The Sunday Times newspaper has endorsed the Labour Party in the coming general election.
An editorial in the paper said the Conservatives had “in effect forfeited the right to govern” and that it was “the right time for Labour to be entrusted with restoring competence to government”.
The paper is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News UK and has endorsed the Conservative Party in every election since 2005.
While newspaper circulations have declined, endorsements are still seen as important indicators of the breadth of a party’s appeal.
The editorial accused both Labour and the Conservatives of having “avoided meaningful debate” and failing to be honest with the public about the state of the public finances throughout this election campaign.
It also praised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt for restoring stability following Liz Truss’s premiership, but added that they had “ultimately been unable either to repair the damage done to the Tories’ electoral fortunes or to unite their fractious colleagues”.
“Britain now needs a radical reset,” it said.
“We believe it is now the right time for Labour to be entrusted with restoring competence to government. Britain needs to do better — as a place to live, work and do business.
“The scale of the challenge is immense. The exhausted Conservatives are neither up to it nor up for it. There comes a time when change is the only option.”
The Sunday Times is part of the media empire owned by Rupert Murdoch, whose backing Tony Blair’s New Labour famously sought ahead of the 1997 election.
The paper stuck with the Conservatives that year, though supported Labour in 2001 before switching back to the Tories in 2005.
The most read newspaper in the Murdoch group, the Sun, is still yet to announce its endorsement, although in past elections the paper has often backed the party which has gone on to win.
Other papers to have endorsed Labour so far include the Daily Mirror, the Guardian, and the Independent, while the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph have both backed the Conservatives.
