Indy TV

Sir Keir Starmer was met with groans and laughs from the audience as he told Beth Rigby his father was a toolmaker during Wednesday’s Sky News debate.The Labour leader has repeatedly told voters about his childhood during the general election campaign.When pressed on his current financial situation and if he would “personally” be happy to pay more tax, Sir Keir admitted he “earns a lot of money now”.“But when I grew up, my dad was a toolmaker, he worked in a factory,” he added, drawing laughter with the repeated line.“It’s true – my mum was a nurse – and we couldn’t make ends meet. Which is not a laughing matter.” More

Rishi Sunak claimed he has met Nigel Farage “maybe once” as he denied being “scared” of the Reform UK leader.The prime minister made the comments during an interview with ITV News that aired on Wednesday night (12 June).“What do you think are Nigel Farage’s best qualities?” journalist Paul Brand asked Mr Sunak.“I really don’t know him, Paul. I think I’ve met him maybe once in my life,” he replied.The prime minister added that he is not “not worried” Reform UK will “steal votes” from the Conservatives, suggesting his only challenger for No 10 is Sir Keir Starmer. More

The Green Party co-leaders said they also went without Sky TV as children after Rishi Sunak was questioned about his wealth during an interview aired on ITV earlier on Wednesday 12 June.The Prime Minister said he went without “lots of things” as a child growing up in the UK, citing Sky TV as an example.Later in the day, Carla Denyer received laughter from the room when she noted “I also went without Sky TV” during the Green Party’s manifesto launch in Hove, East Sussex. More

The ITV journalist who interviewed Rishi Sunak after he left the D-Day commemorations in Normandy early has said the prime minister’s team requested the meeting take place on that day.Mr Sunak has been criticised for skipping the main international event last Thursday (6 June).Footage from the interview also shows the prime minister apologising to journalist Paul Brand and saying the events he did attend “ran over” time.Speaking to LBC after the preview clip was published, the ITV journalist told LBC that it was Mr Sunak’s team who specifically requested a slot last Thursday.“We had given them several different days that we were available – including the Friday and Sunday of last week,” Mr Brand said.“And they came back and said the only day that he was available – that fitted – was Thursday.” More

Rishi Sunak was blanked by unimpressed Year 7 students after he asked if they were “excited about” their upcoming maths exam.The prime minister visited John Whitgift Academy in Grimsby during a campaign visit to Humberside on Wednesday 12 June.“Who’s excited about the exam?” Mr Sunak asked, sitting down for a maths class.After a brief period of silence, a teacher joked: “Wrong question.”During the visit, Mr Sunak said he was a “big fan” of maths himself and also asked students what they wanted to be when they grow up.He appeared impressed when one boy said he wanted to be a “professional snooker player”. More

The Conservative manifesto contains five “serious errors,” according to Labour.Rachel Reeves said her party has analysed its opposition’s costings and found five areas she is concerned about.The shadow chancellor accused the Tories of including “vague ambitions” in their pledges.At a rebuttal press conference on Tuesday, 11 June, Ms Reeves criticised policies such as the National Service proposal, efficiency savings, the proposed cut to poor performing university places, and a welfare savings proposal.Ms Reeves said: “The Labour Party will hold ourselves, that I will hold myself, to higher standards than the Conservative Party holds themselves.” More

Grant Shapps stumbles over the Conservatives’ stamp duty policy from their election manifesto during a live interview on Wednesday, 12 June.The defence secretary told Nick Ferrari that stamp duty would be abolished for first-time buyers on homes valued up to £450,000.However, the policy’s real figure is £425,000.Later on, Mr Shapps said: “Off the top of my head I remember it as 450. I found it here… you’re right, it’s 425 million…” before Mr Ferrari interrupted to correct him that the number is in its hundreds of thousands rather than millions. More

Sir Ed Davey fell into water as he attempted to complete a floating assault course while campaigning in Warwickshire on Wednesday, 12 June.The Liberal Democrat leader was championing the party’s plans for a new clean water authority to replace Ofwat (Water Services Regulation Authority) as he paid a visit to Spot-On-Wake in Henley-in-Arden.The party has promised to “end the sewage scandal” by changing water firms into public benefit companies, banning bonuses for water bosses until discharges and leaks stop, and replacing Ofwat with a new regulator.It comes after Sir Ed fell off a paddleboard into Lake Windermere as he hit the campaign trail in May. More