Washington, July 5 (IANS) Donald Trump, the former President and presumptive Republican nominee, has called for a “no holds barred” debate with Joe Biden, the President and the presumptive Democratic nominee, as the latter sits down for a widely anticipated interview he is doing to allay concerns about his health and ability to serve another four years following the disastrous performance in the first debate last week.

“I have the answer to the Crooked Joe Biden Incompetence Puzzle”, Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, the social media platform he launched to counter his banishment from erstwhile Twitter, which is now called X.

“Let’s do another Debate, but this time, no holds barred – An all on discussion, with just the two of us on stage, talking about the future of our Country.”

The second debate is scheduled for September, according to an arrangement agreed to by both sides, in the same format as the first – just the two candidates and moderators on the stage, with no audience and strictly regulated speaking time.

The former President came out unscathed from the debate with his many half-truths and lies because the incumbent President stole all the headlines with a disastrous performance that sent the Democratic leaders and rank-and-file members into panic.

Calls for Biden to step aside for someone younger and more capable started within hours and continue despite his and his campaign’s attempts to portray the debate performance as a bad night caused by a sore throat and exhaustion from recent travels abroad. He has tried to do more public appearances to demonstrate he is in good health and mentally alert and able. He is doing an interview with an ABC anchor, which will be telecast in its entirety and unedited Friday evening.

Biden has told an ally that his performance in the interview and a few public events over the weekend will be critical in his decision to continue or quit the race, according to news reports.

Vice-President Kamala Harris has emerged as a top contender for the Democratic presidential ticket given up by the president, with many Democratic leaders naming her as their choice even though she has remained solidly aligned with Biden, affirming her faith in his candidacy.

In a head-to-head matchup poll, Harris is within striking distance of the former President, trailing by only 3 percentage points.

Biden’s misfortune has been Trump’s gain. He has widened his lead over the president in polls. In some polls, he has cartwheeled ahead of Biden from trailing him. It’s not surprising, therefore, that he is calling for another debate, a “no holds barred” debate, having the edge at this time.

It was different in 2020. Trump was widely panned for his performance in the first debate, when he had kept interrupting Biden and speaking over him. Now the roles are reversed, and he is the victor of the debate.

Given the turmoil in the Democratic party, Trump is prepared to take on whoever emerges with the nomination in case President Biden decides to step aside.

“President Trump will beat any Democrat on November 5th because he has a proven record and an agenda to Make America Great Again,” Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, Trump campaign advisers, have said in a statement.

–IANS

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London, July 5 (IANS) In his first speech as the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer on Friday hailed his immediate predecessor Rishi Sunak, saying that the Labour Party recognises the dedication and hard work he brought to his leadership.

“I want to thank outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. His achievements as the first British Asian Prime Minister of our country, the extra effort that would have been required should not be underestimated by anyone,” Starmer said at Downing Street after meeting King Charles at Buckingham Palace and formally being invited to form the next government.

The Starmer-led Labour Party had secured 412 seats till Friday evening, India time, recording a resounding win and ending the 14-year governance of the Conservative Party.

The 61-year-old Labour Party leader, who became Britain’s 58th Prime Minister, promised to bring in change, saying it is high time to deliver results.

“Now our country has voted decisively for change and a return of politics to public service… Country first, party second… Politics can be a force for good. We will show that,” he declared.

Starmer also promised to “rebuild” the country’s “infrastructure of opportunity… brick by brick” while maintaining that changing a country is “not like flicking a switch” and it will take a while even though the work begins immediately.

Earlier, Sunak not only resigned as the UK Prime Minister but also confirmed that he will be stepping down as the Conservative leader once the formal arrangements for choosing his successor were in place.

“I have given this job my all, but you have sent a clear signal that the government of the United Kingdom must change. And, yours is the only judgment that matters,” said Sunak in a short speech delivered in front of the PM’s office in Downing Street.

“I have heard your anger, your disappointment and I take responsibility for this loss. To all the Conservative candidates and campaigners who worked tirelessly, but without success, I’m sorry that we could not deliver what your efforts deserved,” he added.

