Election latest: Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer preparing for final head-to-head of campaign; protester climbs on to Tory battle bus (2024)

By Tim Baker, political reporter, in Nottingham

With eight days to go until polling day, Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer are preparing for the final head-to-head event of the campaign.

They'll be taking the stage at Nottingham Trent University in a BBC debate chaired today's sheriff, Mishal Hussain.

According to the weather apps, it's around 27 degrees here in the East Midlands.

But here in the spin room, lights, gossiping journalists and the pressure of a general election are all raising the temperature.

It will surely be the same for both party leaders.

Labour still lead by 20 points, and the Conservatives still seem on course for electoral wipe-out.

As the last contest between the two men vying to be prime minister, could we see something different from the other events which have been fairly matched?

We'll keep you up to date as it happens...

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer are preparing to debate head-to-head for the second and final time of this general election campaign.

The BBC's Mishal Husain - who also chaired a seven-way leaders' debate earlier this month - will referee the contest that will last 75 minutes, starting at 8.15pm this evening.

It will be in front of a live audience, that has been chosen by pollster Savanta, rather than the BBC.

It will include Conservative and Labour supporters, in addition to undecided voters.

Which side of the stage the two men will stand on will be decided by a coin toss - as will the order in which they deliver their closing speeches to the nation.

It is likely to be one of the biggest live audiences of the campaign, allowing the two men to potentially reach millions of voters.

The debate will run straight through the full 75 minutes, without any breaks.

In an article for the BBC, Husain said she will be "nudging the two men back to what was in the question, clarifying points, and yes, probably having to call a halt from time to time".

She said she wants "spontaneity and energy" from tonight's contest: "A proper debate, really, rather than speech-making."

We will have live coverage of the debate here in the Politics Hub, and when the debate ends at 9.30pm, we will have live analysis and reaction here and across Sky News - do join us.

Continuing his conversation with our political editor Beth Rigby, Home Secretary James Cleverly was asked if he would consider running for the Tory leadership.

He had previously said that leader of the opposition is not a job any politician should aspire to - does he still agree?

Mr Cleverly said: "Leader of the opposition, by definition, means you're planning for a defeat. And that's not what I do.

"That's not what any Conservative candidate should do at this general election.

"We should work for a victory. We should work to take our message to the voters. We should work for every vote."

Pressed again on whether he would consider running for the leadership should the Conservatives lose the election, and Rishi Sunak stand aside, Mr Cleverly dodged the question.

He said: "My focus is on making sure that I'm returned as the Conservative MP for Braintree.

"Our focus should be winning the election. And that and that is where my focus is."

Home Secretary James Cleverly today said he is angry that the general election campaign has been overshadowed by the election betting scandal.

Speaking to our political editor Beth Rigby, Mr Cleverly said "of course" he was angry about the scandal - because "we only do interviews" focused on the situation.

He said that, instead, he wants to "talk about the choice at this general election between a high taxing Labour Party and a lower taxing Conservative Party".

Mr Cleverly added: "The prime minister has made it clear right from the start that he was furious about this. We said we would let the Gambling Commission do its investigation.

"We wouldn't comment on that. We've looked at it internally.

"We've made the decision that we have removed support for the Conservative candidates involved. And the prime minister is clear.

"I am clear that when you enter public service, it's about serving the public. That's why he was so angry about it."

The home secretary added that "the standards that we set our candidates are clear and unambiguous, and they have fallen short of that.".

"That's why we've taken action."

The Conservative Party has withdrawn support for two candidates over allegations they were involved in placing bets on the date of the general election - with inside knowledge.

Pledges and promises are coming thick and fast from every party as the general election approaches.

Struggling to keep up with who is saying what?

Here is a summary of where the main parties stand on major issues.

For a more in-depth look at what each party has pledged, scour ourmanifesto checker...

It's 5pm - time for our teatime update on the general election campaign.

