UK's Farage claims establishment 'revolt' - CNA

Millions of their voters appeared to have already switched their support to Reform, leaving the Tories - in power since 2010 - facing their worst result in nearly two centuries, the exit polls said.

Reform's surge comes as hard-right parties or politicians increase their appeal across Europe and in the United States.

Seen as one of Britain's most effective communicators and campaigners, Farage - a privately educated son of a stockbroker - is a long-time ally of US President Donald Trump.

"This is the beginning of a big movement," David Bull, Reform's deputy leader told Sky News, as the UK awaited the official tallies late on Thursday.

"This is a political revolt. It's also a five-year plan. If we can go from nothing four years ago to winning 13 seats, imagine what we can do in five years' time."

"BIG MOVEMENT"

Farage, 60, is a one-time Conservative who quit the party in the early 1990s to co-found the eurosceptic UK Independence Party (UKIP).

He pulled off an unprecedented win in the 2014 European Parliament elections, serving as an MEP for the fringe party for around two decades and helping to make euroscepticism more mainstream.

But UKIP never managed to win more than one seat in a general election. Farage himself failed to become an MP on seven separate occasions.

But his national prominence continued to grow after he became a driving force behind the 2016 Brexit vote, before forging a career as a presenter on the brash right-wing TV channel GB News.

Entering the 2024 general election after initially ruling himself out, Farage said he was bidding to emulate efforts in Canada in the 1990s by right-wing fringes to take over its Conservative Party.

His candidacy dramatically re-energised Reform UK, while spooking the Tories as polls immediately registered an uptick in support for the hard-right anti-immigrant outfit.

Conservatives and centrists now fear Farage could have the perfect platform in parliament to further legitimise his staunchly anti-establishment populist messaging.

"If this exit poll is right, this feels like Nigel Farage's dream scenario - he'll be rubbing his hands with glee," said Chris Hopkins, political research director at pollster Savanta.

"He's got enough MPs to make a racket in Westminster, and the party he shares the closest political space with could be reduced to a long period of soul-searching."

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2024-07-05 01:54:00Z
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Britons start voting in election expected to propel Labour to power - The Straits Times

Britain's 40,000 polling stations opened at 6am GMT (2pm Singapore time). PHOTO: REUTERS

LONDON - Britons began voting on July 4 in a parliamentary election that is expected to bring Mr Keir Starmer’s Labour Party to power, sweeping away Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives after 14 often-turbulent years.

Opinion polls put Mr Starmer’s centre-left party on course for a landslide victory but also suggest many voters simply want change after a period of infighting and turmoil under the Conservatives that led to five prime ministers in eight years.

This means Mr Starmer, a 61-year-old former human rights lawyer, could take office with one of the biggest to-do lists in British history but without a groundswell of support or the financial resources to tackle it.

“Today, Britain can begin a new chapter,” Mr Starmer told voters in a statement on July 4. “We cannot afford five more years under the Conservatives. But change will only happen if you vote Labour.”

The country’s 40,000 polling stations opened at 6am GMT (2pm Singapore time).

Mr Sunak, 44, was among those to vote early. He was pictured leaving a polling station in his Richmond constituency in northern England, holding hands with his wife Ms Akshata Murty.

Having called the election months earlier than expected, Mr Sunak has in recent weeks abandoned his call for a fifth consecutive Conservative victory, switching instead to warning of the dangers of an unchallenged Labour Party in Parliament.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife, Ms Akshata Murty, outside a polling station in Northallerton, Britain, on July 4. PHOTO: REUTERS

Mr Sunak issued a fresh rallying cry to voters for election day, saying a Labour government would hike taxes, hamper economic recovery and leave Britain more vulnerable at a time of geopolitical tension, charges Labour deny.

“They will do lasting damage to our country and our economy – just like they did the last time they were in power,” Mr Sunak said on July 4. “Don’t let that happen.”

Polls are due to close at 10pm when an exit poll will give the first sign of the outcome. Detailed official results are expected in the early hours of July 5.

