Michael Gove Claims Labour Will 'Rig The System' To Be A 'Forever' Government

Michael Gove has warned that Labour will “rig the system” to be a “forever government” in the latest Tory fear-mongering campaign tactic.

The levelling up secretary ignored how his own party has introduced major changes to the UK’s voting system over its 14 years in power, and also tried to downplay the Conservatives’ disastrous performance in the polls.

On Wednesday, Savanta pollsters predicted that the the Tories are on course for a wipeout as even PM Rishi Sunak’s seat is at risk, and that Labour could get an unprecedented 382-seat majority.

Gove told Sky News this morning: “One lesson that some people may draw from the opinion polls is that if these opinion polls are correct, Labour will use that super-majority to rig the system.”

There is no such term as a “super-majority” in British politics, it is just a majority. 

But it is part of the Conservatives’ latest campaign move, as the party has repeatedly warned Labour could be too powerful as the election looms closer.

They have even released a Facebook advertising campaign to warn they could end up being the third largest party in parliament while the Lib Dems could become the official Opposition.

Sky presenter Kay Burley replied: “You can’t criticise Labour for getting more votes, it’s down to you guys to get your message across!”

Gove said: “What’s to stop them giving votes to EU citizens, 16-year-olds, prisoners, and making sure they could be a forever government?”

Labour have promised to give 16 and 17-year-olds the vote in their manifesto.

Burley replied: “It’s a democracy! If they’ve been given a mandate, they’re not rigging the system.”

Gove said: “Well all of these are things we know Labour have entertained in the past. My concern is they would use their power to entrench themselves in power.

“As a general rule, democracy is better when you have a vigorous opposition and a strong, independent media. I don’t believe that Keir Starmer, on the basis of his past, would welcome a vigorous, independent media holding Labour to account.”

Starmer was the Director of Public Prosecutions between 2008 and 2013. He has not publicly said anything about trying to muzzle the media.

“You’ve been in power for 14 years,” Burley replied.

The outgoing cabinet minister said both the media and the Conservatives will “have to do our bit to hold him to account” and the more Tory MPs there are in parliament, “the better served our democracy will be”.

Notably, Gove is standing down at this general election after getting into parliament in 2005.

Since getting into power, the Conservatives have introduced voter ID, changed elections for mayors, and police and crime commissioners from supplementary vote to first-past-the-post.

Ex-PM David Cameron also introduced individual electoral registration, stopping families from being registered to vote together.