Election latest: Reform moves within point of Tories in new poll - as Labour makes pothole pledge (2024)

Thanks for joining us on another manifesto packed day!

Don't forget, we have the Green Party touting their policies tomorrow, and Labour will take to the stage on Thursday, so plenty more to come.

For now though, we are pausing coverage, so pack yourselves off to bed and join us on the campaign trail again in the morning. Sleep well!

The Liberal Democrats will focus their energy on tackling sewage when they hit the campaign trail tomorrow, unveiling plans to launch a new water regulator.

Replacing Ofwat, the Clean Water Authority would require water companies to publish real-time data on the amount of sewage they dump into rivers and set legally binding targets on discharges.

They would have the power to ban bonuses for water company bosses and revoke licenses from firms who perform poorly.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said: "People are rightly outraged that Conservative MPs have let water companies get away with pumping their filthy sewage into our rivers and beaches.

"Our plan to set up the Clean Water Authority would help end the Conservative sewage scandal once and for all."

But the Conservatives accused the party of "spreading misinformation" on sewage, saying they had already given Ofwat the power to ban bonuses and ensured all storm overflows are now monitored.

It has been a busy manifesto week so far, with the Tories taking to the stage today - and both the Labour and Green Party still to come.

Elsewhere, there has been an arrest after an incident at Nigel Farage's latest Reform UK campaign event.

And Labour came out with a surprise announcement for drivers.

So here is what you need to know from this day on the campaign trail:

• Rishi Sunak launched what he described as a "bold" Conservative manifesto at Silverstone racetrack;
• It promisesnational insurance tax cutsand reiterates several pledges from the campaign trail - including on immigration, housing, and the attention-grabbingnational serviceand pensions triple lock plus;
• But many will struggle to see it as the manifesto to get the Tory campaign out of the pits, saidour political correspondent Darren McCaffrey, while political editor Beth Rigby asked the PM if he'd already "blown it" given how far ahead Labour are in the polls;
• Labour and the Liberal Democrats have both criticised the spending and cutting plans in the manifesto.

• Nigel Farage has been targeted again while outon the campaign trail in Barnsley, South Yorkshire;
• As he attended an event on an open-top bus, objects were thrown at the Reform UK leader;
• South Yorkshire Police say a man has been arrested and Mr Farage thanked officers for their actions, saying he would "not be bullied or cowed";
• But in better news for his party, our latest exclusive YouGov poll showed Reform is now just one point behind the Tories when it comes to voting intentions.

• Elsewhere, Labour announced plans to fix one million pot holes a year if it gets into power;
• The party said it would also give long-term funding settlements to councils to keep up with repairs, and lower the cost of car insurance;
• Earlier, Labour also confirmed it wouldban energy drinks for under-16sif the party won on 4 July - and said they want to create 100,000 more dental appointments;
• Meanwhile,Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Rossis having his expenses re-examined by the watchdog following reports over the weekend.

That's all your evening bulletin, but stick with us for the latest news and analysis from the campaign trail.

Nearly a quarter of undecided voters are unhappy with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's decision to leave D-Day commemorations early, the Sky News YouGov Voters Panel suggests.

We have teamed up with the pollster YouGov to create a unique online community representing over 40 different seats in the election.

When asked what, if any, campaign moments have stood out, 11 of our panel mentioned D-Day. This voter summed up the sentiments of many, saying: "Although he's apologised, I think it was very rude."

Read more from our correspondent Laura Bundock:

The Liberal Democrats have been reacting to the Conservative manifesto launched by Rishi Sunak this morning, saying it is "not enough" to make up for their mistakes.

Speaking to Sky News, Scottish Lib Dem Christine Jardine said it's not just that voters "don't believe them", but that "they're not even listening because of so many broken promises".

She claimed Mr Sunak's announcements were "yet another attempt to persuade people that what they've experienced over the past five years is going to be different in the future".

"It is not enough," she said.

She of course said it paled in comparison to the Lib Dem manifesto, which she said aimed to "save the NHS and social care".

You can read the pledges both parties have made via the posts in the key points above.

Labour is promising to fix one million potholes every year as it pledges to be "the party on the side of drivers".