Accepting responsibility for the Tories’ loss, Sunak apologised to voters for the party’s shocking performance but added that the UK was “more prosperous, fairer and resilient than in 2010” during the 14 years of Conservatives’ Governance.

“When I first stood here as your Prime Minister, I told you the most important task that I had was to return stability to our economy. Inflation is back to target, mortgage rates are falling and growth has returned. We have enhanced our standing in the world,” he said.

“This is a difficult day, but I leave this job honoured to have been Prime Minister of the best country in the world,” Sunak mentioned before he and his wife Akshata Murty left for Buckingham Palace, where the outgoing PM formally submitted his resignation to King Charles.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) It was a rain-soaked day in late May when PM Rishi Sunak came out of his 10 Downing Street residence to announce elections on July 4, and it was another rainy day on Friday when he came out to concede defeat, with his Conservatives suffering a major hammering to slump to a new parliamentary low – at less than a fifth of the total seats.

The crushing defeat for the Conservative Party follows 14 eventful years in power in which they not only led the country out of the European Union, weathered the Covid pandemic, and sought to fashion a new position for the country in the world beyond continental ties, but also suffered a string of controversies, frequent leadership changes – 5 PMs in a decade and a half! – and major internal divisions.

Presiding over a decade or more of economic stagnation and social neglect – since PM David Cameron’s austerity programme and the implications of Brexit – also led to the outcome.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party, reeling from a string of defeats after its own 13 years in power and a pronounced leftward slant under Jeremy Corbyn, reformed and revitalised itself under former government law officer, Sir Keir Starmer, to provide a cogent programme and successful outreach.

It won 412 seats – just a shade under the 419 garnered by Tony Blair in 1997 to end 18 years of Conservative rule, but equal to his haul in 2001.

Time will show whether the result was actually a Labour victory or a Conservative defeat, though it must be considered that the loathing for the present dispensation and enthusiasm for the available alternative are not evenly matched.

It also has to be seen how the Labour Party will do in power, but the course and results of the elections throw up certain instructive points – though it is debatable if they are long-term in nature or linked to this particular electoral cycle.

Economic situation and living standards remain overriding public concern

The Conservatives presided over a decade and more of economic morass where not only incomes remained stagnant amid rising inflation, leading to standards of living dipping, but productivity declined too.

Granted the consequences of Covid were challenging for all governments, but Cameron’s austerity programme and the lowered social spending it entailed, and then, Brexit were choices. By the time Sunak promised the country was turning the corner, the damage had been done.

Power may (or may not) corrupt but long stints ‘blind’

The course of British political history for the past four and a half decades is instructive. Of these 45 years, the Conservatives were in power for 32 years – in two consecutive tranches of 18 years (1979-1997) under Margaret Thatcher and John Major and 14 years (2010-24) under Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Sunak, against 13 for Labour (1997-2010) under Blair and Gordon Brown.

It is evident that complacency and a disregard for public perception crept in, as admitted by a string of senior Conservative leaders, many who lost their seats, that they had grown distant from the people and failed to respect and respond to the concerns.

Don’t ape far-right populists

This is particularly applicable to the Conservatives, which, over the past few years, swung more and more to the right, in a bid to outflank the Brexit Party/Reform UK on issues such as EU membership and immigration, a la Suella Braverman.

It did not provide them appreciable benefits, but damaged them as votes swung to Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, which may have got only 4 seats but hit them in scores. Conservatives learnt too late that if you bring a populist party into the limelight by seeking to appropriate its platform, what will prevent people from voting for the real thing itself?

Europe’s right-wing turn not a fair accompli

Amid the rightward turn in European politics – the victory of Marine Le-Pen’s National Rally in the European Parliament and the French National Assembly’s first round, of the AfD in Germany, the True Finns in Finland, and so on – the UK has bucked the trend.

Granted the Labour is more of a centrist party now – in some respects indistinguishable from the Conservatives – under Starmer, but in perception, it is still somewhat left.

British yet to fully support ethnic-minority leader

Winning the leadership contest of the traditional-minded Conservatives on his second attempt – after the implosion of the Liz Truss dispensation – Sunak led the Conservatives to its second major electoral defeat after the recent regional council elections, and announced he is stepping down.

