Election latest: Sir Keir Starmer challenged to make 'lying PM' claim 'stick' - as minister doubles down on row (2024)

We've just been hearing from Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride, who has doubled down on Rishi Sunak's claim that Labour's plans for the country would lead to a tax rise equivalent of £2,000 per family.

Asked by Sky's Kay Burley whether he stands by the figure despite the UK's statistics watchdog revealing its is "looking into" the claim, Mr Stride says: "TheUK Statistics Authority has a role which involves looking at all sorts of statistics and coming to conclusions."

Pressed on whether that means he backs the figure, he says "I stand by the numbers".

The prime minister's £2,000 claim was further called into question yesterday by a note from the Treasury's chief civil servant, which said the Conservative assessment "should not be presented as having been produced by the civil service".

Questioned on this, Mr Stride says that though the Tories never said the Treasury had signed off on it, a "substantial majority" of items in its opposition policy costings report "are actually a result of Treasury analysis".

"The report itself is very clear on all of this, absolutely crystal clear as to where the evidence is for each finding," he says.

Good morning!

We're deep into the second full week of the tooth-and-nail fight for all 650 parliamentary seats - and the keys to Number 10.

Political parties are spreading out across the country to get their message out ahead of polling day on 4 July.

Here's what you need to know, as campaigning takes a back seat as the nation commemorates the 80th anniversary of D-Day:

• Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is due to deliver remarks at the national D-Day commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mertoday;
  
• Labourleader Sir Keir Starmer will also be in attendance at the event, where veterans will be given a send-off by armed forces as they cross the Channel;
• Despite the reduction in active campaigning, Labour's Liz Kendall, the shadow pensions secretary, will meet with pensioners in Essex to discuss the Conservatives' track record on pensioners;
  
• Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey will meet with veterans to mark D-Day and continue canvassing later;
• The party is also set to reveal its pledge for cancer patients to have a legal right to start treatment within 62 days and improve conditions for veterans;
• Later this morning, Green Party co-leaders Adrian Ramsay and Carla Denyer will announce that they want to put £20bn in capital investment into hospitals and equipment and invest £30bn in the NHS in the next parliament;
• Meanwhile,Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething has vowed to carry on despite losing a motion of no confidence tabled by the Welsh Conservatives.

Stick with us for all the latest political news throughout the day.

Thank you for joining us for live coverage of another busy day on the general election campaign trail.

For a short burst of everything that happened today, see our evening round-up here.

Join us again from 6am as the battle for the keys to No 10 continues.

The Liberal Democrats are tonight weighing in on the tax row that has engulfed the general election campaign since last night's testy debate.

Rishi Sunak claimed that Labour's policies will see a £2,000 tax hike if it wins power - but that is highly disputed by experts,including Sky's economics and data editor Ed Conway.

Sarah Olney, Treasury spokesperson for the Lib Dems, is seemingly siding with Labour in this row, saying in a statement that the Tories are "fooling absolutely nobody".

"Their chaos and mismanagement have damaged the economy and left British families worse off, saddling them with £41bn of unfair stealth taxes worth hundreds of pounds for every household," she said.

"Hard-working families deserve so much better. Voters will never forgive the Conservative Party for saddling them with unfair tax hikes and failing to tackle the cost of living crisis, while giving tax cuts to the big banks and oil and gas giants."

David Duguid has said on social media that the Scottish Conservatives have prevented him from standing again as a candidate for the party.

He served as the MP forBanff and Buchan from 2017 until parliament was dissolved for this general election, but has spent many weeks in hospital receiving treatment in intensive care for a spinal illness and pneumonia.

The general election "came as a surprise", but on 23 May, he announced that he would stand to win his seat once again.

Although he said he would be able to campaign, he also said he would not be able to canvass in person as he remains in a rehabilitation ward.

He said on social media this evening that although he was selected by local party members as their candidate once again, the Scottish Conservatives told him "that they have decided not to put me forward as their chosen candidate for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East" (the name of his former constituency following the boundary review).

A spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives said: "David Duguid is unfortunately unable to stand in this election.

"David has been an excellent MP and great local representative for the last seven years.

"We thank David for all his hard work for the party, we look forward to his recovery to full health, and hope that he will want to rejoin frontline politics in the future."

It is understood that the party feels it is taking the decision in the best interests of Mr Duguid's health.

ByFaye Brown, political reporter

Rishi Sunak has pledged to cut rail fares for veterans and "enshrine their rights in law" in an election offering on the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

The prime minister has announced a raft of measures aimed at making the UK "the best place in the world" to have served in the armed forces.

This includes reducing the price of the Veterans Railcard from £30 per year to £21, bringing it in line with how much serving personnel pay for the HM Forces Railcard.

The Tories also want to extend the existing national insurance relief for employers who hire ex-military members, in a move the party said will incentivise companies to continue offering jobs to veterans.

But Labour said the Tory record on veterans is "shameful" and their election plans "mean no change".

The measures will be covered by a new Veterans Bill, which will also ensure military qualifications have an equal standing with civilian qualifications in law for the first time.

Read more here:

It's been a day of fiery fallout from last night's debate between the prime minister and Labour leader.