Punishing government

If the opinion polls are correct, Britain will follow other European countries in punishing their governments after a cost of living crisis that stemmed from the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Unlike France, it looks set to move to the centre left and not further right.

Labour has held a poll lead of between 15 and 20 points since shortly after Mr Sunak was chosen by his lawmakers in October 2022 to replace Ms Liz Truss who resigned after 44 days, having sparked a bond market meltdown and a collapse in sterling.

Modelling by pollsters predicts Labour is on course for one of the biggest election victories in British history, with a likely majority in Parliament that would exceed those achieved by Mr Tony Blair or Mrs Margaret Thatcher, although a high number of voters are undecided and turnout could be low.

Such an outcome would have been unthinkable at Britain’s last election in 2019 when Mr Boris Johnson won a large victory for the Conservatives, with politicians predicting that the party would be in power for at least 10 years as Labour was finished.

Mr Starmer, the former chief prosecutor of England and Wales, took over Labour from veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn after it suffered its worst defeat in 84 years in 2019, and dragged it back to the centre.

Britain’s Labour leader Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria outside a polling station in London on July 4. PHOTO: REUTERS

At the same time, the Conservatives in Westminster have imploded, ripped apart by scandal under Mr Johnson and the rancour that followed the vote to leave the European Union, and a failure to deliver on the demands of its broad 2019 voter base.

While Mr Johnson destroyed the party’s reputation for integrity, Ms Truss eroded its long-held economic credibility, leaving Mr Sunak to steady the ship. During his time, inflation returned to target from its 41-year high of 11.1 per cent and he resolved some Brexit tensions, but the polls have not budged.

Mr Sunak’s election campaign has been hit by a string of gaffes. He announced the vote in driving rain, his early departure from a D-Day event in France angered veterans, and allegations of election gambling among aides reignited talk of scandal.

The unexpected arrival of Mr Nigel Farage to lead the right-wing Reform UK has also eaten into the Conservatives’ vote, while the centrist Liberal Democrats are predicted to fare well in the party’s affluent heartlands in southern England.

The unexpected arrival of Mr Nigel Farage to lead the right-wing Reform UK has also eaten into the Conservatives’ vote. PHOTO: REUTERS

Promise of change

Mr Starmer could also benefit from a Labour recovery in Scotland after the Scottish National Party embarked on its own self-destructive path following a funding scandal.

But Mr Starmer may find his fortunes more sorely tested in Downing Street.

His campaign was built around a one-word promise of “Change”, tapping into anger at the state of stretched public services and falling living standards. But he will have few levers to pull, with the tax burden set to hit its highest since 1949 and net debt almost equivalent to annual economic output.

Mr Starmer has consistently warned that he will not be able to fix anything quickly, and his party has courted international investors to help address the challenges.

Mr Sunak has argued that his 20 months in charge have set the economy on an upward path and Labour should not be allowed to put that in jeopardy.

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2024-07-04 09:46:40Z
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Xi Jinping tells leaders at Central Asia summit to 'resist external interference' - CNA

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping told leaders at a Central Asia summit in the Kazakh capital Astana on Thursday (Jul 4) to "resist external interference", state media reported.

"We should join hands to resist external interference, firmly support each other, take care of each other's concerns ... and firmly control the future and destiny of our countries and regional peace and development in our own hands," Xi told a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The SCO, which encompasses a vast stretch of the globe from Moscow to Beijing, includes around half the world's population and on Thursday will welcome its 10th member, Belarus.

Its other permanent members are this year's host Kazakhstan, India, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and, as of last year, Iran.

"The world stands again at a crossroads," CCTV reported Xi as saying.

"It is extremely important to the world that the SCO stands on the right side of history and on the side of fairness and justice."

On Wednesday, Xi held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who told the Chinese leader that the Shanghai alliance was strengthening its role as "one of the key pillars of a fair multipolar world order".

The SCO's main thrust is fostering economic ties between member countries and developing giant projects to link China and Europe via Central Asia.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine - which China has refused to condemn - has increased major powers' interest in the region. Moscow is seeking to maintain its traditional sway there, but Beijing now has strong ties through its flagship Belt and Road infrastructure project, while the West is also vying for influence.