There is a perception, especially among Britons of South Asian descent, that the UK is still not ready for an ethnic minority leader – beyond a certain level.

Humza Yousaf’s short-lived stint as Scotland’s First Minister is another recent example.

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Several top world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday congratulated Keir Starmer as he gets ready to become the 58th Prime Minister of Britain following the Labour Party’s resounding victory in the general election.

Starmer has been credited with pulling the Labour Party out of the political wilderness by ending 14 years of the Conservative Party’s governance.

“Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Keir Starmer on the remarkable victory in the UK general elections. I look forward to our positive and constructive collaboration to further strengthen the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in all areas, fostering mutual growth and prosperity,” PM Modi said in his message posted on X.

French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Starmer on his election victory and emphasised maintaining close bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries.

“Congratulations, Sir Keir Starmer, on your victory. Pleased with our first discussion. We will continue the work begun with the UK for our bilateral cooperation, for peace and security in Europe, for the climate, and for AI,” he said in a post on X.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog also congratulated Starmer while at the same time expressing his “deepest appreciation and gratitude” to outgoing MP Rishi Sunak for “his leadership and for standing with the Israeli people”, especially during the “most difficult period”.

“I send my warmest congratulations to Keir Starmer. As he prepares to enter Downing Street as Prime Minister, I look forward to working together with him and his new government to bring our hostages home, to build a better future for the region, and to deepen the close friendship between Israel and the United Kingdom,” Herzog said.

Congratulating Starmer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote: “Congratulations Keir Starmer on your electoral victory. I look forward to working with you in a constructive partnership to address common challenges and strengthen European security.”

European Council President Charles Michel also congratulated Starmer in a post on X.

“The European Union and the UK are crucial partners, cooperating in all areas of mutual interest for our citizens. I look forward to working with you and your government in this new cycle for the UK,” said Michel, adding that he is looking forward to seeing Starmer at the European Political Community meeting on common challenges.

Simon Harris, Prime Minister of Ireland, highlighted the close relationship with the UK, calling it “deep and consequential”.

“I look forward to it going from strength to strength,” he said while stressing the need to work closely to bring about a “major reset” of Anglo-Irish relations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also extended his best wishes to Starmer on his election win.

Stressing the close bilateral relations between the two countries, Zelenskyy said, “Ukraine and the United Kingdom have been and will continue to be reliable allies through thick and thin. We will continue to defend and advance our common values of life, freedom, and a rules-based international order.”

“I wish the incoming government every success both in domestic affairs and in solidifying the UK’s leadership on the world stage. I look forward to working closely together on strengthening the Ukraine-UK partnership and restoring international peace and security,” he added.

He also thanked Rishi Sunak for maintaining close ties between the two nations.

“I am grateful to my good friend Rishi Sunak for the UK government’s steadfast support under his leadership. Challenger tanks, Storm Shadow missiles, F-16 training for our pilots, and the first bilateral security cooperation agreement are just a few of our shared achievements that Ukraine will never forget. Thank you, Rishi,” Zelenskyy said in another post on X.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, too, extended his wishes in a post on X.

“Congratulations, Keir Starmer, on your election victory. New Zealand and the UK are great friends and can do so much more together. I look forward to working on every opportunity together as Prime Minister,” he wrote.

Congratulating Starmer, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote, “Congratulations to my friend and new UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on his resounding election victory – I look forward to working constructively with the incoming Labour Party Government.”

–IANS

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Colombo, July 5 (IANS) Four people have been killed, while three others were seriously injured after a truck overturned along the Badulla-Soranathota road in Uva Province of Sri Lanka on Friday, the police said.

Badulla police said that the accident took place around 12:00 p.m. local time when the lorry was transporting construction workers, Xinhua news agency reported.

The wounded have been admitted to a local hospital, and their condition is critical, according to the police.

There has been a spate of accidents in Sri Lanka in the last few days. Around 25 people were injured after a bus collided with a lorry transporting cement in Madampe, located in Sri Lanka’s North Western Province, on Thursday morning.

Accidents involving motor vehicles are common in Sri Lanka. There were 2,557 deaths in 2,200 fatal traffic accidents in Sri Lanka in 2023.

–IANS

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