Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged voters to not give “unchecked power” to the Labour party.

As the UK general election campaign nears its end, party leaders are making final attempts to secure votes across the country. Despite acknowledging a probable defeat, senior Tory figures are asking voters to strategically cast their ballots to limit the extent of Labour’s potential victory. Sunak himself has appealed to voters to “prevent a Labour supermajority” in order to avoid the party holding “unchecked power.”

During his visit to Hampshire in south-eastern England, Sunak’s close ally, work and pensions secretary Mel Stride, stated that Labour seemed on track to achieve the “largest majority any party has ever achieved.” Labour leader Keir Starmer criticized this approach, accusing the Tories of attempting to “discourage voting rather than encouraging it.”

Less than 48 hours before polling, Boris Johnson made an unexpected campaign appearance for the Conservatives on Tuesday, his first such appearance so far. He accused Starmer of trying to bring about the “most left-wing Labour government since the war.” However, Johnson did not join Sunak during this appearance, sparking speculation about internal divides within the party.

Responding to Johnson’s appearance, Starmer stated that his Tory opponents had “brought out the architect of chaos and division” in a last-ditch effort to secure votes.