I have not controlled Britain’s borders, Rishi Sunak admits

Rishi Sunak has admitted that he has not controlled Britain’s borders as Prime Minister.

In a BBC interview with Nick Robinson, Mr Sunak said the numbers of people entering Britain both legally and illegally have been “too high” since he entered office in October 2022.

Net migration surged to a record high of 764,000 in 2022 and only marginally decreased to 685,000 last year.

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Mr Sunak has vowed that if re-elected the Conservatives will introduce an annual cap on immigration visas and reduce the number of small boat crossings in the Channel by getting asylum seeker deportation flights to Rwanda off the ground.

In the interview on Monday night, Mr Robinson said: “You want to talk about immigration, you said you did at the beginning, and you promised to control our borders.

“But the number of people arriving here legally under the new immigration rules, introduced after Brexit, and you campaigned vigorously for Brexit, reached a record high.

“Last year 685,000 extra people came here. That’s twice the population of Coventry. You didn’t control our borders, did you?”

Mr Sunak replied: “No, the numbers are too high.

“I’ve been very clear about that, but people can judge me as well on what I’ve done as prime minister, where I’ve put in place the biggest, strictest reforms to bring down immigration that we’ve seen.

“What the forecasts now show is that the levels of net migration are due to halve over the next 12 months or so.”

Measures already introduced by the Government are forecast to cut immigration by 300,000.

“If we stick to our plan, we will continue to bring them down,” Mr Sunak added.

“Why? Because if I’m re-elected as Prime Minister, we will get flights off to Rwanda and establish a deterrent.”

A pledge to cut net migration to tens of thousands was made at the 2010 general election by Lord Cameron and repeated in 2015 and 2017.

But no Conservative Prime Minister has ever delivered on that promise and migrant numbers have soared since Brexit despite a key factor in Leave’s victory being the prospect of lower immigration.

Sir Keir Starmer has also pledged to “bring immigration numbers down” and the Labour manifesto is expected to include a commitment to “drive down” net migration.

But the party will not set a specific target and it has also pledged to scrap the Rwanda scheme on “day one” of a Labour government.

Labour has said it would use the £75 million a year saved from scrapping the deportation programme to set up a border force command with new powers to treat people smugglers like terrorists.

Sir Keir has also indicated that he would be prepared to do a deal with the EU that would involve taking a quota of migrants who arrive in the bloc in exchange for the ability to return those who illegally cross the Channel to England.

10:24 PM BST

That’s all for today...

Thank you for joining The Telegraph’s live coverage of day 18 of the general election campaign.

My colleague Jack Maidment will be back early tomorrow to guide you through the day’s developments.

10:13 PM BST

Rishi Sunak’s popularity falls beneath Nigel Farage in wake of D-Day

Rishi Sunak is now less popular than Nigel Farage with 2019 Conservative voters following the row over him leaving D-Day commemorations early.

The Prime Minister’s approval rating is down by 12 percentage points in a week after skipping a world leaders’ event in Normandy for a campaign television interview.

A survey by JL Partners shows his net score among 2019 Tory supporters fell from 20 points on June 1 to eight points on June 8.

Mr Farage, who returned to lead Reform UK last week, saw his rating rise from 12 points to 15 across the same period, putting him ahead of the Prime Minister for the first time with voters who backed the Tories at the last national poll.

Read the full story from Political Correspondent Dominic Penna here.

09:44 PM BST

Labour to ban sales of energy drinks to under-16s

The Labour Party has pledged to ban shops from selling high-caffeine energy drinks to under-18s.

The sale of what Sir Keir Starmer described as “dangerously high caffeine energy drinks” would be banned, those being drinks with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre.

Monster Energy and Rockstar will both be prohibited but other drinks that do not exceed the limit, including Lucozade, Coca-Cola and Prime Energy, will not.

“The Tories have stood idly by as children go to school wired on the equivalent of three shots of espresso from these toxic drinks,” said Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary.

Labour said the ban would be enforced by trading standards and it will also commit to an extra 100,000 dental appointments for children, a national supervised toothrbushing programme for three- to five-year-olds and a ban on television junk food advertisements before 9pm.

09:32 PM BST

Watch: Sir Ed Davey interviewed on a teacup ride

09:23 PM BST

Cleverly: Boris should be more prominent in our campaign

Boris Johnson should be given a more prominent role in the Conservative general election campaign, James Cleverly has said.

The Home Secretary told Sky News’s Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge programme: “Well I’m always keen to get the whole Conservative family campaigning as hard as possible at a general election.

“So of course all the members of the party, all the people who want to see a Conservative government and want to protect the British people from the bonkers ideas that the Labour Party are putting forward, I want to see them campaign.

“Boris Johnson is a subset of everybody, yes, so in terms of the Venn diagram I would like to see everybody who is a Conservative out campaigning for the Conservative Party and that, by definition, also includes Boris Johnson.”

09:01 PM BST

Farage hoping to gatecrash Sunak-Starmer TV debates

Nigel Farage has demanded to be included in televised election debates with Sir Keir Starmer if Reform UK overtakes the Tories in the polls, reports Chief Political Correspondent Nick Gutteridge.

The Reform leader’s remarks come after his party closed the gap with the Conservatives to just two points, with pollsters predicting it will soon overtake them.

Sir Keir and the Prime Minister will face a grilling on Sky News on Wednesday, although they will appear back-to-back so won’t be on stage together.

The Labour leader will appear in a similar format of debate for The Sun on June 24, before going head-to-head with Mr Sunak in a BBC debate, hosted by Sophie Raworth on June 26.

Read the full story here.

08:47 PM BST

Watch: Best bits from Rishi Sunak’s BBC interview

08:34 PM BST

Sunak compared to quinoa salad versus Farage’s Sunday roast

Nick Robinson said Rishi Sunak was a “quinoa salad” in comparison to Nigel Farage being a “Sunday roast with all the trimmings” as he questioned the Prime Minister’s Right-wing credentials.

Mr Robinson said: “You won’t talk about Nigel Farage at all. You see, a lot of people looking at him and you, they think these Conservatives, he’s a kind of Sunday roast with all the trimmings and you’re a quinoa salad.

Mr Sunak replied: “Well, I think the policies are what matter. The substance is what matters, Nick. So let’s – I know we’re going to get into it, but you’re asking me about personalities.”

08:30 PM BST

Sunak: I am proud of the last 14 years

Rishi Sunak has insisted that he is “proud” of the Conservative Party’s record in Government since 2010.

Closing the interview, Nick Robinson said: “After 14 years, five Prime Ministers, Boris Johnson lying about parties, Liz Truss almost crashing the economy and you bunking off D-Day, after all the broken promises, you really think you deserve another chance?”

Mr Sunak answered: “I’ve been very clear in the past, no Government gets everything right, but I am proud of what has been achieved over 14 years, this election is also about the future.

“We have a clear plan, I’m prepared to take bold action to cut people’s taxes, protect their pensions, and bring migration down, and in contrast, Labour are just going to put everyone’s taxes up, that’s the choice.”

08:29 PM BST

Labour seeking election on ‘blank cheque’, warns Sunak

Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party are seeking election on a “blank cheque”, Rishi Sunak has warned.

Asked to explain why the Conservatives have earned the right to win a fifth consecutive election, the Prime Minister told Nick Robinson: “Well, we haven’t got time to go over all the things over the last 14 years, I’d point out one thing which you failed to mention on your list.

“Thanks to the Conservative education reforms, our children in this country are not just the best readers in the UK, they’re the best readers in the western world. We’ve transformed possibilities for young people because of our education reforms.

“But this election is about the future, and we have been through a tough few years, that’s undeniable, but I believe we’ve turned the corner now.

“And this election is about building on the progress that we’ve made, delivering a secure future for everyone, where their taxes are cut, their pensions are protected, migration is coming down, and we get to net zero in a more sensible way.

“That’s what I offer at this election, I’m prepared to take bold action, I’ve got a clear plan to deliver that.

“And in contrast, the Labour Party are asking for a blank cheque, they won’t tell you what they’re going to spend it on, and they won’t tell you which of your taxes are going to go up to pay for it, and that is the choice at this election.”

08:26 PM BST

Sunak: I do not sound like Liz Truss

Rishi Sunak has rejected Nick Robinson’s remark that he is “sounding very like Liz Truss”.

Mr Robinson said: “Here’s the difficulty with what you’re saying. You’re saying to the public, ‘You can have all these goodies, we’ll cut your taxes, we’ll unveil more tax cuts in our manifesto, nothing in spending has to be cut at all, that’s all increasing,’ you’re sounding very like Liz Truss, aren’t you?”

Mr Sunak replied: “No, not at all, actually. Because every one of those policies is paid essentially by two things.