According to CCTV, Xi told leaders on Thursday: "We must safeguard the right to development, adhere to inclusiveness, jointly promote technological innovation, maintain the stability and smoothness of industrial and supply chains, stimulate the endogenous power of the regional economy, and promote the realisation of common development goals".

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2024-07-04 09:26:00Z
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Biden rejects growing pressure to abandon his presidential campaign, vows to stay 'to the end' - The Straits Times

US President Joe Biden met with Democratic governors and the mayor of Washington DC on July 3 to reassure them he is up to the job. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden vowed to stay in the 2024 presidential race during calls with campaign staff and meetings with Democratic lawmakers and governors on July 3, as he sought to shake off calls for him to drop out after his shaky debate performance last week.

Mr Biden dialled in to a call with worried members of his campaign team and told them he wasn’t going anywhere, according to two sources familiar with the call.

“No one is pushing me out. I’m not leaving. I’m in this race to the end,” Mr Biden said in a separate e-mail blast by his campaign, urging supporters to “pitch in a few bucks” to help defeat his Republican rival Donald Trump in the Nov 5 US presidential election.

The US President met virtually and in person with 24 Democratic governors and the mayor of Washington DC on the evening of July 3 to reassure them he is up to the job of standard-bearer for the party after the faltering debate performance.

Only three of the governors – the leaders of New York, Minnesota, and Maryland – met with reporters afterwards, vowing to stand with Mr Biden after what they called an honest discussion about his bad performance in last week’s debate.

“The President has always had our backs. We’re going to have his back as well,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore said.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the chair of the Democratic Governors Association, said Mr Biden’s June 27 night debate performance against former US president Trump was bad, but added that he felt Mr Biden was fit for office.

Concerns about Mr Biden’s age and mental acuity exploded after June 27’s debate with Trump, in which the US President mumbled under his breath, lost his train of thought at times and, at one point, talked of beating Medicare.

The US President has said that he was tired after two foreign trips, and the White House has said he had a cold.

Asked on July 3 if Mr Biden was considering stepping down, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: “Absolutely not.”

A Wall Street Journal survey found Trump beating Mr Biden by a margin of 48 per cent to 42 per cent, up one percentage point, while a New York Times/Siena poll found Trump’s lead over Mr Biden had widened by three points to 49 per cent to 43 per cent.

In a call among House Democrats on July 3, Arizona’s Raul Grijalva called for Mr Biden to drop out of the race, while Representative Seth Moulton from Massachusetts pointed to Mr Biden’s age as a liability.

“The unfortunate reality is that the status quo will likely deliver us president Trump,” Mr Moulton said in a statement. “President Biden is not going to get younger.”

While the campaign has highlighted fund-raising successes with grassroots donors and held damage control calls with donors, Mr Reed Hastings, a major Democratic Party donor and a co-founder of streaming platform Netflix, called for Mr Biden to step aside.

US Vice-President Kamala Harris has meanwhile gained support as his potential replacement.

Mr Dmitri Mehlhorn, an adviser to LinkedIn co-founder and Democratic megadonor Reid Hoffman, told Reuters his team would “enthusiastically support a ticket led by our tough and savvy Vice-President if Biden were to step aside for any reason”.

Mr Melhorn said Ms Harris was the only serious national contender who had already been subjected to major attacks by Trump’s Make America Great Again supporters.

“We would lose Joe’s superpower brand, but we would gain other benefits and would still be competitive,” he said.

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Governors as alternatives?

Democrats and donors concerned about Mr Biden’s viability in the November election will be closely watching an interview with ABC News expected to be taped and aired on July 5 during a campaign visit to Madison, Wisconsin.

The White House said Mr Biden has spoken with Democratic leaders in Congress as well as Democratic Representative Jim Clyburn, who was instrumental in Mr Biden’s 2020 win.

