On the eve of the general election, most major newspapers have now revealed who they will support.
Jimmy Nsubuga
Updated Wed, 3 July 2024
On the eve of the general election, most major newspapers have now revealed who they will support.
The Sun became one of the last major publications to declare its support for the vote on Thursday, backing Keir Starmer and the Labour Party by stating “It is time for a change."
Its front page alluded to the challenges faced by England manager Gareth Southgate at the Euros, with the headline: “As Britain goes to the polls, it’s time for a new manager (and we don’t mean sack Southgate!).”
This shift marks a departure for The Sun, which traditionally supported the Conservatives. It was perhaps noticeable that its front page did not feature an image of Starmer, and the accompanying editorial was limited in its praise, citing "plenty of concerns" about its approach to immigration.
Other publications which normally back the Tories, including the Sunday Times, Economist, and the Financial Times, have also urged UK voters to vote for Labour candidates.
The Guardian and the Mirror, which traditionally support Labour, have endorsed the party again.
However, the Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Express have remained loyal to the Tories by endorsing Rishi Sunak.
Here Yahoo News breaks down the endorsements from each major newspaper:
The Sun - Labour
The tabloid said it believes the Conservatives, over the past 14 years, have become a “divided rabble, more interested in fighting themselves than running the country”.
It said Labour leader Starmer has “fought hard” to change the party since the days of Jeremy Corbyn, adding it is “still a work in progress”.
The newspaper has a record of backing the party which then wins the most seats.
Evening Standard - Labour
The Evening Standard, which backed the Tories in the last four elections, endorsed the Labour Party.
It said: “Ultimately, after 14 years in office, the Tories have earned the right to lose. It is clear that this city wants change and that you have probably already made your mind up that Labour can be that change.”
The Guardian - Labour
The Guardian was dismissive of the past 14 years of governance, saying: "The Tories don’t deserve to win. After 14 years in power, they are a shambles. The original sin was austerity. But the precipitating crisis of this government was when voters were told that leaving the EU with the thinnest of deals would be good for them."
It says, instead, that: “Labour has climbed out of the crater of its 2019 defeat, and it stands on the brink of power with some eye-catching policies. On the environment, workers’ rights and housebuilding, it signals a break with the past, and a very welcome desire to save capitalism from its failures and excesses.”
Daily and Sunday Mirror - Labour
The Daily Mirror has backed Labour, saying “there are many reasons why we need Labour to win on July 4 but chief among them must be the chance to secure a better future for our children.”
The Sunday Mirror‘s endorsement of Labour dominated its front page on the weekend.
A collage of a range of its previous front pages featuring scandals from the Conservatives’ time in government sits beside a headline which says “14 years of Tory chaos”.
It also tells readers to “be on the right side of history this time” and to vote Labour.
The Independent - Labour
The Independent said: “Labour promises change and offers hope. In Rachel Reeves, Sir Keir will have a chancellor seen as sound on the economy, who promises to keep a steady hand on the wheel of the nation’s finances, after the wild lane-changing of the brief – but immensely damaging – tenure of Ms Truss and Mr Kwarteng. We hope their mantra will be to be compensatory and not too confiscatory.”
Financial Times - Labour
The Financial Times said in an editorial headlined "Britain needs a fresh start" that: "The FT still has concerns about Labour’s interventionist instincts and fervour for regulation. On many domestic questions, Labour’s answers fall short. Its manifesto too often tinkers around the edges."
Sunday Times - Labour
The Sunday Times stated at the weekend that the “Conservatives have in effect forfeited the right to govern”.
It said that Thursday is “a landmark” election after an “unedifying” campaign as voters pass judgment on 14 years of Conservative government.
Its editorial states “we cannot go on as we are, and we believe it is now the right time for Labour to be entrusted with restoring competence to government”.
Daily Record - Labour
The Daily Record said in a front page splash on 25 June: “This election is not about independence.
“It’s about poverty, spiralling mortgages, soaring bills, the cost of living crisis, a crashed economy, dodgy contracts, broken public services, a failed Brexit, Partygate. It’s about kicking this vile and corrupt Conservative government out of office.”
Observer - Labour
On its front page, the Observer stated that voters have the chance “not just to evict one of the worst governments this country has ever endured but to replace it with a Labour administration characterised by integrity and a respect for public office, an understanding of ordinary people’s lives, and an honest desire to make Britain a fairer and greener place”.