“One is tax avoidance and evasion, which on average over the last 14 years has raised £6.7 billion a year, we’re only assuming that we continue to raise, so it’s a conservative estimate. And the remainder of the savings come from a reform to the welfare system.”

08:25 PM BST

We will not need to cut Government spending, Sunak insists

Rishi Sunak has ruled out any cuts to Government spending as a result of his manifesto policies.

Nick Robinson asked: “Will you be honest with people tonight, and say, ‘My Government will have to, given my plans, cut spending by a significant amount in many Government departments’?”

Mr Sunak replied: “No, that’s not what our plans show, and indeed, public spending will continue to grow, it will continue to be at record levels, it will continue to grow ahead of inflation, that’s what our plans have said of...”

Mr Robinson interjected: “That’s total Government spending. If you spend as you’re promising—”

Mr Sunak said: “No, no, no, no, Nick.”

He later added: “I’m not going to apologise for finding more efficiencies in the public sector, which, by the way, they were performing at just a few years ago, so that we don’t have to raise people’s taxes and we can continue to cut them. And that figure is also something that the independent controllers have pointed to as an opportunity for efficiency savings.”

08:23 PM BST

Sunak doubles down on £2,094 Labour tax rises figure

Rishi Sunak has doubled down on the £2,094 figure which the Conservatives have said is the total value of the tax rises that will be introduced by Labour.

The Prime Minister said: “There are 27 policies, 21 of them are costed by the Treasury, two of them are from the Labour Party themselves, three from Government sources, and one from an independent investment bank.

“You tot them all up, you divide it by the number of households and that’s how you get £2,094 for every working family in our country, and I don’t want to see that happen.”

Mr Robinson interjected: “That is an exercise carried out by Conservative researchers.”

Mr Sunak continued: “And that is what the Labour Party will do. That’s what a future Labour Government has got in store.”

08:20 PM BST

Sunak and Robinson clash over PM not being allowed to finish answer

Rishi Sunak has clashed with Nick Robinson over him not being allowed to finish an answer.

The Prime Minister was saying the pandemic and the cost of living crisis were the reason for high taxes.

Mr Sunak said: “That was the right thing to do. And, of course, it’s difficult, but right to make sure that we pay that back. That’s why...”

Mr Robinson interjected: “And you’re still paying it back.”

Mr Sunak continued: “That’s why the tax burden—”

Mr Robinson interjected: “If you get into power...”

Mr Sunak said: “Can I just ans—”

Mr Robinson interjected: “Income tax will still go up...”

Mr Sunak replied: “Can I continue? Can I answer your question?”

Mr Robinson interjected: “Year in, year out...”

Mr Sunak said: “Can I just finish answering...”

Mr Robinson interjected: “for the next few years.”

Mr Sunak replied: “The question?”

08:11 PM BST

I have not controlled Britain’s borders, Sunak admits

Rishi Sunak has admitted that he has not controlled Britain’s borders.

In a BBC interview, Nick Robinson said: “You want to talk about immigration, you said you did at the beginning, and you promised to control our borders.

“But the number of people arriving here legally under the new immigration rules, introduced after Brexit, and you campaigned vigorously for Brexit, reached a record high. Last year 685,000 extra people came here. That’s twice the population of Coventry. You didn’t control our borders, did you?”

Mr Sunak replied: “No, the numbers are too high.

“I’ve been very clear about that, but people can judge me as well on what I’ve done as prime minister, where I’ve put in place the biggest, strictest reforms to bring down immigration that we’ve seen.”

08:08 PM BST

Sunak admits waiting lists have gone up, not down

Rishi Sunak has admitted that NHS waiting lists have gone up during his time as Prime Minister.

“I’ve been very clear,” he said. “We have not made as much progress on NHS waiting lists as I would have liked, and they have risen.”

Nick Robinson interjected: “They’ve gone up, yes.”

Mr Sunak replied: “Yes. They are now coming down and after we’ve got through the industrial action and resolved it with all parts of the NHS workforce, except the junior doctors, what you have seen over the past few months is now the waiting lists are starting to fall by about 200,000 over the past few months, and if we stick to that plan, we can make more progress.”

08:04 PM BST

Interview underway as Sunak repeats plea for D-Day forgiveness

The interview is underway and Rishi Sunak has repeated his plea for forgiveness for leaving D-Day commemorations early last week.

“Well, the last thing that I wanted to do was cause anyone any hurt or offence or upset, which is why I apologised unreservedly for the mistake that I made,” he said.

“I can only ask that I hope people can find it within their hearts to forgive me and also look at my actions as prime minister to increase investment in our armed forces, to support our armed forces, but also to ensure that veterans have a minister sitting around the Cabinet table with unprecedented support to make this the best country in the world to be a veteran as a demonstration of how deeply I care about this community and what they’ve done for our country.”

07:56 PM BST

Rishi Sunak set to be grilled in BBC election interview

Rishi Sunak is set to be grilled by the BBC’s Nick Robinson in an interview that will be aired at 8pm.

The Prime Minister is the first party leader to be interviewed by Mr Robinson, who is presenting the BBC’s 30-minute Panorama Interviews.

07:45 PM BST

Sunak housing admission a ‘damning indictment’, says Rayner

Rishi Sunak’s admission that affording a first home has become harder under the Conservatives is a “damning indictment” of his party’s record in Government since 2010, Angela Rayner has said.

“Rishi Sunak’s confession that having a home of your own has got harder under the Tories is a damning indictment of 14 years of housing failure,” the deputy Labour leader said.

“Home ownership is a pipedream for young people in Britain today.

“Never once in 14 years have the Tories met their 300,000 a year housing target, and their recent decision to appease the Tory MPs on their backbenches and abolish mandatory housing targets has seen housebuilding take a nosedive.”

07:34 PM BST

Reform is committed to TUV alliance, party insists

Reform UK “remains committed” to its alliance with the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) in Northern Ireland, the party has insisted after Nigel Farage backed two Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MPs running against it.

“The Reform Party remains committed to our alliance with the TUV and candidates will be standing under our joint logo throughout Northern Ireland,” Reform said in a statement.

“Nigel Farage was giving a personal view in respect of two DUP candidates with whom he has worked closely in the past but he has not changed the policy and does not intend to do so.

“Reform remains a hundred per cent committed to the Union.”

07:02 PM BST

I would have advised Sunak to not leave D-Day early, says Cleverly

James Cleverly has said he would have advised Rishi Sunak to not leave the D-Day commemorations early last week.

The Home Secretary told LBC’s Tonight with Andrew Marr programme: “Look, if I had been there at the time, I probably would have advised him to stay.

“But the point is he recognised that that missing that final event with world leaders was the wrong thing to do. And he apologised, and he has apologised genuinely. Because he was really touched.

“I’ve spoken to him about the military. I’ve had a lot of time speaking with him, of course, when I was Foreign Secretary and I know how committed he is to the veterans’ community. In fact, I think it’s fair to say that no government has done more for veterans than the government that he leads.”

06:55 PM BST

Shadow education secretary appears confused over Labour’s nursery promises

The shadow education secretary appeared to be confused over whether the nurseries promised under Labour’s childcare reforms will be new or not.

Labour has promised to create 3,000 “new school-based nurseries” under plans announced this week, promising to accommodate 100,000 additional childcare places.

The party plans to utilise under-used and empty classrooms in England’s primary schools to house the new nurseries. It also plans to provide free breakfast clubs in England’s primary schools, with the aim of saving parents more than £400 a year and lowering absence rates.

But Bridget Phillipson appeared to suggest that some of the “new nurseries” would instead be created through the “expansion of classes” at existing sites or “the expansion of the age range” accepted within classrooms.

Read the full story from Political Reporter Genevieve Holl-Allen here.

06:47 PM BST

Shift to the Right in Europe makes me ‘uncomfortable’, says Cleverly

James Cleverly has said the shift to the Right in Sunday’s European elections makes him “uncomfortable”.

Speaking on LBC, the Home Secretary said: “What happens in Europe has a massive impact on us, I am uncomfortable with some of the political direction of travel... it’s incredibly important for sensible, thoughtful governments to make difficult decisions because otherwise we risk opening the door to more extremist parties.

“That’s why the Rwanda plan is important, to show we take their concerns about immigration seriously. If you demonstrate that, you can make a credible case for them to vote for you at an election time.”

Asked if Nigel Farage could have a similar impact in Britain, Mr Cleverly said: “I hope we don’t see the rhetoric we have seen in some European parties here in the UK.”

06:32 PM BST

Sunak: Vote for Farage, get Labour

Rishi Sunak has said a vote for Nigel Farage is a vote for the Labour Party.

