Rishi Sunak has announced his willingness to engage in multiple televised debates with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer ahead of the upcoming general election in the United Kingdom. During a speech in London, Sunak did not confirm an election date but indicated it could occur in the latter half of the year, potentially as early as July. Sunak criticized Labour for focusing on election timing, labeling it as gamesmanship distracting from substantive issues.
Sir Keir Starmer, having already agreed to participate in such debates, dismissed Sunak's speech, referring to it as Sunak's "seventh reset" and emphasized national security as his top priority. The Prime Minister accused Starmer of being unable to handle critical challenges such as AI, immigration, and various state threats. He framed the upcoming election as a decision on who the public trusts to manage the UK's security, setting the stage for a campaign centered on these issues.