Economist - Labour
The Economist's endorsement of Labour is its first endorsement of the party since 2005. It said: "No party fully subscribes to the ideas that The Economist holds dear. If we had a vote on July 4th, we, too, would pick Labour, because it has the greatest chance of tackling the biggest problem that Britain faces: a chronic and debilitating lack of economic growth.
Mail on Sunday - Conservative
The Mail on Sunday comments: “It is not all over yet. Vote Conservative on Thursday and we may yet escape a long and punishing season of hard Labour.”
The Daily and Sunday Telegraph - Conservative
The Telegraph endorsed the Conservatives less than three hours after Sunak called the election.
It said: “The unarguable truth facing voters is that they face a straight choice between Sir Keir and Mr Sunak. It is similarly unarguable that a Labour government might well bring change, but it will not be of the good kind.
The Sunday Telegraph‘s editorial this weekend was headlined “Vote Tory to save Britain from Labour”.
It said: “Despite the unedifying nature of the campaign, this could come to be seen as one of the most consequential general elections in decades.
“It would be a disaster for Britain if Labour were to be given unparalleled power to refashion the country in its spiteful, intolerant, “progressive” image.
Sunday Express - Conservative
The Sunday Express told voters they are not only deciding if Britain needs change but also whether Starmer is allowed to deliver that change.
It added: “If you have any doubt he is the right person, the only sensible option is to vote Conservative.”
The newspaper says while it supports many of Rishi Sunak's policies, the Conservatives are "exhausted" by 14 years in power and have become a "divided rabble".
Alexandra Rogers
Political reporter @Journoamrogers
Wednesday 3 July 2024
Sir Keir Starmer has said he is "delighted" to receive the backing of The Sun after it endorsed him in the election.
The Labour leader said the newspaper's support for his leadership showed "just how much this is a changed Labour Party back in the service of working people".
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The Sun gave its backing to Sir Keir Starmer today - the day before polls open - on the grounds he had "won the right to take charge".
The newspaper said the Labour leader had "fought hard to change his party for the better, even if it still a work in progress".
It said while there were still "plenty of concerns about Labour", including a lack of a "clear plan" to tackle both legal and illegal immigration and concerns over tax rises, it was "time for change".
By contrast, The Sun said the Conservatives had become a "divided rabble, more interested in fighting themselves than running the country".
It said while Mr Sunak had "done his best to right the economic mess he inherited" and had put forward many "common sense" policies it supported, the Tories had become "exhausted" by their years in power.
"All this upheaval, backstabbing and mayhem came at a price," it said.
"The Tories allowed a work-from-home civil service 'blob', activist quangos and human rights lawyers and judges to run rings around them, thwarting sensible policies. Illegal and legal immigration have not been kept under control.
"Taxes have ballooned to the highest level since World War Two. Plotting against the leadership has been endless. Sleaze scandals - most recently gambling on the timing of the election - have broken public trust.
"Put bluntly, the Tories are exhausted.
"They need a period in opposition to unite around a common set of principles which can finally bring to an end all the years of internal warfare.
"It is time for a change."
The Sun coming out for a certain party has traditionally marked a decisive moment in general election campaigns.
In the 1992 general election, in which Sir John Major emerged victorious despite Labour hopes, The Sun boasted on its front page: "It's The Sun wot won it" and the mantra stuck.
Its backing of Sir Tony Blair in 1997 represented a pivotal moment for the Labour Party and his leadership, given its reputation as a staunch supporter of the Conservative Party.
While the Sun lacks the clout it did in 1997 - its readership has declined from nearly 4m daily copies then to approximately 1.2m now - its decision to offer a lukewarm endorsement of Sir Keir is telling given the differences it has with the Labour leader in certain policy areas, chiefly immigration.
The Sun's backing for Labour comes as the party continues to enjoy a commanding lead in the polls, with Survation predicting on Tuesday that Sir Keir's party would win a majority of 318 seats, surpassing the 179 achieved by Sir Tony Blair in 1997.
The pollster said Sir Keir would win 484 seats out of the total of 650, while the Tories would crash to 64 seats - just three more than the Liberal Democrats.
In its editorial, The Sun said it was "time for Labour" not just because of the state the Conservatives found themselves in but because of the remaining opposition parties.
It argued that Reform UK, despite having a manifesto that had "struck a chord with millions", was nevertheless a "one-man band" with little chance of taking power, while it branded the Liberal Democrats "a joke".
"Which means that it is time for Labour," it said.
"He [Sir Keir] has a mountain to climb, with a disillusioned electorate and low approval ratings.
"But, by dragging his party back to the centre ground of British politics for the first time since Tony Blair was in No10, Sir Keir has won the right to take charge."