In an interview on the BBC due to air at 8pm, Nick Robinson asked the Prime Minister: “Isn’t your problem that many conservatives think he is more of a Conservative than you are?”

Mr Sunak replied: “Well at the end of the day, on July 5, there is only going to be one person that’s Prime Minister, it’s Keir Starmer...”

Mr Robinson interjected: “And I’m asking about Nigel Farage.”

Mr Sunak then continued: “And I’m answering your question. So the choice for everybody, there’s only going to be one person who is Prime Minister, Keir Starmer or myself. A vote for anyone who is not a Conservative candidate is just making it more likely that Keir Starmer is that person.”

06:24 PM BST

‘Spoiled child’ Farage should not be allowed to join Tories, says Cleverly

The Home Secretary has said Nigel Farage is a “spoiled child” who should not be allowed to join the Conservative Party.

James Cleverly made the remarks a day after Suella Braverman, his predecessor in the Home Office, said the Reform UK leader should be embraced by the Tories.

“Nigel’s made it very clear that he wants to destroy the Conservative Party and I don’t embrace people that want to destroy my party,” Mr Cleverly told Times Radio.

He added: “I disregard much of what Nigel says. He’s a showman. He likes getting attention. He does things and says things. So broadcasters like you ask serious politicians like me questions like this.

“And the bottom line is I’m not going to play Nigel’s game. He does these things to get attention. And just like a spoiled child, I don’t think he should be rewarded for doing so.”

06:16 PM BST

We will keep cutting taxes, Sunak vows

The Conservative manifesto will include further tax cuts when it is released on Tuesday, Rishi Sunak has said.

The Prime Minister told the BBC in an interview with Nick Robinson due to air at 8pm: “We’re going to keep cutting people’s taxes. You’ll see that in our manifesto tomorrow.”

Mr Sunak added that day-to-day government spending would increase ahead of inflation, that the manifesto would be “fully funded and costed” and that clamping down on tax avoidance would raise £6 billion.

06:12 PM BST

Affording a home has become harder under the Tories, Sunak admits

It has become harder to afford a home under the Conservatives, Rishi Sunak has admitted.

In the first teaser clip from his interview with the BBC’s Nick Robinson, which airs in full at 8pm, the Prime Minister said: “It has got harder and I want to make sure it is easier.

“And what we will do is not just build homes in the right places and do that in a way that is sensitive to local communities, but make sure that we support young people into great jobs so they can save for that deposit.”

05:59 PM BST

TUV leader condemns Farage for backing DUP candidates

The leader of Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) has condemned Nigel Farage after he backed two Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) candidates in contravention of an election pact between Reform UK and the TUV.

“TUV entered an electoral arrangement with Reform UK in good faith,” Jim Allister said. “We have kept faith with that agreement.

“The comments by Mr Farage today are, of course, disappointing and not compatible with the content of a conversation I had with him last week.

“The endorsement that TUV seeks in this election is that of ordinary voters who know who has from the start told them the truth about the union-dismantling protocol, while the DUP tried to hoodwink them with false claims that they had got rid of the Irish Sea border.”

Mr Farage said earlier that he personally endorsed Ian Paisley and Sammy Wilson for re-election, despite them running against TUV candidates.

05:54 PM BST

‘All marriage plans are off’ says Farage as he rejects calls to rejoin Tories

Nigel Farage has said “all marriage plans are off” as he rejected Suella Braverman’s calls for him to rejoin the Conservative Party.

The Reform leader insisted he would not join the Conservatives “at the moment” after the former home secretary declared that she would “welcome” him into the Tory fold.

Mrs Braverman insisted the Tories and Reform had to find a way to work together in the future amid forecasts that the popularity of Mr Farage’s party could cost the Conservatives dozens of seats.

But when asked about her remarks on Monday, Mr Farage told the PA news agency: “Well, look, I mean Suella Braverman said I should rejoin the Conservatives because our policies are very similar. I don’t think so, I don’t think so.”

Read the full story from Political Correspondent Dominic Penna here.

05:41 PM BST

I never want to be Prime Minister, Rayner insists

Angela Rayner has insisted that she “never, never, never” wants to be Prime Minister.

She told The News Agents: “No, I would be absolutely honoured to be Deputy Prime Minister.

“To take the girl from a council estate, who was told she’d never amount to anything, to give me the opportunity to roll up my sleeves and to make that change as a Deputy Prime Minister in the country, it would be like a dream come true.”

She added: “No, never, never, never. I know that Keir will be a fantastic Prime Minister. And what we’ve had, this self-indulgence, this putting themselves in the party before country that is not Keir.

“Keir is absolutely focused on making sure we can make that change. And you get that, everyone who speaks to him must see what I see. And that is that there’s a guy there, who wants to do his best by the country. And I will be absolutely honoured to be his Deputy Prime Minister and to help out with that.”

05:30 PM BST

Rayner: ‘Misogyny and classism a theme’ of council house tax row

Angela Rayner has said misogyny and classism were “very much a theme” of the row over whether she paid the correct tax on the sale of her former council house.

The deputy leader of the Labour Party told The News Agents: “I think there’s been quite a bit of classism as well. I think misogyny and classism have been very much a theme.

“You only have to see the way in which I’m described, and you see some of the trolls, I’m used to that.

“I’m not a guy from Eton in a smart suit. I’m a girl from a council estate, and I’ve had to prove my worth. And that’s okay. I don’t mind proving it. And I’ll always keep making sure that I do my homework because I never want to let people down.

“I don’t want them to think that working-class people in this country are thick, or they don’t know what they’re talking about.”

05:21 PM BST

Tory campaign running out of money, says Osborne

The Conservative election campaign is running out of money, George Osborne has said.

The former Chancellor told his Political Currency podcast with Ed Balls: “The truth is they are short of money, shorter than they thought. They’re behind their targets, a couple of million pounds behind where they thought they would be.

“And that’s partly of course, the early election sort of caught the treasurer’s department by surprise as well.

“And as they’ve been calling people up, people who would have donated £100,000 are saying, well, I’ll give you £50,000. Or if they were going to give £50,000, they’re giving £25,000.”

He added: “The Conservatives have become very dependent on a few very rich individuals giving very large donations. So they’re extremely vulnerable to one person saying I’m not giving the £5 million that I promised you. So they are short of money. They haven’t run out of money.”

05:10 PM BST

Mercer attacks Reform candidate’s WWII remarks

Johnny Mercer has attacked Reform UK candidate Ian Gribbin for saying Britain should have been neutral against Adolf Hitler in the Second World War.

“The suggestion from a Reform spokesman that Britain would have been better off accepting the Nazis’ squalid offer of neutrality instead of standing against them is shameful and shows a shocking lack of judgement,” the veterans’ affairs minister said.

“These comments ignore the millions murdered by the Nazis in their bid for European domination and the ultimate sacrifice paid by the men and women who stood up to Hitler in our darkest hour.

“Misusing appeasement to justify Nazi apologism is disgraceful and comments like this are deeply troubling coming from a political party.”

05:01 PM BST

Lib Dems rule out working with Farage to bring in PR

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper has ruled out working with Reform leader Nigel Farage to campaign for proportional representation (PR) in the next parliament.

The party’s newly launched manifesto pledges to “introduce proportional representation for electing MPs, and local councillors in England”, in a bid to “shift power out of the centre in Westminster and Whitehall so local decisions are made by and for the people and communities they affect.”

The pledge echoes Farage’s repeated statements on the unfairness of the first past the post system, which could see Reform get a larger vote share than the Conservatives on July 4 – but just a handful of seats.

Asked by Camilla Tominey, host of the Daily T podcast, whether she would campaign alongside Mr Farage on the issue, Ms Cooper said: “Liberal Democrats have supported proportional representation for decades and decades and decades. It’s in our manifesto and I think any form of proportional representation would be better than the system that we have.

“Quite frankly, there’s nothing that Nigel Farage stands for in terms of his values that I share apart from perhaps this one issue. (But), no, I can’t imagine working with Nigel Farage on this. If he wants to make the case of PR, he can do that, but we’ll make our own case for it as well.”

You can listen to the Daily T podcast, hosted by Camilla and Kamal Ahmed, here.

04:44 PM BST

Reform candidate withdraws ‘Britain should have been neutral against Hitler’ remark

A Reform UK has apologised and withdrawn a remark in which he said Britain should have been neutral against Adolf Hitler in the Second World War.

Ian Gribbin, who is standing in Bexhill and Battle in East Sussex, said in 2022 that Britain would be “far better” if it had “taken Hitler up on his offer of neutrality”.

A party spokesman earlier on Monday said Mr Gribbin’s argument was “probably true” and that he was not making an “endorsement, just pointing out conveniently forgotten truths”.

