Politics

The countdown is almost over. In just a matter of hours, Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer will answer questions from Beth Rigby and audience members in the Sky News leaders’ special event. The Battle for No 10 will be broadcast live from Grimsby with each leader facing 20 minutes of questions from Sky’s award-winning

The Conservatives will put their offer to pensioners at the heart of their election manifesto when it is published tomorrow. The manifesto will reiterate already-announced pledges to introduce the so-called “triple lock plus” for pensioners – which will create a new “age-related” tax-free allowance – as well as promises not to increase major taxes. Its

Sir Ed Davey has refused six times to say whether austerity was a mistake in an interview with Sky News. The Liberal Democrat leader also specifically denied that the austerity policies his party implemented alongside the Conservatives were to blame for the current crisis facing the NHS – which he is promising to “save” if

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer will face questions from Beth Rigby and members of the public during Sky News’ special leaders’ event on Wednesday, the broadcaster has confirmed. Award-winning political editor Rigby will scrutinise the leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties on their commitments to the country during 20-minute in-depth interviews. The Battle

The Liberal Democrats will launch their manifesto with a £9bn pledge to fix the health and care system. The policy, which will be revealed by party leader Sir Ed Davey on Monday, includes plans to recruit 8,000 more GPs, boost cancer survival rates and introduce free personal care for the elderly and the disabled. The

It was a question you don’t expect to hear being asked of a senior cabinet minister during an election campaign. In fact, the last time doubts were raised mid-campaign about whether a beleaguered party leader would make it to polling day was more than 40 years ago. This time, discussing Rishi Sunak’s D-Day fiasco on

Labour will reportedly promise not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT for five years if the party wins the general election. Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves already said this week they will not put up the taxes, ahead of Labour’s manifesto launch expected on Thursday. But a report in The Sunday Times claims Labour

The Conservative Party will pledge to cut stamp duty for first-time buyers as part of its manifesto. The levy is currently paid on property purchases worth more than £250,000 – with the rate ranging from 5% to 12% of the ticket price, increasing as the price rises. For people purchasing their first home, stamp duty

The prime minister was “completely wrong” to leave D-Day commemorations early, a senior cabinet member has said. Rishi Sunak apologised on Friday after it was revealed he skipped an international event the day before on Omaha Beach in France – attended by leaders of the US, France and Germany – to come back to the

Rishi Sunak has said it was a “mistake” to return from D-Day commemorations in Normandy early. The prime minister was heavily criticised for not being at the final moments of the 80th anniversary D-Day ceremony on Thursday as he travelled back from France to the UK to record a TV interview. On Friday morning, he

Keir Starmer’s election manifesto is expected to pledge recognition of a Palestinian state before the end of a peace process, Sky News understands. According to people familiar with a draft, it will say a Palestinian state should be recognised as “part of a peace process” and not vetoed by other states in the region. The

A Labour minister has struggled to rule out raising other taxes after announcing VAT, income tax and national insurance will not go up. Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey was repeatedly asked if Labour would raise property taxes such as capital gains tax, council tax and stamp duty if his party wins the election – but

It’s a meeting that’s so top secret that those attending – at a secret location – are ordered to surrender their mobile phone and any other electronic devices when they arrive. They’re given numbered copies of the agenda, thick bundles which are then collected from them at the end of the meeting. Security is extremely

Both Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer will take part in a special leaders’ event programme next week, Sky News has confirmed. The Battle for Number 10, a UK Election Leaders Special Event, will be aired on Wednesday 12 June. The event will be live from Grimsby in front of an audience. The new Grimsby

Behind in the polls, Rishi Sunak needed to come out fighting and take the gloves off in the first TV leaders’ debate. And he did. He was aggressive, repeatedly challenging Sir Keir Starmer, particularly on tax, placing the Labour leader on the defensive. Election latest: Voters think Rishi Sunak beat Keir Starmer in first TV

Nigel Farage has had a drink thrown over him after launching his election campaign in Essex. The new leader of Reform UK was leaving the Wetherspoons Moon and Starfish pub in Clacton, where he is standing to be an MP, when a young woman in a grey hooded jumper threw a drink in his face.

The findings of the SkyNews/YouGov MRP poll are a disaster for the Conservatives, a worry for Labour and good news for the Lib Dems and Reform UK. The forecast of a Tory wipeout will spread panic among Conservative candidates and potentially spark a fresh bout of mutiny against Rishi Sunak from the right of his

The Conservative leader Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer will tonight go head-to-head in the first TV debate during this year’s general election campaign. On Sky News’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast, party insiders give their views on what each leader needs to pull off under the bright lights of the studio. Speaking to political editor

The Conservatives have vowed to change the Equality Act to ensure “biological sex” is a protected characteristic. The party said reforming the law – which states that an individual must not be discriminated against on the basis of their sex – would clear up “confusion” among public bodies and institutions about access to female-only spaces.

Police are reviewing a Conservative candidate’s campaign adverts after receiving allegations of election fraud. Robert Largan, who is fighting to keep his High Peak seat, has published a number of campaign materials in the colours of Labour and Reform UK. The graphics also included the phrases “Labour for Largan” and “Reform for Robert”. Live updates