Indy TV

With just 48 hours to go until the general election, it’s time for the British public to decide who will form the next government.The Labour Party, the Conservatives, Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party are all battling it out for votes in the hope of securing important seats in the House of Commons.But what are each party promising voters in the 2024 election?Ahead of polling day, The Independent takes a look at the manifestos published by the five big hitters. More

Sir Keir Starmer became visibly emotional as he opened up about his one regret in life.The Labour leader opened up about his strained relationship with his father during an interview with Chris Evans on Virgin Radio on Monday (1 July).Describing his father as a “complicated” man, Sir Keir said: “We didn’t talk, he never expressed his pride and he never said ‘I love you’.”The politician then went on to speak about the last time he saw his father in hospital before he died.“I knew he was going to die. It could have been the moment to say ‘I love you and I respect you’.“I had a fight with myself about saying it, but I didn’t and I walked away.“It is the one thing I do regret.” More

With the general election just days away, we delve into the premierships of the last five Conservative prime ministers, and rank them from best to worst.From David Cameron’s Brexit miscalculation to Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-budget, join The Independent’s Chief Political Commentator John Rentoul and Whitehall Editor Kate Devlin as they discuss the last 14 years of Tory rule.Who navigated the complexities of governance most effectively? Who left a lasting positive legacy? Find out who (if any) comes out on top.Get the latest election news with The Independent. More

Theresa May left a message on a constituent’s Ring doorbell camera while out canvassing for Perth and Kinross-shire Conservative candidate Luke Graham on Saturday, 29 June.The former prime minister introduced herself before informing the homeowner she was putting a leaflet through their door as they were not in.Ms May’s campaigning was praised online, with Labour councillor Adam Aston declaring the gesture “a lovely little message.”It’s not the first time a former Tory leader has been recorded on a doorbell camera – David Cameron left a video message for a household in Hampshire earlier in June. More

It would be cheaper to put asylum seekers up in the Ritz hotel in Paris than the government’s Rwanda scheme, Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth has claimed.Speaking to Sky News on Monday, 1 July, the shadow paymaster general criticised the cost of Conservatives’ plans to send asylum seekers to the African country.The government says it has so far given Rwanda £240m and the full cost “will be clear over time.”Labour has said will immediately scrap the scheme and divert £75m from it to a new Border and Security Command.Rooms at the Ritz in Paris range from €1,800 (£1,530) to €40,000 (£33,996) a night. More

Sir Ed Davey shouted “vote Liberal Democrat” as he took part in a bungee jump on Monday, 1 July, in the last week of general election campaigning.The party leader has been involved in a variety of stunts over the last few weeks, including activities such as paddleboarding, riding a waterslide, and undergoing a makeover live on This Morning.Sir Ed declared “Do something you’ve never done before – vote Liberal Democrat” as he was launched from a crane in Eastbourne. More

James Cleverly criticised Banksy’s small boat released into the crowd at Glastonbury, describing the piece as “a celebration of the loss of life in the channel”.A small boat filled with migrant dummies in orange life jackets was hoisted into the crowd during Idles’ performance on the Other Stage on Friday, 28 June.The artist later claimed responsibility for the work, posting footage of the performance on Instagram.Speaking to Sky News on Monday, the home secretary said: “There are a bunch of people there joking and celebrating about criminal actions which costs lives, people die… This is not funny. It is vile.” More

Nigel Farage claimed a Reform UK canvasser who called for English Channel migrants to be used as “target practice” was an actor.When challenged that “all sorts of people are actors”, on Sky’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme (29 June), the Reform UK leader said of the canvasser who was filmed by an undercover reporter: “He’s an actor – a rather well-spoken actor – but he has an alter ego. He does what he calls ‘rough speaking’.“I was there working in the office in Essex when he turned up and he was, from the moment he walked through the room, like a version of Alf Garnett (a character from the 1960s sitcom Till Death Us Do Part who used racist slurs).” More