Mr Gribbin said: “I apologise for these old comments and withdraw them unreservedly and the upset that they have caused.

“I myself are upset at the way these comments were taken out of context especially when my mother was the daughter of Russian Jews fleeing persecution.”

04:32 PM BST

Farage endorses DUP candidates despite TUV alliance

Nigel Farage has personally endorsed two Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) candidates in Northern Ireland despite his party’s alliance with rival party Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV).

Mr Farage said he backed Ian Paisley and Sammy Wilson, who in turn said it showed Reform UK’s ties with the TUV were “non-existent”. Mr Paisley is standing against TUV leader Jim Allister in North Antrim.

The Reform leader said: “Well, new leadership brings change. I wish the TUV well, but I’m gonna stand up to support Sammy Wilson and Ian Paisley as people I fought with all through the Brexit years.”

Mr Paisley and Mr Wilson said: “It is time that TUV stopped trying to fool the voters by using Reform UK branding and logos when it is clear that the leader of Reform UK is not supporting TUV. It’s time for TUV to drop the Reform UK branding.”

Reform is not standing candidates in Northern Ireland and formed a pact where it endorsed the TUV’s candidates in March during Richard Tice’s leadership.

04:15 PM BST

I did not put myself before party, Ross insists

Douglas Ross has denied putting himself before his party after announcing he was quitting as leader of the Scottish Conservatives but would run for a Westminster seat at the general election.

Asked if he changed his plans to quit the Commons because he saw the “juicy seat” of Aberdeenshire North and Moray East become available, he told Sky News: “I don’t think anyone looking at me announcing that I’m standing down as leader would necessarily come to that conclusion.

“What I am doing today is taking a decision reflecting on comments made by colleagues and others to focus fully on the people of Aberdeenshire North and Moray East.

“It takes in part of my old constituency that I represented from 2017 until just a few weeks ago as a Member of Parliament for Moray and it also includes communities that I represented either as a councillor, MSP or MP since 2007.

“So for 17 years I have represented part of this seat and it would be a huge honour and privilege to continue to be a representative for that area.”

04:03 PM BST

In pictures: Davey rides rollercoaster

03:51 PM BST

Tory manifesto will not include inheritance tax cut

Inheritance tax will not be cut or abolished in the Conservative Party election manifesto despite pressure from senior MPs, multiple Tory campaign insiders have told The Telegraph.

Failure to promise a change would effectively bring to an end a year of serious consideration inside No 10 and No 11 about whether to act on inheritance tax.

Action was weighed up for the Autumn Statement in 2023 and the Budget in spring 2024, when National Insurance (NI) cuts were announced instead, as well as for this manifesto.

There has been considerable public pressure from Tories for inheritance tax to be cut in recent weeks, with some arguing it would create a simple tax dividing line with the Labour Party.

Read the full story from Political Editor Ben Riley-Smith here.

03:39 PM BST

Labour will not ‘bring back austerity’

The Labour Party will not bring back austerity, Jonathan Ashworth has said.

The shadow paymaster general told a central London press conference: “The days of austerity are not returning with a Labour government.

“As you know, we are never going to play fast and loose with the public finances.”

He added: “We know we’re going to have to make tough choices, we’re under no illusions about that.

“That is because we are inheriting an economic mess the public finances have been wrecked under the Conservatives, as you know, and that will be our inheritance should we be fortunate enough to form a government.”

03:30 PM BST

Ashworth does not rule out tuition fee rises

Shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth did also not rule out Labour increasing university tuition fees.

Asked the question at a central London press conference, he said: “I’m talking about the Conservatives’ tax and spend policy…

“You’ll see in our manifesto later this week what we have to say on that front, but every single commitment we put forward to the British public will be fully costed.

“We’ll explain where the money is coming from, unlike the Conservatives who are trying to spend money they cannot find from savings they cannot identify because the money is simply not there.”

03:26 PM BST

Ashworth does not rule out Labour borrowing to pay for manifesto

Jonathan Ashworth evaded the question when asked if Labour would pay for its manifesto through borrowing.

Speaking at a central London press conference, the shadow paymaster general said: “Let me absolutely clear about our plans. We will always put sound public finances first.

“We have seen what happened with the Conservatives when they played fast and loose with the public finances. It means working people across the country are now paying more on their mortgage.

“Every single commitment that we put forward on our manifesto will be fully funded and fully costed and you will know where every penny piece of the investment is coming from.”

The Labour manifesto will be launched on Thursday.

03:22 PM BST

Labour declines to rule out raising capital gains tax if elected

The Labour Party has declined to rule out raising capital gains tax if it wins the general election.

When asked at a press conference on Monday if increasing the tax would be used to fund Labour’s manifesto, Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow paymaster general, did not deny it.

“Under a Labour government, there will be no increase in income tax, no increase in national insurance, no increase in VAT,” he said. “Nothing in our plans requires additional tax to be raised.

“We will be straight with the British public. Every commitment we make in our manifesto will be fully funded and fully costed. You’ll know where the money is coming from.

“We’ve been clear, as I say, nothing in our plans requires additional tax to be raised.”

03:18 PM BST

IFS questions Lib Dem tax sums

The Liberal Democrats’ tax sums have been questioned by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

The party has claimed it would raise £27 billion through taxes on banks, energy companies and technology giants.

Paul Johnson, the think tank’s director, said the apparently “victimless” taxes would actually create a more challenging fiscal environment for business.

“They propose a top-up of day-to-day spending plans to be funded by some big tax increases, on top of those currently in the pipeline,” he said.

“We are already raising more from taxing companies than at any time in decades. Moreover, there are clear risks that their package of tax measures would not raise the £27 billion a year that they claim.

“And some of the tax-raising measures are an economically bad idea. We should not, for example, be taxing share buybacks.”

03:14 PM BST

Sunak has lost £1m an hour to benefit fraud as PM, claims Labour

The Labour Party has claimed that Rishi Sunak has lost £1 million to benefit fraud every hour since he became Prime Minister in October 2022.

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow paymaster general, said: “They claim they will tackle benefit fraud. Let me take you through the numbers on benefit fraud.

“Overpayments due to fraud and error have risen from £4.5 billion in 2019/20 to £9.7 billion in the latest figures.

“Rishi Sunak has lost a million pounds to benefit fraud and error every hour he’s been Prime Minister.

“So not only is the money not there, the DWP are actively losing money to fraud.”

03:07 PM BST

Tory manifesto ‘most expensive panic attack in history’

The Conservative manifesto will be the “most expensive panic attack in history” when it is unveiled on Tuesday, Labour has said.

Speaking at a press conference in central London, Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow paymaster general, said: “Tomorrow you will see a document littered with unfunded commitment after unfunded commitment, a desperate wish list, the most expensive panic attack in history.

“From a weak, desperate prime minister who, in the chaotic scattergun of announcements which he has made in his campaign to date, has not even bothered to make his sums add up.”

He added: “The Tory sums do not add up. The money is simply not there.”

Labour will release its own manifesto on Thursday.

03:00 PM BST

Watch: Davey rides rollercoaster after Lib Dem manifesto launch

02:55 PM BST

Kwarteng: Farage’s return ‘existential’ for Conservatives

Nigel Farage’s return to lead Reform UK is an “existential crisis” for the Conservatives, former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has said.

Speaking to Andrew Neil on Times Radio, Mr Kwarteng said: “Farage coming out with what he said last week, in terms of standing for a seat, that has accelerated their support and that’s what’s turned this into an existential crisis for the Conservatives.

“I think people were anticipating a defeat along the lines of ‘97 – 160, 170 seats – but the MRP polling that we’re seeing now is far worse than 160 seats and the reason for that, I would suggest, is partly largely due to the increase in the Reform voting intention.

“I’ve been a candidate in five general elections. This one would have been my sixth and this is by far the toughest election we’ve had since ‘97, by far and it’s unprecedented really to win from a deficit of an average of 20 per cent down in the polls.

“So realistically, I think it’s likely, not a certainty. I’m not saying it’s prejudged but I’m saying it’s likely that we may be facing a period of opposition.”

02:46 PM BST

Former Reform candidate backs Tory ex-minister

A former Reform UK candidate has backed a Tory ex-minister in the seat where he was due to stand.

Charlie Thompson said he was supporting Sir Simon Clarke, the former housing secretary, who said Mr Thompson “had been set to stand” against him in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.

“The reason being he stands for the same values that I and many Reform supporters do,” said Mr Thompson, who was an unsuccessful local election candidate for Reform in 2023.

But Mr Thompson was not listed on nomination papers for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland when they were published on June 7, meaning Reform had not actually put him forward for the election.

