Within hours of Rishi Sunak announcing that Britain will hold a general election on 4 July, an email from the opposition Labour Party arrived in hundreds of inboxes late on Wednesday afternoon. It had a one-word title: Change.
The Prime Minister had already spoken of his plans for a “secure future” for the people of the UK when the six-week general election campaign launched.
The centre of the parties' battle plans is already clear from those opening exchanges, and British voters can expect to hear much more of these terms as both sides push messages that substantially overlap.
Firing the starting gun for the election, Mr Sunak said a vote for the Conservatives was a vote for security, prudence and keeping things on an even keel. “Who do you trust to turn that foundation into a secure future for you, your family and our country?” he asked.
“I came to office above all to restore economic stability. Economic stability is the bedrock of any future success: whether that is rising wages and good jobs, investment in our public services, or the defence of the country.
“But this hard-earned economic stability was only ever meant to be the beginning. The question now is how, and who do you trust, to turn that foundation into a secure future for you, your family and our country?”
Falling inflation
Analysts said that at least one of the reasons Mr Sunak called an election for July, months sooner than was generally predicted, was the fall in the rate of inflation to 2.3 per cent in April, almost a full percentage point lower than in March and moving much closer towards the Bank of England's two per cent target.
That's why securonomics is so important, so that we build that resilience
Rachel Reeves,
Labour's finance spokesman
Also, the UK economic picture is looking slightly better than it did a few months ago, having emerged from the technical recession it fell into towards the end of last year. In addition this week, the IMF upgraded its outlook for the UK economy from 0.5 per cent to 0.7 per cent.
“The UK economy is approaching a soft landing, with a recovery in growth expected in 2024, strengthening in 2025,” the IMF said.
But the IMF also warned of a growing black hole in the UK's public finances, and that £30 billon will have to come from either spending cuts or tax rises in order to stabilise the national debt, no matter which political party wins a general election.
Nonetheless, Labour party leader Keir Starmer was adamant that the best way to guarantee economic stability was through change, which would “stop the chaos” inflicted on the UK after 14 years of Conservative rule, adding that the election would be “a chance to change for the better”.
“That opportunity for change is what this election is about,” Mr Starmer said.
“It's time for change. We can start to rebuild Britain, and change our country.”
'Securonomics'
In some fiscal policy areas it is difficult to see daylight between the two main political parties.
Indeed, neither would tinker further with National Insurance (NI) and Labour would not reverse Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's recent 2p cut to the tax. Likewise, neither the Conservatives nor Labour would look to increase income tax or change the bands within it, tweak capital gains tax or corporation tax.
But Labour says it will immediately scrap the non-dom tax status, something which Mr Hunt announced in his Budget in March, but in a phased manner over the longer term.
Labour will also introduce VAT on private school fees which it claims “will raise vital money needed to improve standards in stretched state schools with more teachers”.
In addition, Labour will increase the windfall tax on oil and gas companies, and create a publicly-owned energy company which will invest in clean-energy projects.
Indeed, making Britain more self-sufficient in energy and building more diverse and resilient supply chains is a cornerstone of shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves's key policy platforms, a term she coined herself: “securonomics”.
Basically, securonomics is about initialising change to bring about economic and political security by providing strategic policy direction and incentivising companies to certain areas.
It's modelled on “Bidenonomics”, essentially the economic policy of President Joe Biden, that centres on public investment, invigorating the middle class and promoting business competition. The idea is that economic growth starts with the middle class, as opposed to the 1980s Reaganomics policy which was based on so-called trickle-down economics, where wealth was created at the top of society.
“In short, Labour wants to direct business investment to areas [where] it believes the UK will have a strategic competitive advantage (eg green technology) – what could be termed modern supply side economics,” said Daniel Casali, chief investment strategist at wealth management firm Evelyn Partners.
“This is different to the traditional supply side economics championed by Margaret Thatcher more than 40 years ago where regulations were torn up to allow free markets to determine where private investment goes, through policies like privatisation and the financial markets' ‘Big Bang’.”
Ms Reeves was somewhat scathing of Mr Sunak this week when the Prime Minister appeared to take much of the credit for the fall in inflation, saying the government has done very little to “address the underlying reasons for why inflation got out of control in the first place”.
“That's why securonomics is so important, so that we build that resilience,” she said.
“So, when shocks come along we are not so exposed in the way that we found ourselves these last few years.”
No economic change
Mr Sunak offers a darker vision but one that also holds the promise of progress. In a speech in mid-May he warned on the risks facing the nation. “I feel a profound sense of urgency. Because more will change in the next five years than in the last 30,” he said. “I’m convinced that the next few years will be some of the most dangerous yet, the most transformational our country has ever known.
“Technologies like AI will do for the 21st century what the steam engine and electricity did for the 19th,” he said. “They’ll accelerate human progress by complementing what we do, by speeding up the discovery of new ideas, and by assisting almost every aspect of human life.”
Most economists are quick to point out that Labour's “change” and the Conservatives' “security” approaches will make little fundamental difference to the UK's economic outlook in the immediate post-election period.
“The general election on Thursday July 4 may usher in a new political era but it is unlikely to lead to a dramatically different economic outlook,” said Paul Dales, chief UK economist at Capital Economics. “The current fiscal constraints mean the winner will find it difficult to boost long-term economic growth.”
Labour will be banking on a British public that has had two and a half years of rising interest rates, inflation at one point topping 11 per cent and a squeeze on household budgets of a magnitude that has not been seen in generations, voting for a change in July.
UK general election campaigning – in pictures
Come what may Mr Sunak is set to claim that real living standards have been rising since last July, the labour and housing markets are proving robust, wages are edging higher and consumer confidence is far better.
And the Starmer-Reeves team will insist their “change” message is wrapped in the reality that issues of defence and security are at the root of economic ones.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Baniyas Group 2 (PA) Dh 97,500 (Dirt) 1,400m.
7.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,200m
7.40pm Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,400m
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9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh 95,000 (D) 1,200m
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh 85,000 (D) 2,000m
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
SHAITTAN
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THE BIO
Mr Al Qassimi is 37 and lives in Dubai
He is a keen drummer and loves gardening
His favourite way to unwind is spending time with his two children and cooking
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
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Match info
What: Fifa Club World Cup play-off
Who: Al Ain v Team Wellington
Where: Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
When: Wednesday, kick off 7.30pm
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah Group Two (PA) US$55,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Rasi, Harry Bentley (jockey), Sulaiman Al Ghunaimi (trainer).
7.05pm: Meydan Trophy (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,900m; Winner: Ya Hayati, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm: Balanchine Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Magic Lily, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Firebreak Stakes Group Three (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
10pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Eynhallow, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