The policy announcement includes multi-year funding settlements for local councils to "end the sticking plaster approach to road repairs".

And it claims the work will help reduce the rising costs of car insurance.

Shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh says: "The Conservatives have left Britain's roads plagued with potholes and have sat back as car insurance costs have spiralled out of control.

"We will make our roads safer for all who use them and remove the barriers which bog down our planning system, speeding up infrastructure improvements and cutting costs for taxpayers."

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer will face questions from Beth Rigby and members of the public during Sky News' special leaders' event on Wednesday.

Award-winning political editorRigbywill scrutinise the leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties on their commitments to the country during 20-minute in-depth interviews.

The Battle For Number 10 - a Sky News Leaders Special Event will air live on Sky News from Grimsby - an area expected to play a key role in the election.

Sky News' lead UK presenterSarah-Jane Meewill be among the representative audience - drawn from the local area and nationally - as they put their questions to Mr Sunak and Sir Keir in 25-minute slots.

As we revealed in the previous post, Sir Keir will go first.

It will be the second televised event with the two party leaders, coming halfway through the general election campaign and just three weeks ahead of polls opening.

Sky News executive editor and managing editor Jonathan Levy said: "People said they wanted to hear more from Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer, so Sky News is giving them more time to tell you about their plans for your future. Each candidate - 45 minutes, not 45 seconds... in-depth and unfiltered.

"We're giving the nation the full story, first."

The Battle For Number 10 Leaders Special Event, Wednesday 12 June 7pm-10pm on Sky News - free wherever you get your news.

Freeview channel 233, Sky 501, Virgin 603, BT 313 and streaming on the Sky News website, app and across social channels. It is also available to watch on Sky Showcase.

As if you needed reminding, Sky News is hosting a special leader's event tomorrow with Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak.

The Battle For Number 10 kicks off from 7pm in Grimsby, with both leaders taking questions from a live audience and undergoing an interview with our political editor Beth Rigby.

Ahead of the event, our chief political correspondent Jon Craig just carried out a faultless FA Cup-style draw to decide which leader goes first - and it's Sir Keir's ball that came out.

Can't wait - more details to come.

Now Labour's Darren Jones joinsSophy Ridgeand is perhaps unsurprising in his condemnation of the Tories' manifesto.

"I kind of wish they'd just try a bit harder," says the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury - reiterating his party's claim that their rivals' policies will cost £71bn.

He claims they are "unfunded" and, as a result, there would be more government borrowing, leading to a cost of £4,800 for families as a result due to rising interest rates.

Asked whether that was a credible figure, Mr Jones points to what happened under Liz Truss and her mini-budget as back-up.

Sophy then asks about how his own party plans to fund struggling public services - saying while previous promises of "growth in the economy" were valid, it couldn't lead to changes on day one.

Mr Jones says he was "levelling with the public - it is going to be difficult", and that the next government will face "the worse public finances since the Second World War".

But he rejects Labour will impose "austerity" measures, saying their "tax loophole changes" alone with raises "billions of pounds" and offer an "immediate injection of money" into services that need it.

Tonight's panel is made up of Boris Johnson's former director of communications, Guto Harri, and a contributing editor at Novara Media, Ash Sarkar.

Asked what he makes of the Tory manifesto, Mr Harri says there is "good meaty stuff" to get people talking.

"But in the end this is about values," he adds, namely if money is available… should you spend it on welfare or working people.

But Ms Sarkar says he has set a "low bar" by saying at least people are talking about it - saying they would even if it was "just a picture of Scrooge McDuck".

Instead, she worries about what is missing, including a lack of "serious solutions" to fix the NHS.

Not a 'wow' campaign

Asked if the document was enough to change the dial for the Tories, Mr Harri says it was never going to be a "wow" campaign, like that of his former boss or even Tony Blair.

"It is two capable guys [as if they're] being interviewed by the board saying they'd do a better job," he says. "It is not very exciting, but it is important, and it matters."

Tories not done enough to recover from Truss

Ms Sarkar agrees to an extent, saying: "I don't think anyone's heart is set aflame, unless you live a deeply sad life."

But she says the Tories have not done enough to change the narrative from when Liz Truss "machine-gunned their core voters" with her mini-budget.