The news comes two days after Tom Wellings, Reform’s candidate in Stone, Great Wryly and Penkridge in Staffordshire, withdrew from the race and endorsed Sir Gavin Williamson.

02:31 PM BST

Davey vows ‘full compensation’ for Post Office scandal in Lib Dem manifesto

Sir Ed Davey has vowed in the Liberal Democrat manifesto to give “full and fair compensations to all victims of the Horizon Post Office scandal”.

The party leader, who was postal affairs minister from 2010 to 2012 and will give evidence to the Horizon inquiry on July 18, has faced heavy criticism in recent months for not doing more to help wrongly convicted sub-postmasters.

The 116-page Lib Dem manifesto includes a pledge to “ensure justice for the victims of scandals and prevent future scandals”.

The party has also committed to “providing full and fair compensation to all victims of the Horizon Post Office scandal and the Infected Blood scandal as quickly as possible”.

Hundreds of sub-postmasters are still awaiting compensation despite the Government announcing that those who have had convictions quashed are eligible for £600,000 payouts.

02:18 PM BST

The Lib Dem manifesto at a glance

Europe: The Lib Dems would seek to take the UK back into the EU single market.

Economy: A new National Food Strategy would be introduced to tackle rising food prices. Energy bills would be cut through an upgrade programme.

Environment: Water companies would be transformed into “public benefit companies” and bonuses for bosses would be banned until sewage leaks have ended.

Health: Everyone in England would have the right to see a GP within seven days or 24 hours if there is an urgent need. A total of £9.4bn extra would be invested in the NHS and social care.

Pensions: The triple lock would be maintained - the same pledge made by the Tories and Labour.

Education: The manifesto pledges to increase school and college funding per pupil “above the rate of inflation every year”.

Housing: 10 new garden cities would be built as part of a plan to build 380,000 new homes a year across the UK.

Political reform: The first past the post voting system would be replaced by proportional representation.

02:09 PM BST

Tories: Vote for Lib Dems is vote to put Starmer in No 10

Richard Holden, the chairman of the Conservative Party, claimed a vote for the Lib Dems would help to put Sir Keir Starmer into No 10 Downing Street.

Responding to the Lib Dems’ manifesto launch, Mr Holden said: “A vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote to put Sir Keir Starmer in Downing Street.

“Everyone would pay the price for that, taking families back to square one with £2,094 of higher taxes, a Retirement Tax on pensioners and a VAT raid on private schools driving higher class sizes in state schools across Britain.

“Only Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives have a clear plan and will deliver the bold action needed in this uncertain world to secure the future of Britain.”

02:03 PM BST

Telegraph readers weigh in on Reform tax plans

Nigel Farage and Richard Tice set out their plans for the UK economy this morning as they reiterated Reform’s pledge to increase the income tax threshold to £20,000.

Telegraph readers have been delivering their verdict on the party’s plans in the comments section of today’s live blog:

02:01 PM BST

Farage will move to Clacton if he wins seat

Nigel Farage said he will move to Clacton, the seat he is standing in at the general election, if he wins on July 4 but he does not expect to be there “full time”.

The Reform UK leader told reporters: “Yes, of course, I will have to move to the constituency and spend a considerable amount of time there.

“It doesn’t mean living there full time because if I am leader of this party for the next five years I won’t be at home very much at all.”

01:54 PM BST

Lib Dems plan 500pc council tax increase on second homes

The Liberal Democrats would allow local authorities to increase council tax by up to 500 per cent on second homes.

Launching the party’s manifesto, titled For A Fair Deal, in central London on Monday, the party said it would give councils new powers to “control second homes and short-term lets” in their areas.

It added it would allow councils to increase council tax “by up to 500 per cent where homes are being bought as second homes, with a stamp duty surcharge on overseas residents purchasing such properties”.

You can read the full story here. 

01:23 PM BST

Telegraph readers respond to Lib Dem manifesto launch

Sir Ed Davey launched the Liberal Democrats’ general election manifesto this morning and it included a pledge to rejoin the EU single market and a promise to crackdown on second homes.

Telegraph readers have been delivering their verdict on the policy offering in today’s comments section:

01:07 PM BST

Reform will offer Tory MPs chance to defect after election, says Farage

Nigel Farage said he would extend an offer to Tory MPs to defect to Reform after the party secures an “electoral beachhead” on July 4.

Asked about what is likely to happen to the Tories should they lose the election, the Reform leader said: “If you think that the last four years has seen the Conservatives engage in a very public civil war, I would suggest to you that after the election that they are going to lose heavily, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

“I can’t even imagine the level of recrimination that the level is going to descend into.

“Therefore the answer is quite straightforward. Once we have established the electoral beachhead for Reform in the House of Commons then of course I will say to Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick we would love to have you in our party, we look forward to it very much indeed.”

01:02 PM BST

Lib Dem pledge to rejoin EU single market doomed to fail, says Farage

A Lib Dem pledge to rejoin the EU single market “isn’t going to happen”, Nigel Farage said.

The Reform leader said there was “no way” that Sir Keir Starmer would agree to such a move under any potential post-election deal between Labour and the Lib Dems.

Mr Farage said: “You can see their logic. You rejoin the single market, you then say to people ‘ah, but they are making rules over which we have no say, therefore we have to rejoin’.

“This is an attempt to get us to rejoin, it isn’t going to happen. There is no way that Starmer would even dare attempt to overturn the constitutional settlement but we are going to be tied even more closely than we are now to EU rules for the next five years.”

12:59 PM BST

Reform to launch ‘contract with the people’ next Monday

Nigel Farage said Reform will set out its “contract with the people” in full next Monday.

He said: “We are doing part of what we see as our contract with the people today. Next Monday we will do a full launch.

“We won’t call it a manifesto because in most people’s minds manifesto equals lie.”

12:53 PM BST

Tories are ‘waking up and smelling the coffee’ on Reform threat, says Farage

Nigel Farage said Tory attacks on him showed Conservative candidates were “waking up and smelling the coffee”.

The Reform leader said: “I’ve seen various other attacks on me over the course of the last couple of days coming from Conservative MPs, even people that I sided with during the Brexit fight.

“I think they are slowly but surely waking up and smelling the coffee. They are realising that many of their longest term and - as they would have seen it - most loyal supporters say ‘enough is enough’.

“And they are accepting the line that Labour have won already so you may as well vote for something that you actually believe in and have the hope of building some coherent policy direction for the next five years.”

12:49 PM BST

Farage rejects Braverman’s claim

Nigel Farage rejected Suella Braverman’s claim that there was “not much difference” between his policies and those of the Conservatives.

The Reform leader said: “I had my cup of tea ready for the 5.30 news on the BBC this morning and I actually spat quite a lot of it down my dressing gown when I heard her saying that our policies weren’t very different.

“Really? Really? Have a think about this. One in 30 people walking along the streets in this country... have come into Britain have come into Britain in the last two years.

“Is that the sort of policy she thinks that I support? The tax burden is the highest it has been since 1948. How she can say that I don’t know.”

12:43 PM BST

Tice: Bank of England should not pay interest on its reserves

Richard Tice said Reform’s tax plans could be paid for by stopping the Bank of England from having to pay interest on the reserves it holds.

He said he believed that zero interest should be paid on the reserves and that money could be repurposed to pay for help for struggling families.

12:36 PM BST

Farage: Reform membership ‘up 15,000 in six days’

Nigel Farage said Reform UK’s membership had increased by 15,000 in the last six days and donations to the party were also rising.

The Reform leader said that the party’s financial situation was “easing”.

Concluding his opening remarks at a press conference in central London: “We are very happy with where we are placed. I still believe we will get more votes across the country than the Conservative Party.

“In fact, their ability to implode further from here, I really wouldn’t be surprised if that didn’t happen.”

12:27 PM BST

Reform UK close to ‘tipping point’ in race to overtake Tories, says Farage

Nigel Farage said Reform UK was ahead of the Conservative Party in many parts of the country and he believed a “tipping point” could be close.

The Reform leader said: “We may be just a bit closer to a tipping point than many realise. If you take the YouGov poll of last week where we were prompted and we came out at 17 per cent, if you take out London and you take out Scotland, you get a very interesting picture.

“We are ahead of the Conservatives in the north east, right now. We are ahead of the Conservatives in the north west, right now. We are ahead of the Conservatives in Yorkshire and the Humber, right now.”

12:23 PM BST

Reform leader: ‘We have got momentum’

Nigel Farage said Reform has now “got momentum”.

He said: “My word of the day is momentum. We have got momentum. I have absolutely no doubt about it. Whether it is walking through streets in Essex yesterday or even walking through the streets of central London today.

“Millions of people yesterday, whether at their family breakfasts or wherever else they went on their Sundays, were having a conversation about Reform.”

