Labour has launched a fresh attack on the Conservative Party with a series of scathing adverts.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party will be looking to capitalise on the government’s current leadership crisis and recent unpopular economic polices as it gears up for the next general election.
In a set of four damning posters, Labour has taken aim at the Tories for crashing the economy, hiking mortgages and “ruining Britain’s standing on the world stage”.
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On one of the posters, the heads of the prime minister and former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng have been photoshopped onto test dummies, and appear alongside the caption: “These dummies have crashed the economy”.
Another shows Liz Truss and newly-appointed Chancellor Jeremy Hunt dressed as clowns, with the message: “Send off the clowns”.
A shredded Union Jack also features on one of the adverts, accompanied by the slogan: “Britain’s reputation in tatters”.
“Tory recklessness is ruining Britain’s standing on the world stage. Only Labour has a plan to restore it,” the poster reads.
The final ad accuses the Conservatives of forcing “thousands of hard-working families to pay an extra £500 a month on their mortgage”.
Launch comes after chaotic week for PM
The campaign comes after a disastrous week for the prime minister, whose authority has been left in disarray by her decision to sack Mr Kwarteng and U-turn on planned tax cuts.
Ms Truss was forced to take action after the UK’s economy went into meltdown following Mr Kwarteng’s mini-budget, which spooked financial markets and caused the Bank of England to launch unprecedented intervention.
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Mortgages were one of the areas worse affected by the fallout, with thousands of offers taken off the market and rates on two-year and five-year fixed term deals increasing to more than 6%.
The economic policies have even been criticised by the new chancellor, who told Sky News that mistakes were made in Mr Kwarteng’s announcement.
Economic situation is ‘deadly serious’
“As the old saying goes, if you don’t laugh, you cry,” a Labour source told PA after the campaign, which was designed by the party’s advertising agency Lucky Generals, was revealed.
“The fact the Tories have crashed the economy is deadly serious. Just look at the way the Tories have pushed up mortgage rates.
“We love these ideas from Lucky Generals that show only Labour can be trusted with the economy these days.”
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Sir Keir Starmer has been taking advantage of the political chaos in recent weeks, as he looks to defeat the Conservatives in the next general election, which is likely to be held in December 2024.
“The Tories no longer have a mandate from the British people,” he said on Friday.
“After 12 years of stagnation, excuses are all they have left. The change this country needs is a Labour government.”
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