An end to unfettered immigration, a stronger economy and some sense on the NHS – what Sun Cabinet want from the election
POLITICIANS have begun campaigning for the General Election – but what do ordinary people want them to deliver?
Ahead of Rishi Sunak announcing this week that Britain will go to the polls on July 4, the Sun’s Cabinet of readers has been grilling Tory and Labour bigwigs for our brilliant Never Mind The Ballots online politics show.
Here, our Cabinet say what they want from the election – and we will quiz them again just before the poll to see if they have changed their minds.
TRANSPORT/ENERGY SECRETARY: London cabbie Grant Davis, 60
GRANT, who quizzed the PM just a month ago for The Sun’s Never Mind The Ballots show, was stunned by Rishi Sunak’s decision to go to the polls.
The cabbie, who also interviewed Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho, says: “I’ve a feeling the election result may be a bit closer than many suggest.
“Talking to passengers in the back of my cab, they are split between the ‘need a change’ brigade and ‘better the devil you know’ . . . nothing personal, Rishi.
“I’ve never spoken to as many family, friends and passengers who are totally disillusioned with the state of the country.
“While waiting for another fare at King’s Cross station I wrote a list of problems that the incoming government needs to fix. They are: Immigration, legal and illegal, as both are out of control. ‘Stop the boats’ really has become a strapline for the Government’s incompetence.
“The economy — people still feel worse off. The Pound in your pocket goes a long way when deciding who deserves your tick at the ballot box.
“NHS reform. Maybe a Labour Government has the best chance of doing it.
“If the Tories try it they are criticised for privatising the NHS and allowing their big pharma pals to make a killing. Labour will face none of that.”
Father-of-two Grant, 60, from Bromley, South East London, adds: “Housing — no one wants to see our beautiful countryside turned into towns and cities but we need a plan or where will our children live?
“Law and order. I thought it was April Fools’ Day when I read that judges are being told not to jail offenders as the prisons are full.
“How about we deport all foreign prisoners and unlock some space?”
HEALTH SECRETARY: Trainee GP Dr Bhasha Mukherjee, 28
DR Mukherjee has already interviewed Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting, the man who wants to be the next Health Secretary.
Bhasha says: “Going to the country could be quite a smart move by Rishi because actually there is some turnaround happening, especially in the NHS with waiting lists.
“Labour hasn’t really showcased what they stand for.
“When I look at their policies on paper and also when I’m speaking to them, there’s not a lot that makes them different from the Tories.
“It’s not clear any more. As a young voter, I find it confusing.
“I wonder if it’s got a lot to do with being politically correct, trying to please too many people, trying to make too many people happy.
“They’re losing their individuality and it makes it really difficult to choose between them and vote for one or the other.”
Parties are losing their individuality – as a young voter, I find it difficult to choose between them
Dr Bhasha Mukherjee
Bhasha — originally from Derby but now working at a North London surgery as a trainee GP — is impressed with Labour’s plan to take the best ideas to the rest of the NHS.
But she adds: “I feel like the Conservatives are pushing more money into it without really thinking about reform.
“Their agenda seems like they’re very stuck in their ways, whereas I think Labour’s policies for health are more optimistic.
“They’ve got this line, ‘taking the best to the rest’ — learning from really successful health trusts and transferring them to others.
“I don’t know how achievable it would be.
“But it gives me more hope as a clinical staff member, that actually it’s not just a top-down imposing of laws and policies.
“They are taking more of a bottom-up approach, where they’re going to be taking inspiration from the grassroots level and applying the best to the rest of the NHS. So I’m quite positive about that.”
EDUCATION SECRETARY: Former teacher Carrie Ann Booth, 42
FORMER state school teacher Carrie Ann met Sir Keir Starmer at the Sun’s first Never Mind The Ballots show.
The science expert from Carlisle says: “He’s a lot more likeable and personable than I thought. He needs to try to play the down-to-earth card because people just think he’s a Tory in red disguise. They think he’s only slightly more left than the Tories in power now.
“He has to put across that he wants change for good, change for more people and that he’s fighting for everyone.
“Rishi is out of touch with your normal everyday Joe.
“He keeps banging on about things that don’t matter so much to me or aren’t high on my agenda. He couldn’t help but do his speech in the rain on Wednesday and mention the boats again.
“That’s really not our biggest issue. He’s trying to pull out the good things that are happening, but for me that doesn’t fix the 14 years of mess that the Tories have made.”
BUSINESS SECRETARY: Plumber Manesh Vekaria, 37
SELF-EMPLOYED Manesh says that, as a businessman, the Conservatives should be the party he votes for.
But he says: “After 14 years in power everyone is suffering so much and people want change. The winner needs to sort out the economy first because very few people seem to have any money. Inflation may have fallen but the cost of materials has not come down and interest rates are still high.
“Then the new government needs to tackle the NHS. We haven’t seen any of the new hospitals Boris Johnson promised. My grandparents, like millions of others, are caught up in the NHS waiting lists.
“They need to improve policing because people are now emboldened to go into a shop and steal in the knowledge that nothing’s going to happen to them.”
Manesh, 37, of Harrow, North West London, adds: “Labour hasn’t come out with any strong policies but I would vote for them unless in their manifesto the Tories said our priority is going to be the economy, NHS and policing.”
DEFENCE & FOREIGN SECRETARY: Ex-Army Captain Hugh Andree, 50
HUGH quizzed the PM and veterans minister Johnny Mercer where he demanded better treatment for bereaved military wives.
He says: “I want to thank the Prime Minister. He has taken action for a change in how bereaved widows are treated. They had to leave military accommodation just 90 days after the death of their partner, but now the PM has asked for a review.”
Hugh, from Battersea, South West London, adds: “I don’t believe Labour will even have a veterans’ minister in their Cabinet. The way a government and a country treats its veterans will dictate recruitment into the Armed Forces, which at the moment is woeful.
“At a time when the threat across the world has never been higher — from Russia, China or the Middle East — we need additional manpower in our military.
“Labour have confirmed they will spend 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030, but that was exactly what the Conservatives said.
“I think they Conservatives will lose, but by a smaller margin than people imagine.”
HOME SECRETARY: Former detective Jonathan Taylor, 63
JONATHAN fears both the Conservatives and Labour will announce big spending plans for the NHS, Armed Forces and the police.
He says: “But where will the money come from?”
Jonathan, from Taunton, Somerset, runs a business helping keep children safe online.
He says: “I work with a lot of independent schools and I am very anti what Labour are doing regarding VAT on private schools. It won’t bring in the sort of money they are expecting.
“I don’t believe in nationalisation and I want both parties to come up with real promises and tell us where the money will come from.”
Jonathan, who served 30 years in the Metropolitan Police, adds: “It is Labour’s election to lose.
“But even if you’re Labour, you don’t know who you’re voting for.
“You have Keir Starmer and you’ve got Angela Rayner, who is obviously far more left and was in cahoots with Jeremy Corbyn.”