12:19 PM BST

UK is ‘skint’, says Farage

Nigel Farage said the UK is “skint” and must take steps to bring down the national debt.

Speaking at a press conference in central London, the Reform leader said: “We need to face up to one or two realities. We are skint. And it is getting worse. And at some point in time we may even have trouble issuing gilts, issuing government bonds unless the market sees that we have got some solutions.

“And that is why the only way out is growth and I think what Richard has just set out, in particular putting up the tax threshold to £20,000 would be a very, very big step in the right direction.”

12:17 PM BST

Farage blasts lack of debate on size of UK national debt

Nigel Farage is now addressing a Reform press conference in central London.

The Reform leader said that the national debt has not been mentioned by either Labour or the Tories during the general election campaign.

He said that when the Tories took power in 2010 the national debt was about £1 trillion but it is now north of £2.7 trillion, with debt payments now in the region of £90 billion - the same as what the UK spends on education.

12:13 PM BST

Reform pledges to lift VAT threshold for small businesses

Richard Tice said Reform would lift the VAT threshold for small businesses from £90,000 to £150,000.

The Reform chairman said this change would make a “real difference” to small businesses.

12:09 PM BST

Reform would increase income tax threshold to £20,000, says Tice

Richard Tice said Reform would increase the threshold at which people start paying income tax to £20,000.

This would benefit the average person by about £1,500 a year, he said.

The Reform chairman said the change would also mean that seven million people would be taken out of paying income tax altogether.

12:04 PM BST

Households ‘suffocating’ under high taxes, says Tice

Richard Tice said many families are “struggling to breath” under the weight of high levels of taxation.

Speaking at a press conference in central London, the Reform chairman said the focus should be on “reducing taxes because the truth is that British households, all of us, we are literally suffocating under the levels of high taxation that have increased under this Tory government over the last 14 years”.

He said that cutting taxes would help to “dig ourselves out of this hole” of low growth. He argued you have to “grow your way out of a crisis”.

11:49 AM BST

Coming up: Farage to unveil Reform’s economic policies

Sir Ed Davey has just concluded the Lib Dems’ manifesto launch and the next big thing today will be Nigel Farage unveiling some of Reform UK’s economic policies.

The Reform leader will be on his feet at a press conference in central London just after noon.

11:44 AM BST

Sunak on Douglas Ross: ‘I respect his decision’

Rishi Sunak said he respected Douglas Ross’s decision to quit as Scottish Conservatives leader after the general election on July 4 (see the post below at 9.51).

The Prime Minister told broadcasters: “You can read Douglas’s statement about his reasons and I respect his decision.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with him over the time that I’ve been Prime Minister, he has been a steadfast champion of the union.”

11:38 AM BST

Sunak did not consider resigning in wake of D-Day row

Rishi Sunak said he had not considered quitting ahead of the election, amid the fallout over his early departure from D-Day commemorations.

The Prime Minister vowed to carry on “until the last day of this campaign” as he sought to dampen rumours that he might resign ahead of polling day on July 4.

Criticism of his early exit from the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings dogged Mr Sunak over the weekend, when he kept a low profile and avoided questions from reporters.

He was campaigning in West Sussex this morning, where he said that he would not stop “fighting for the future of our country”.

Asked whether resigning had crossed his mind, Mr Sunak told broadcasters during a visit to the Dog and Bacon pub in Horsham: “No, of course not. I’m energised about the vision that we’re putting forward for the country.

“This campaign is not even halfway through yet, and I’m finding enormous amount of support for the policies that we’re putting on the table.”

11:34 AM BST

Lib Dems promise crackdown on second homes

The Lib Dems would allow local authorities to increase council tax by up to 500 per cent on second homes, writes Amy Gibbons. 

The party’s manifesto states that it would give councils new powers to “control second homes and short-term lets” in their areas by “allowing them to increase council tax by up to 500 per cent where homes are being bought as second homes, with a stamp duty surcharge on overseas residents purchasing such properties”.

It would also create “a new planning class for these properties”.

11:32 AM BST

Lib Dems want UK ‘back at the heart of Europe’, says Sir Ed Davey

Sir Ed Davey said he believed the UK needed to be “back at the heart of Europe” as he was asked about the Lib Dems’ pledge to take the nation back into the EU single market.

He told reporters after launching the party’s manifesto: “We have made clear time and again that we are a pro-European party who believe that our country’s interests are best served by working with other countries in the mutual benefit.

“And as we say on that page [in the manifesto] we believe in the long term we need to be back at the heart of Europe.

“But we are being really clear that we are not going to pretend that is going to be easy. Regrettably the Conservative Party have so poisoned Britain’s relationship with our nearest neighbours, our allies, they have undermined trust and when I speak to European politicians, regrettably they don’t trust the United kIngdom any more and how sad is that?”

11:26 AM BST

Sir Ed Davey urges voters to back Lib Dems’ offer of ‘fair deal’ on July 4

Sir Ed Davey said there was a “fair deal that runs throughout our manifesto”.

Concluding his remarks at the party’s manifesto launch, the Lib Dem leader said: “That is the fair deal that Liberal Democrats are fighting for and at this election every vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote to make that fair deal happen.”

11:23 AM BST

Sir Ed Davey vows to fix ‘broken relationship’ with Europe

Turning to foreign policy, Sir Ed Davey said the Liberal Democrats would fix “our broken relationship with Europe, rebuilding the ties of trade and friendship, boosting our economy and restoring Britain’s role on the world stage”.

He also said his party would push to replace the first past the post voting system with a system of proportional representation.

He said he wanted to “transform the nature of British politics itself” by “ending first past the post and replacing it with fair votes through proportional representation”.

11:20 AM BST

Lib Dems vow to reform capital gains tax

The Lib Dems have vowed to “fairly” reform capital gains tax, to “close loopholes exploited by the super wealthy”.

The party would also increase the digital services tax on social media firms and other tech giants from 2 per cent to 6 per cent, writes Amy Gibbons. 

In their manifesto, the Lib Dems said they would introduce a 4 per cent tax on the share buyback schemes of FTSE-100 listed companies, to “incentivise productive investment, job creation and economic growth”.

And they would reverse Tory tax cuts for “big banks” by restoring the bank surcharge and bank levy revenues to 2016 levels in real terms.

11:19 AM BST

Sir Ed Davey unveils manifesto to ‘save the NHS’

Sir Ed Davey said the Liberal Democrats’ manifesto was a “manifesto to save the NHS”.

He told activists at an event in central London: “We are putting forward a bold, ambitious and fully costed plan to tackle the health and care crisis from top to bottom.

“This is a manifesto to save the NHS.”

Sir Ed said the Lib Dems would give people the right to see a GP within seven days or 24 hours in an emergency.

11:15 AM BST

Sir Ed Davey: NHS and social care are ‘in crisis’

Sir Ed Davey started his manifesto launch speech by speaking about his experience of caring for his mother when he was a teenager.

The Lib Dem leader said: “The truth is that unless we properly value care, unless we properly support carers, we wil;l never be able to fix the crisis in our NHS or get our economy back on track.”

“There is no doubt that both the NHS and care are in crisis,” he added.

11:10 AM BST

Lib Dems pledge to reform gender recognition process

The Lib Dems have pledged to recognise non-binary identities in law and remove the requirement for trans people to produce medical reports when changing their gender, writes Amy Gibbons. 

In its general election manifesto, launched today, the party said it would respect and defend the rights of people of “all sexual orientations and gender identities, including trans and non-binary people”.

The manifesto states that the Lib Dems will: “Reform the gender recognition process to remove the requirement for medical reports, recognise non-binary identities in law, and remove the spousal veto.”

The party also said it would require large employers to monitor and publish data on gender, ethnicity, disability and LGBT+ employment levels, pay gaps and progression, and publish five-year aspirational diversity targets.

And it would ban “all forms of conversion therapies and practices”.

11:05 AM BST

Lib Dems pledge to take UK back into EU single market

The Liberal Democrats have pledged in their general election manifesto to take the UK back into the EU single market.

The document states: “Finally, once ties of trust and friendship have been renewed, and the damage the Conservatives have caused to trade between the UK and EU has begun to be repaired, we would aim to place the UK-EU relationship on a more formal and stable footing by seeking to join the single market.”

10:54 AM BST

Lib Dem manifesto slogan: ‘For A Fair Deal’

The Liberal Democrats’ 2024 general election manifesto has the slogan: “For A Fair Deal.”

Sir Ed Davey will be on his feet to launch the document just after 11am.

10:44 AM BST

Starmer slaps down Thornberry over class sizes

Sir Keir Starmer has slapped down Emily Thornberry after she suggested Labour’s plan to impose VAT on private school fees could lead to larger class sizes in the state sector.