Mr Clyburn, who has said he would back Ms Harris as the presidential candidate if Mr Biden stepped aside, told CNN on July 3 that the party should hold a “mini-primary” if Mr Biden steps aside. He is the first senior party member to talk publicly about how replacing Mr Biden as a candidate could work.

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Some of the governors who met with Mr Biden on July 3 could be potential rivals if pressure for him to step aside were to increase, but many of them also speak on Mr Biden’s behalf on the campaign trail.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear have all been mentioned as possible replacements to Mr Biden. REUTERS

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China supports Kazakhstan joining BRICS, President Xi says - CNA

BEIJING: China's President Xi Jinping said he supports Kazakhstan joining the BRICS bloc, Chinese state media reported on Wednesday (Jul 3), as the group of developing nations mulls further expansion to rival a Western-dominated world order it sees as outdated.

Speaking to the press alongside Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev following a meeting in the Central Asian state's capital, Xi encouraged Kazakhstan to "play the role of a middle power on the international stage and make its due contribution to global governance", while endorsing Astana's accession.

China and Russia are pushing for the expansion of the BRICS grouping, which also includes Brazil, India and South Africa, as they seek to counter Western economic dominance.

Originally an acronym coined by Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O'Neill in 2001, the bloc was founded as an informal four-nation club in 2009 and added South Africa a year later.

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2024-07-03 09:16:00Z
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China becomes key player in Iraq's oil industry as the Middle Eastern country rebuilds - CNA

IRAQ STILL WANTS US PARTICIPATION

Baghdad still wants US participation in its oil industry.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani visited Texas in April and personally invited oil companies to buy licences this year, but in vain. 

“Oil is geographically widespread. It’s being produced in ever more countries all the time. So they (the US) might be comparing Iraq with places like Suriname, or Tanzania, or Mozambique, or Papua New Guinea, or Guyana,” said Dr Krane, who is also co-director of the Middle East Energy Roundtable. 

“(These are) relatively risky locales, where they’re going to be looking for a generous production service contract with some potential upside into it.”

In Iraq’s latest licensing round, it was mostly so-called technical services contracts for sale under which oil majors get a flat fee per barrel of oil they extract.

US giants typically want a production-sharing contract, which allows them to make bigger profits.

While Chinese companies are similarly driven by profit, there is also a national imperative to extract oil - China needs to buy foreign oil to meet domestic demand and has been importing nearly half of Iraq’s oil. 

But the US is a net exporter of oil and does not share this need. 

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UK election: Youths urge their peers to vote, as right-wing Reform Party gains popularity - CNA

REFORM PARTY GAINING POPULARITY

The youngest voters in the UK are likely unable to remember a government other than one helmed by the Conservative Party, which has been in power for 14 years. 

But the ruling Tories are not expected to win their support in the current atmosphere of uncertainty and pessimism.

This has been apparent outside urban centres, like in the coastal town of Clacton-on-Sea on England’s east coast.

A relatively new political force has been capturing the attention of youngsters there – the right-wing Reform Party led by Nigel Farage, who is running for a parliamentary seat in Clacton.

This is particularly notable in a country where the young tend to vote for left-wing parties.

Farage has called the “rapidly growing” support among young voters “truly remarkable”. 

While the party’s social media campaign has convinced many young voters, it is Farage himself who seems to have struck a chord. The 60-year-old has the highest number of followers by far on TikTok among UK politicians.

In one TikTok video, he told his audience: “If you're wondering why you can’t get a house, why rents are up 20 per cent in the last three years, if you're wondering why your granny can’t get a (medical) appointment – it's because we have a population explosion … The most affected group are the young people of this country.”

Farage and his party have also based their campaign around the fact that Brexit was not properly implemented, which is the “elephant in the room”, said Paul Pickering, professor in the School of Politics and International Relations at Australian National University.

He told CNA’s Asia First programme: “A lot of other commentators would say that a lot of the problems that the British economy is now facing – its labour market and so forth – are as a result of Brexit, but it's just no one really wants to go there again. 

“That's something that no one's really prepared to talk about."

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