe and secure, but to realise the opportunities too, will determine whether or not Britain will succeed in the years to come.”
It is not yet known when exactly Britons will go to the polls, but Sunak said the vote could be scheduled for the autumn. By law, the next UK general election must be held no later than 28 January 2025.
