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The Tory manifesto will be the “most expensive panic attack in history”, Labour’s Wes Streeting has said.Rishi Sunak’s pledges will be launched today, including an expected a tax break for landlords and help for first-time buyers.Reports have suggested another 2p cut to national insurance will also be in the manifesto.The Tory manifesto launch on Tuesday, 11 June, comes after a bruising few days in Mr Sunak’s campaign in which he dismissed resignation rumours after his early departure from D-Day commemorations in France.Labour’s manifesto will be launched on Thursday. More

Rishi Sunak has been accused of being less “Conservative” than Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, in a bizarre lunch-themed analogy.During BBC’s Panorama election special, Nick Robinson compared the current prime minister to the “full Sunday roast” of Nigel Farage’s traditional conservative values.Mr Sunak was also grilled on leaving the D-Day anniversary proceedings early, which prompted backlash from prominent political figures across the UK. More

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has enjoyed an afternoon of rollercoaster rides at Thorpe Park, the same day he announced his party’s general election manifesto.In the latest public stunt, Mr Davey was seen waving to passers-by before being whisked away by rides at the park.The Liberal Democrats launched their general election manifesto earlier today (10 June) with promises to invest in health and care, rejoin the European single market and eventually the EU. More

The Liberal Democrats launched their general election manifesto, with promises to invest in health and care, rejoin the European single market and eventually the EU, and compensate the victims of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal.The latter issue has dogged party leader Sir Ed Davey, who served as postal affairs minister under the coalition government between 2010 and 2012.He has come under fire for failing to do more to help wrongly-convicted subpostmasters.The manifesto details a pledge to “ensure justice for the victims of scandals and prevent future scandals”. More

Labour’s shadow education secretary has distanced herself from Emily Thornberry’s suggestion that the party’s plan to add VAT to private school fees would lead to larger class sizes in the state sector.The shadow attorney general said on Sunday: “It would be fine if we have to, in the short term, have larger classes” amid concerns the move could force pupils to leave private schools.Bridget Phillipson rejected the comments, telling the BBC on Monday, 10 June: “That is not our policy.“I’m afraid there’s been some misunderstanding there.” More

Sir Keir Starmer has distanced himself from Emily Thornberry’s suggestion that Labour’s plan to add VAT to private school fees would lead to larger class sizes in the state sector.The shadow attorney general said on Sunday, 9 June, that “it would be fine if we have to, in the short term, have larger classes”, amid concerns the policy could force pupils to leave private schools.Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said the suggestion “just wasn’t right”.“We’ve had the analysis by the IFS (Institute for Fiscal Studies) on this, which says that there’ll be a negligible impact. So we’re very confident about that,” the Labour leader added. More

A Tory aide stopped a Sky News interview with Richard Holden as the party chairman sought to avoid questions about how he landed a plum Conservative constituency.Mr Holden, until recently the MP for North West Durham, was the sole candidate presented on what was expected to be a shortlist of three names for the Basildon and Billericay seat.He was asked about the “stitch-up” process that led to his candidacy, beginning his answer with the words “Emily Thornberry” before he was cut off by Jon Craig.An off-camera CCHQ advisor then interrupted to complain about the questions and terminate the interview. More

A Labour general election candidate has parachuted into Normandy to raise money for the Royal British Legion.Bayo Alaba marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day by joining other veterans to land in the same drop zone that Second World War soldiers did in June 1944.“This was my small homage to our forebears who gave everything for us on those beaches 80 years ago,” Mr Alaba wrote, sharing a video of his jump on social media on Sunday 9 June.While the Labour candidate for Southend East and Rochford made the jump for charity, he was mocked by Conservative councillor Daniel Nelson.Angela Rayner has since accused the Tories of smearing Mr Alaba. More