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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Peter Walker Deputy political editor

Labour looks to local polls as dress rehearsal for general election

Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner smile as they stand in a group of people
Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner, centre, at Labour’s campaign launch in Dudley on Thursday. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PA

If a telltale sign of a politician’s confidence is how willingly they expose themselves to direct media scrutiny, then the likely narrative of May’s local elections was on full view on Thursday in Dudley.

While Rishi Sunak had followed his Conservative launch speech last Friday with the strictly controlled and limited format of a brief TV clip, Keir Starmer answered journalists’ questions for about 40 minutes, covering everything from council spending to Angela Rayner’s tax affairs.

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