Asked if the shadow attorney general was wrong to say that class sizes might grow, the Labour leader told broadcasters this morning: “Yes. We’ve had the analysis by the IFS [Institute for Fiscal Studies] on this which says that there will be a negligible impact, so we’re very confident about that.”

10:36 AM BST

Sunak on Farage comments: ‘I’m not going to get involved in that’

Rishi Sunak said “I don’t think it’s good for our politics” if he commented on Nigel Farage’s suggestion that the Prime Minister does not understand “our culture”.

The Reform UK leader made the comment in his attack on Mr Sunak for leaving the D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations in Normandy early.

Asked what he made of Mr Farage’s remarks, the Prime Minister told reporters on a campaign visit to West Sussex: “You can ask him. I can’t speak for him and what he meant by those comments.

“I’m not going to get involved in that because I don’t think it’s good for our politics, or indeed our country.”

10:34 AM BST

Sunak ‘not really interested in Reform’

Rishi Sunak said he is “not really interested in Reform” and instead was focused on dividing lines with Labour as he was questioned about ex-home secretary Suella Braverman’s call to welcome Nigel Farage into the Conservative Party.

Mrs Braverman said there was not “much difference really” between the Reform UK leader’s policies and the Tories’.

Speaking during a campaign visit to West Sussex, the Prime Minister told reporters: “Look, I’m not really interested in Reform, quite frankly. I’m interested in delivering for the British people with the agenda that I’m setting out.

“The big difference here is between us and the Labour Party – that’s the choice at this election. Only Keir Starmer or I are going to be prime minister on July 5, so everyone should just think about that.”

He also said: “A vote for anyone who is not a Conservative candidate is just a vote to put Keir Starmer in power, and that’s the simple reality of it.”

10:32 AM BST

Sunak insists general election result is not ‘foregone conclusion’

Rishi Sunak has faced questions about rumours he might quit as Prime Minister before polling day.

“People are gonna say what they’re gonna say,” he told reporters on the campaign trail in West Sussex.

“I am very confident in the actions that we’re putting forward for the British people. I’m confident they will deliver a more secure future for people. There are lots of people who want to write me off, write this off, say this campaign or the election is a foregone conclusion.

“They’ve been saying that, by the way, ever since I’ve got this job, right? Not since this election campaign.”

Mr Sunak added: “The reality is I’m not going to stop going, I’m not going to stop fighting for people’s votes, I’m not going to stop fighting for the future of our country.

“I believe in what we are doing deeply. I think our country is at an important moment, we’re at a crossroads, and that’s why I called this election because, having restored economic stability, this is the moment to really think about how we can deliver a more secure future for everyone.”

10:31 AM BST

Pictured: Starmer and Phillipson visit a nursery in Nuneaton

10:25 AM BST

Coming up: Sir Ed Davey to launch Lib Dem manifesto

Sir Ed Davey will launch the Liberal Democrats’ general election manifesto at an event in central London at 11am.

Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, will then hold a press conference at noon, also in London, to set out his party’s economic policies.

10:23 AM BST

Shadow schools minister can’t say how many pupils are in private schools

Labour’s shadow schools minister was unable to say how many pupils are currently in private schools in the UK.

Catherine McKinnell was grilled on the subject during an interview on LBC this morning with presenter Nick Ferrari.

Mr Ferrari pushed for an answer and Ms McKinnell replied: “I don’t have that exact figure to hand right now.”

The answer to the question is about 600,000.

10:13 AM BST

Pictured: Sunak serves tea and cake to journalists at garden centre in Crawley

10:07 AM BST

Sunak pledges to put 8,000 more bobbies on the beat

Rishi Sunak has pledged to recruit an extra 8,000 bobbies on the beat to tackle car thefts, burglaries and anti-social behaviour.

The officers will be specifically dedicated to neighbourhood policing to ensure that people feel safe in their areas.

You can read the full story here. 

09:51 AM BST

Douglas Ross to quit as Scottish Tory leader

Douglas Ross has announced he will stand down as the leader of the Scottish Conservatives after the general election.

He said in a statement issued this morning:

09:46 AM BST

Feeling less safe on streets ‘partly because of social media’, suggests minister

People may not feel safer on the streets because social media amplifies the impact of crime more than ever, Chris Philp has suggested.

Asked whether he believed people feel safer now than when the Conservatives came into government, the policing minister told ITV’s Good Morning Britain programme: “There is a perception, a feeling that you mentioned, and even though crime has demonstrably gone down according to the crime survey, sometimes people don’t feel so safe.

“That is partly because of social media, so an incident, a knife crime incident, gets sort of magnified across social media in a way that wasn’t the case even five years ago, certainly 10 years ago.

“There are particular places like London under Sadiq Khan where there is a… particular knife crime problem, but overall crime has gone down.”

09:28 AM BST

Tories maintain tax attack on Labour with new campaign ad

The Conservative Party is maintaining its campaigning focus on a disputed claim that Labour would put up taxes by £2,000.

Rishi Sunak tweeted a campaign video this morning which showed a giant red piggy back exploding through a residential road.

It had the caption: “If you think Labour will win, start saving. Labour will cost every working family £2,094.”

09:17 AM BST

Miriam Cates: ‘I will not be joining the Reform Party’

A former Tory MP on the Right of the Conservative Party said she will not be joining Reform UK.

Miriam Cates, the Tory candidate for Penistone & Stocksbridge, said she is a “true conservative” and “true conservatives shouldn’t leave the Conservative Party”.

She tweeted this morning: “I have every respect for Nigel Farage; he has an important role in shaking up the establishment, which, for the most part has failed to understand the needs and concerns of anyone outside the liberal Westminster bubble.

“But as for me, I’ll take my chances as a Conservative.”

Ms Cates also said that while she shared the “frustrations of Reform voters, I can’t support [Reform’s] fantasy tax pledges”.

09:09 AM BST

Labour abandons plans to bring back pension lifetime cap in £800m U-turn

Labour has abandoned plans for a tax raid on pensions, prompting claims of a growing “black hole” in the party’s finances.

In a U-turn estimated to be worth £800 million, Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, has dropped a pledge to reinstate the lifetime allowance, which capped the amount people were able to save into their pensions tax free.

Labour has insisted that the cash set to be raised by the policy was not factored into its spending plans, meaning it will not need to find the money elsewhere to deliver on its promises.

But the Tories claimed it would add billions more to Labour’s “black hole”, which it estimated at around £40 billion.

You can read the full story here. 

08:53 AM BST

IFS: Labour and Tories ‘severely tying their hands’ by ruling out tax rises

Both Labour and the Tories are “severely” tying their hands by ruling out raising income tax, VAT or National Insurance, the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies said.

Paul Johnson suggested whichever party wins the general election on July 4 could find it “really difficult” to respond to events because they have ruled out increases to the nation’s main taxes.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I wish, actually, they wouldn’t say this. Governments find tying their hands like this really difficult.

“And as you said, those are the three biggest taxes - income tax, VAT and National Insurance - they raise nearly two-thirds of all tax.

“When you put on top of that corporation tax which is easily the next biggest and the Labour Party have also said they don’t want to increase the rate of that, you are tying your hands really severely in terms of what you can actually achieve in terms of the tax system.”

Both parties have said they will not increase income tax, National Insurance or VAT. Labour has promised not to increase corporation tax above its current rate of 25 per cent.

08:36 AM BST

Next government will likely raise taxes, increase borrowing or ‘get lucky’

The next government will find a way to avoid spending cuts, either by increasing borrowing, raising taxes or “getting lucky” with the economy, the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies said.

Paul Johnson said the public finances and forecasts suggested there would need to be approximately £18 billion of spending cuts over the next five years.

But he believed whichever party wins the election, they will try to avoid going down that path.

He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “It is worth saying that [£18bn of cuts] is not a prediction about what will happen, that is simply what the arithmetic of the budget numbers implies.

“I don’t think that is what will happen. I think one way or another the next government will find a way of avoiding that, either by increasing taxes or by increasing borrowing above what they are planning or possibly just by getting lucky.

“It may be that the economy turns out better than we expect and £18 billion, in a sense, isn’t a huge number in the context of more than £1 trillion of public spending each year.”

08:21 AM BST

Thornberry ‘misspoke’ on class sizes, says Phillipson

Bridget Phillipson said Emily Thornberry had misspoke when she suggested Labour’s plan to impose VAT on private school fees could lead to an increase in class sizes in the state sector.

Asked the question during an interview on Sky News this morning, the shadow education secretary said: “She did, I’m afraid. That is not our position. That is not how things are at the moment.”

