have made their way there. elections come round in all democracies, but never have the timings aligned like they do this year. 2024 is expected to be the biggest voting year in history. more than 60 countries are scheduled to hold elections, home to some 4.2 billion people representing more than half of the world s population. that s a lot of counting. as well as countries like india, the us and russia here in the uk its expected there will be a general election. it s not yet known when it will be, but prime minister rishi sunak said 2024 will be an election year. in expectation of this, opposition leader sir keir starmer has been speaking in bristol today. he spoke of the apathy facing voters in the uk currently. you re right to be anti westminster, right to be angry about what politics has become but hold on to the flickering hope in your heart that things can be better because they can. you can choose it. you can choose the hope of national renewal, the responsibility of servi
recorded shorty before his death, ending that report from ruth clegg. if you want to know more about will s story, the documentary about his life is available on bbc iplayer now. this is bbc news. the labour leader xi keir starmer is about to make his first speech of the year. it is expected to be a general election year and this is the scene live in bristol. he will be taking questions from journalists after the speech. it has been fairly widely trailed he is going to urge voters to hold on to the flickering that hope life can get better. he talks about an attempt to end the despair of a downtrodden country and he has been
the labour party and keir starmer, how can they seal the deal after so long in opposition? that is something the labour leader has been talking about a little today as my colleague reports. cameras trained, journalists gathered, a sense of anticipation in the year. it certainly feels like an election year. the year. it certainly feels like an election year- the year. it certainly feels like an election year. please welcome keir starmer. election year. please welcome keir starmer- he election year. please welcome keir starmer. he hopes election year. please welcome keir starmer. he hopes to election year. please welcome keir starmer. he hopes to become - election year. please welcome keir. starmer. he hopes to become prime minister in 2024, starmer. he hopes to become prime minister in 2024, so starmer. he hopes to become prime minister in 2024, so no starmer. he hopes to become prime minister in 2024, so no surprised - starmer. he hopes to become prime minister in 2024, so
but hold on to the flickering hope in your heart that things can be better. that message of project hope is designed to persuade you to put a cross in a box and he attempted to counter the argument, including from some within his own party, that his parties are unambitious. why labour? because we serve your interests. why labour? because we will grow every corner of our country. why labour? because we have a plan to take back our streets, switch on great british energy, get the nhs back on its feet, tear down the barriers to opportunity and get britain building again. can i welcome, rishi sunak, the prime minister. - as for number ten s current incumbent, he has been at a battleground in the east midlands and gave the strongest hint yet about when polling day might be. my working assumption is we will have a general election in the second half of this year but in the meantime i have a lot i want to get on with.
westminster, the gauntlet of fear the tories westminster, the gauntlet of fear the tories will unleash, and most of all, the tories will unleash, and most of all. the the tories will unleash, and most of all, the understandable despair of a downtrodden country, i will ask the british downtrodden country, i will ask the british people to believe in it again british people to believe in it again i british people to believe in it again. i will say you re right to be anti westminster, right to be angry about anti westminster, right to be angry about what anti westminster, right to be angry about what politics has become. but hold on about what politics has become. but hold on to about what politics has become. but hold on to the flickering hope in your hold on to the flickering hope in your heart hold on to the flickering hope in your heart that things can be better, your heart that things can be better, because they can. you can choose better, because they can. you ca