Here's what you need to know so far - and what's to come later:

• The gambling scandal isn't going anywhere, with the BBC reporting more than a dozen Tory candidates and officials are facing scrutiny from the watchdog;
• Conservative minister Mel Stride told Sky News it had become a "disappointing" distraction from the campaign, while Labour's Liz Kendall said the party suspending one of its own candidates for betting showed how seriously they were taking it;
• The Liberal Democrats have called for a review into the rules around betting, though leader Sir Ed Davey admitted he put money on the 2010 election;

• In a separate political scandal, Sky News understands that a man arrested in north London in connection with the Westminster honeytrap scandal was a Labour Party member;
• The Met Police said a man had been arrestedon suspicion of harassment and offences under the Online Safety Act;
  
• Meanwhile, a Greenpeace protester climbed on top of the Conservative battle bus while it was parked up in Nottinghamshire this afternoon.

• Elsewhere, Rishi Sunak has attacked David Tennant after the actor said he wished minister Kemi Badenoch would "shut up";
• The Doctor Who star laid into her position on trans and women's rights while being honoured at the British LGBT Awards;
• Ms Badenoch had said she would "not be silenced" by the "rich, lefty, white male celebrity", and Mr Sunak has now told him: "You are the problem."

And don't forget - the final head-to-head debate between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, hosted by the BBC, is taking place tonight.

We will have live coverage here in the Politics Hub from 8.15pm - join us for updates and analysis.

Home Secretary James Cleverly has denied having placed any kind of political bets - as an election betting scandal engulfs the Conservative Party.

Asked whether this is the case, Mr Cleverly says: "No."

And pressed on whether there should be any rule changes in the wake of this situation, the home secretary refuses to say.

He explains: "There's an investigation by the Gambling Commission into people, of a number of political parties and of no political party. My own party.

"We have taken action on the individuals who were candidates. We have withdrawn support for those candidates.

"But we will let the Gambling Commission complete its investigation, as we said, we would. I'm not going to comment further on the investigation.

"We'll see what the outcome of this is. But my position has been clear. The prime minister has been clear on this.

"People in public service should focus on serving the public. "

But are the rules around election betting the problem?

"We don't know yet whether any existing rules have been broken or whether any new rules need to be put in place," he says.

By Jon Craig, chief political correspondent

Rishi Sunak's closest Commons aide, Craig Williams, has been interviewed by Gambling Commission officials over his bet on the timing of the general election, Sky News understands.

He has been cautioned and interviewed by two ex-police officers and a former HMRC official who are now investigators at the commission, according to a Gambling Commission insider.

It is understood the commission is now conducting a "live criminal investigation" and Mr Williams could face prosecution, a caution, or no further action, depending on the evidence.

The interview is said to have begun this morning and then resumed this afternoon after a lunchtime break.

You can read more from Jon Craig in the link below:

Farming minister Sir Mark Spencer has denied Greenpeace activists' claims that the Tories scored the worst of all parties on the environment.

Asked about the protester climbing the Conservative battle bus, he said it was ironic that "I'm here in my electric rechargeable vehicle and they turned up in their diesel van to protest about the environment".

Sir Mark said: "I think they made their point. I mean, I'm sympathetic to some of the points they made.

"You know, I think in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs we're doing a lot to lower our carbon footprint and improve the environment."

He said the criticism of the Tories' record on the environment was not "fair at all".

"We've made huge strides in making sure that we are both energy secure but lowering our carbon footprint as a nation."

Sammy Wilson, the East Antrim candidate for the Democratic Unionist Party, has condemned a "senseless attack" on his constituency office.

The DUP said a "number of shots" were fired at the window of his office in Carrickfergus overnight.

Mr Wilson said this is a "senseless attack" - but he "won't be deterred" from speaking his mind.

He added: "Whilst we do not know what sort of weapon was used in the attack it could have caused injury to anyone who happened to be in the area at the time.

"Throughout my years as a public representative, I have never been deterred from putting forward by views and I won't be deterred now."

The other candidates in East Antrim are:

• Mark Bailey, Green Party
• Danny Donnelly, Alliance
• Margaret Anne McKillop, SDLP
• Oliver McMullan, Sinn Fein
• John Stewart, UUP
• Matthew Warwick, TUV