There are 11 days to save Britain… Starmer govt will hike taxes, open borders and reverse Brexit, blasts Rishi Sunak

RISHI Sunak last night warned there were just 11 days to save the country from a Labour government which would make Britain less safe.

In his fiercest attack yet on Sir Keir Starmer, the PM said his rival would reverse Brexit, raise taxes, let illegal immigrants on to the streets and imperil our security.

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Mr Sunak also accused the Labour leader of being too weak to lead Britain because he did not have the courage of his convictions and flip-flopped on key decisions.

He told The Sun on Sunday: “People should be in no doubt — Britain will be less secure under a Keir Starmer government.

“We have got 11 days until ­election day. That is 11 days to save the country from a Starmer government which would bring in higher taxes, open borders and be dangerously weak on defence.”

He said a Labour government was “going to leave everybody less safe”.

Mr Sunak unleashed both barrels at his Labour rival as the election campaign reaches its final stages.

Pollsters are predicting a Tory wipeout on July 4, with the party likely to suffer its worst election result in 100 years.

If the defeat is that bad, some say the Conservative Party will die and be replaced by a new right-wing party — perhaps fronted by Reform leader Nigel Farage.

But sitting down for an exclusive interview in London, Mr Sunak said voters faced a stark choice on July 4 — the Tories or Labour.

He told them not to gamble with the country’s future by voting Reform. In a direct appeal, he said: “This is not a by-election. This is not a time to protest.

“This is an incredibly important election that will set the direction of our country for years.”

Mr Sunak said Labour posed a threat to the country on four fronts.

It would unpick Brexit, fail to invest in our Armed Forces, release illegal immigrants on to Britain’s streets and drop a tax bomb on families and businesses.

On defence, he attacked Labour’s refusal to match his vow to spend 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030. He said: “We are living in the most dangerous times that our country has seen for decades.

“That’s just a fact. That’s something that all leaders around the world agree on.

“Yet, in spite of that, Keir Starmer doesn’t think it’s the right priority to increase investment in our defence like the Conservatives are doing. It is going to leave everybody less safe.”

Keir Starmer doesn’t believe in our border security.

Rishi Sunak

Mr Sunak also attacked Sir Keir for wanting to ditch the Rwanda deportation plan and allow illegal immigrants to apply for asylum.

He said: “He’s going to release all our illegal migrants that we’ve detained out on to the streets and cancel the flights to Rwanda — so we won’t be able to solve that problem.”

He added: “Keir Starmer doesn’t believe in our border security.”

On Brexit, he claimed Sir Keir would try to unpick it.

He said: “We know he’s someone who never believed in it and tried to reverse it.”

Sir Keir would make “cosy deal after cosy deal with the EU” and sign up to “rules that we didn’t vote for”, the PM warned.

“It will just recreate that Brexit doom loop,” he added.

And he warned Labour would raise taxes for businesses and ­on parents passing down nest eggs to their children.

He said: “If Keir Starmer is in charge, the economy is going to suffer and people’s taxes are going to go up.”

“I worry that people are going to hand Labour a blank cheque to put up their taxes.

“Once you’ve given Labour a blank cheque, you won’t be able to get it back.”

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Dad of two Mr Sunak paid tribute to his wife, Akshata Murty, for ­helping him to get through difficult times.

He said: “I’m really blessed. I’m in a family — which I think is the most important thing to all of us, certainly is to me. I was raised in a very loving and supportive family.

“I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you if I hadn’t had the love and support and sacrifice with my ­family growing up.

“And today I’m incredibly ­fortunate to have the love and support from my own family and ­particularly my wife. Of course, all these jobs are demanding — most people’s jobs are demanding — and life is tough.

“Having the love and support of your family is something that helps us all get through. It certainly helps me.”

Mr Sunak is Britain’s first Asian Prime Minister. His grandparents moved to the UK in the 1960s.

Speaking movingly of his background and pride at being British, he said: “My grandparents came here with very little and two ­generations later, I’ve got this enormous privilege of being this country’s Prime Minister. And I don’t think that my story would be ­possible in any other country.

“That’s why I love this country so much — because of what it’s done for my family.”

CAMPAIGN SCANDALS

The Tory election campaign has been mired by controversies and scandals.

Mr Sunak sparked a national outcry when he ducked out of international D-Day commemorations early.

And Tory candidates are being investigated for putting bets on a July snap election the day before it was called.

The Conservatives have continued to fall in the polls — bleeding out to Labour on the left and Reform on the right.

Facing a potentially devastating squeeze, the Tories have been diverting activists to seats with Conservative majorities of more than 20,000 — which would usually be seen as ultra safe.

They have even been sent to James Cleverly’s seat of Braintree in Essex, where the Home Secretary has a 25,000 majority as well as to cabinet minister Laura Trott’s seat of Sevenoaks in Kent, where she is defending a 20,000 majority.

Meanwhile, Tory MPs are already jostling for the leadership after the election. Kemi Badenoch, Victoria Atkins, Penny Mordaunt and Priti Patel are all eyeing a tilt.

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Tom Tugendhat and Robert ­Jenrick are also expected to run.

Mr Sunak sidesteps talk of electoral wipeout — insisting he is still fighting for every vote.

Asked how he is bearing under the toll of a bruising election ­campaign, the PM shrugs off the question and buoyantly insists he is “energised” .

He said: “If you’re fighting for what you believe in, then actually everything is a bit easier.”