Rishi Sunak has faced backlash over his claims that Labour's plans will cost households £2,000 more in tax, with Sky's economics and data editor Ed Conway among those questioning the figures.

Here's everything you need to know about what happened in the general election today:

• We'll start with Labour's no-nonsense response to Rishi Sunak's claims about their tax plans last night, which peaked with Sir Keir Starmer accusing the prime minister of repeatedly lying;
• Mr Sunak's claim is also being looked into by the UK's statistics watchdog, while doubt has been cast on his allegation by a top Treasury official, who said the civil service had nothing to do with it;
• The Tories have stood by the claim that households will pay an extra £2,000, but Labour insist working families won't be out of pocket;
• Ed Conway has written about why you should probably be sceptical of those claims and says even if true, the amount is nowhere near the extra burden placed upon taxpayers in recent years;
• But tonight, the Tories are doubling down, and making more pledges around taxes on housing, which you can read here.

• Nigel Farage's return to frontline politics this week has also dragged down the Tories' ratings in our latest election polling;
• Our exclusive survey from YouGov shows Mr Farage's party have pulled within two points of the Conservatives, with Labour on 40%, the Tories on 19% and Reform on 17%;
• Speaking of Mr Farage,a woman has been charged after he had a milkshake thrown over him in Clacton yesterday.

• Elsewhere, the Welsh first minister has lost a vote of no confidence, having been left in tears as the Senedd debated his future;
• Vaughan Gething faced the vote after concerns were raised about a campaign donation he received, allegations he misled the COVID Inquiry, and Plaid Cymru withdrawing from its co-operation deal with Labour - but he has said he won't quit;
• In Scotland, Scottish Labour has been extolling the virtues of the party's plan for Great British Energy, which would be headquartered in the country;
• Campaigning has been quieter in England, as party leaders assembled with royalty and veterans for D-Day commemorations in Portsmouth.

Sky News has also had its own announcement to make this evening, with Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer agreeing to take part in a special leaders' programme.

The Battle For Number 10 will air from 7pm next Wednesday.

Here are some other stories you might want to read:

Our essential political podcast,Politics At Jack And Sam's,is going out every week day through the election campaign to bring a short burst of everything you need to know about the day ahead as this election unfolds -here is today's edition.

Tap here to follow Politics At Jack At Sam's wherever you get your podcasts.

The Labour Party has hit out at "desperate claims" from Rishi Sunak as the Tories unveil another guarantee not to raise taxes.

The chancellor is tonight announcing what the Tories are calling the "Family Home Tax Guarantee", which is a pledge to:

• Not increase the number of council tax bands, re-evaluate it, or cut existing discounts;
• Maintain thePrivate Residence Relief - meaning people with one home that has always been their sole residence, and the grounds are less than 5,000 square metres will continue to not pay capital gains tax if it is sold;
• Not increase the rate or level of stamp duty.

The Tories are continuing to claim that Sir Keir Starmer is going to raise taxes on families by £2,094 - something that is highly disputed by experts, including Sky's economics and data editor Ed Conway.

The party also says that shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves proposed changing council tax to a property tax, and are challenging Labour to match this new pledge.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said in a statement: "Rachel Reeves has previously called for a range of damaging new taxes on the family home just like Labour are looking at doing in Labour-run Wales; and that means she and Keir Starmer are coming for your family home.

"Only Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives will protect your family home to give you peace of mind with our guarantee that there will be no rises in such taxes for the whole of the next parliament."

But Labour has blasted the claims from the Conservative Party, saying in a statement: "We will not be raising taxes on working people. The Conservatives cannot be trusted on tax and taxes are at a 70-year high on their watch.

"These are more desperate claims from Rishi Sunak who lied to the British people before and is lying to them again."

By Alexandra Rogers, political reporter

Faiza Shaheen, who was blocked from representing the Labour Party in the general election, has announced she will stand as an independent.

Ms Shaheen, who initially won the Labour nomination for Chingford and Woodford Green, said she had decided to run as an independent after voters told her they felt "disenfranchised" by the party's decision to remove her as a candidate.

Labour removed Ms Shaheen as its candidate for the London constituency after she allegedly liked a series of social media posts that downplayed antisemitism accusations.

Yesterday sheannounced her resignation from the party, accusing it of embodying a "hierarchy of racism".

She said she was weighing up whether to stand as an independent in Chingford, and on Wednesday afternoon, confirmed that decision.

More here:

The Liberal Democrats have announced a rail fare freeze as one of their manifesto commitments.

It would be funded via clamping down on tax avoidance and evasion, which the party says totals £38.5bn a year, and save commuters £115m.

Under the Tories, the Lib Dems say train tickets have soared while services have got worse.

The party's Treasury spokeswoman Sarah Olney said: "From Winchester to Wokingham, it is disgraceful that every day passengers are having to pay more for trains which are increasingly delayed or cancelled."

According to the party's analysis, commuters in Winchester, Hampshire, have seen season ticket prices climb by more than £1,000 since 2019, now standing at £6,432 a year.

In Harpenden, Hertfordshire, train commuters are paying £820 more, with tickets now costing £4,792 a year.

Rail fare reform would be implemented within five years, the party said.