08:06 AM BST

Phillipson confirms Labour abandoning plan to bring back pension cap

Bridget Phillipson has confirmed Labour has abandoned its plan to bring back a lifetime cap on tax-free pension savings.

The shadow education secretary told Sky News: “It wouldn’t have been our priority to make that change but the Government have created an awful lot of uncertainty for people who are looking towards retirement so no, we wouldn’t be bringing that back and that is about making sure we have got stability and security for people going into this election.”

There used to be a limit on the amount that people could save in pension schemes over their lifetime while still receiving tax relief but the cap was scrapped at the spring Budget last year.

07:59 AM BST

Minister was ‘surprised and disappointed’ by Sunak’s D-Day decision

Chris Philp said he was “surprised and disappointed” by the Prime Minister’s decision to leave Thursday’s D-Day commemorative events early.

The Home Office minister faced continued questions about Rishi Sunak’s decision as he commenced the week’s first morning broadcast round on Sky News.

Asked how he personally felt about what happened, Mr Philp told Sky: “Well, I was surprised and disappointed.

“But he apologised, and I think if you look at his track record looking after veterans and funding the armed services, he has got a good track record, a track record that he can be proud of, a track record the party can be proud of, and a track record the country can be proud of.”

07:53 AM BST

Lib Dem manifesto will include plan to ‘save the NHS’, says deputy leader

The Liberal Democrats’ manifesto will set out a plan to “save the NHS and social care”, the party’s deputy leader said this morning.

The Lib Dems will launch their manifesto at an event later this morning.

Daisy Cooper told Sky News: “Our manifesto is a manifesto to save the NHS and social care.

“We want to boost GP numbers, we want to improve cancer survival rates, we want to end the access crisis in terms of people trying to reach their NHS dentists, we want to improve waiting lists for cancer treatment and mental health as well. And we have a bold plan to do that.”

She said the party is promising a £9 billion boost for the social care system, adding: “We believe that that plan is going to require an additional £9bn per year and we’re going to get that money by taxing the big banks and billionaires.”

07:44 AM BST

PM ‘regrets deeply’ D-Day decision, says Chris Philp

Rishi Sunak “regrets deeply” his decision to leave D-Day commemorations early, the policing minister said this morning.

Chris Philp told Sky News: “I am sure he regrets deeply not having attended that event which is why obviously he rightly apologised because it was a mistake.

“But he has recognised that, he has apologised, and I think we will see him bouncing around the campaign trail this week and I am sure he will be talking to journalists whenevr they want to ask him some questions.”

07:41 AM BST

Sunak’s D-Day apology was ‘sincerely felt’, says policing minister

Chris Philp said Rishi Sunak’s apology for leaving D-Day commemorations early was “sincerely felt”.

The policing minister was asked how “bruised” the Prime Minister was over the incident as he took part in an interview with Sky News this morning.

He said: “It is fairly rare, I think you would agree as a journalist, to see a senior politician apologise so quickly.

“So I think it was really sincerely felt because he is someone who has really backed veterans.”

07:31 AM BST

Phillipson: Claim of private school pupil exodus under Labour is ‘scaremongering’

It is “scaremongering” to claim a Labour plan to impose VAT on private school fees will lead to a pupil exodus into the state sector, the shadow education secretary said.

Bridget Phillipson rejected the idea that there will be a wave of exits from private schools because of the policy.

She also said that private schools “whacked up their fees year on year” anyway and they should “cut their cloth accordingly”.

Asked about the exodus claim, she told Times Radio: “It is scaremongering from the private schools lobby I’m afraid. All of the independent work on this from the Institute for Fiscal Studies is clear that they anticipate little effect.

“And the reality is that private schools have whacked up their fees year on year, way beyond inflation and it hasn’t had an impact on pupil numbers.

“Private schools are not required to pass this onto parents. State schools have had some pretty tough choices in recent years about how they manage their budgets given all the pressures they are under. I think private schools can cut their cloth accordingly.”

07:21 AM BST

Labour private school plan descends into chaos as frontbenchers disagree on impact

Labour’s plan to impose VAT on private school fees descended into chaos today as the shadow education secretary said another frontbencher was wrong to say the policy risked increasing class sizes in the state sector.

Emily Thornberry, the shadow attorney general, said yesterday that “if we have to, in the short term, have larger classes, we have larger classes” amid fears the policy could prompt a pupil exodus.

But Bridget Phillipson said this morning that her Labour shadow cabinet colleague “just wasn’t right”.

Asked if the private schools policy would see state class sizes go up, Ms Phillipson told Times Radio: “No, I don’t accept that. That is not what the Institute for Fiscal Studies said on our policy. They were clear that our policy would raise £1.3 to £1.5 billion net.

“They anticipated little effect in terms of movement from the private sector into the state sector and this is about making sure that our state schools have got the teachers and the mental health support that they need.”

Told that Ms Thornberry had suggested it was possible that class sizes could increase, Ms Phillipson said: “Well, I am afraid that just wasn’t right and actually what we are seeing across the state sector is a falling number of pupils in our classrooms because of the falling birth rate and there are fewer young people arriving at schools.”

Ms Phillipson said she would be “happy” to talk to Ms Thornberry and correct her because “that isn’t the position that we see at the moment”.

07:19 AM BST

Conservative Party ‘needs to’ find way to work with Reform, Braverman says

Suella Braverman has said the Conservatives “need to” find a way of working with Reform UK as she declared she would “welcome” Nigel Farage into the party.

The former home secretary said there was “not much difference” between his policies and those of the Conservatives, which she branded a “broad church.”

It comes as the question of whether Mr Farage should be admitted into the Conservative Party has become a key talking point among Tories, and contenders for the party leadership are expected to be asked it should the Tories lose the election.

You can read the full story here. 

06:57 AM BST

Unused classrooms to be nurseries in Labour plan for 100,000 new childcare places

Empty primary-school classrooms will be turned into nurseries under Labour plans to create an extra 100,000 childcare places.

The party aims to create more than 3,300 new nurseries using spare capacity caused by declining birth rates, and the proposal will be funded by its VAT raid on private schools.

Labour said it would target its new school nursery places at areas of highest need, where parents are struggling to find childcare.

Sir Keir Starmer said a shortage of childcare meant parents were being held back in their careers and children were “starting school already behind”.

You can read the full story here.

06:47 AM BST

What is happening in the general election campaign today?

The Liberal Democrats will become the first major party to launch their election manifesto today, with leader Sir Ed Davey set to deliver a speech in North London. He will then head to a campaign event at Thorpe Park, the popular theme park in Surrey - and prime stunt territory.

On the Labour campaign trail, Sir Keir Starmer will visit a nursery in the West Midlands with his shadow education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, where the pair will unveil the party’s plans to create an extra 100,000 childcare places by turning empty primary school classrooms into nurseries.

Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak will be joining a Neighbourhood Watch meeting in West Sussex, having pledged to recruit an extra 8,000 bobbies on the beat to tackle car thefts, burglaries and anti-social behaviour. He will also take questions from broadcasters.

The Prime Minister will then take part in a BBC Panorama interview with presenter Nick Robinson at 8pm.

Back in Westminster, Nigel Farage and Richard Tice will launch Reform UK’s economic policy, which includes lifting the thresholds for income and inheritance tax.

And up in Scotland, SNP leader John Swinney will visit an after-school club in Glasgow, where he is set to make a football-themed announcement.

06:37 AM BST

Labour: Liam Fox comments ‘rude and offensive’

Labour said Sir Liam Fox urging people to “get over” Rishi Sunak’s decision to leave D-Day commemorations early (see the post below at 06.33) was “rude and offensive”.

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow paymaster general, said: “The Tories simply don’t get it.

“Rishi Sunak insulted our veterans and our country with his snub last Thursday and now senior Tories are saying people should ‘get over it’. It is rude and offensive.

“The only way to end the chaos, turn the page and rebuild Britain is by voting Labour on July 4.”

06:33 AM BST

Time to ‘get over’ Sunak D-Day row, says ex-Cabinet minister

Sir Liam Fox said it was time to “get over” the row about Rishi Sunak leaving D-Day commemorations early.

The Tory former defence secretary suggested the row was “trivia” and people should focus on more important issues like the threat posed by Vladimir Putin to Europe.

He told Sky News: “He apologised, he said it was wrong, let’s get over it. People make misjudgements.

“They make judgements during campaigns and they make judgements other times. Let’s talk about, in defence, what really matters. D-Day was talking about the security of Europe, there is a threat to the security of Europe today.”

He added: “Ordinary people can see what is happening across Europe, the European elections, what is Putin doing. Let’s focus on what matters because if we focus on the trivia the public won’t be listening.”