Election latest: PM 'disappointed' by aide's bet on election date - as Labour launch 'change' manifesto (2024)

Plaid Cymru have released their election manifesto - and we've scoured their policy pledges, so you don't have to.

Scroll to the right in the interactive tool below to find out what the party has promised to do if they win the election.

We will produce a breakdown of all the other parties' manifestos here when they are announced - you can find the ones we've done so far in the key points above.

By Faye Brown, political reporter

Sir Keir Starmer said he "rejects the argument" tax rises are required to rebuild public services - as he insisted there will be "no return to austerity" under a Labour government.

The Number 10 hopeful told Sky's political editor Beth Rigby that he will "properly fund" the UK's creaking infrastructure - despite very few giveaways in his manifesto.

The Labour leader has ruled out raising income tax, national insurance and VAT in the policy document - prompting the Institute for Fiscal Studies to warn his flagship promise to deliver "genuine change" is in jeopardy.

It was put to Sir Keir that, given he does not want to raise taxes, he does not have enough money to rebuild public services after years of cuts.

But he said: "I reject that argument. I reject this suggestion that is out there - that all we can hope for with our economy is that we flatline, forever.

"I understand after 14 years why people don't necessarily believe that we can grow our economy. I do think we can grow our economy. We've got serious plans in here."

Read more here:

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says the Conservative and Labour manifestos offer a "clear choice" between tax cuts and tax rises.

He says the Labour plan, unveiled today, "made clear that taxes are going to rise".

In contrast, he says the Conservatives would cut taxes for people "at every stage of their life" should they win the next election.

"Multiple independent sources demonstrate that the tax burden under Labour will rise to the highest levels in history," he says.

In their manifesto, Labour have ruled out income tax, national insurance and VAT rises.

But the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has once again accused Labour, the Conservatives, and the Liberal Democrats of participating in a "conspiracy of silence" over the financial difficulties facing the next government (see post at 15.18).

Rishi Sunak was speaking from the G7 summit in Italy, where he has announced new Russia sanctions and set out details of a £240m aid package that will be provided to Ukraine.

It is part of the £2.5bn aid package announced by the PM on a trip to Kyiv earlier this year.

Rishi Sunak has said news his close parliamentary aide Craig Williams placed a bet on a July election date is "very disappointing".

Mr Williams placed a £100 bet on a July election just days before Mr Sunak named the date as 4 July, The Guardian first reported (read more here).

He has apologised for placing the bet, but refused to say whether he did so on the basis of insider information.

The prime minister would not be drawn on questions about whether Mr Williams knew he was calling an election in July when he made his bet, saying it "wouldn't be appropriate to comment" while there is an ongoing confidential, independent inquiry.

Mr Williams served as Mr Sunak's parliamentary private secretary, his eyes and ears in the House of Commons, and is standing again as an MP in next month's election.

The leader of the Lib Dems is taking the assault course that is an election campaign literally today as he once again found himself on an adrenaline-fuelled adventure.

Three weeks of campaigning have seen Sir Ed Davey take a splash at an aqua park, join Sky correspondent Matthew Thompson on a waterslide in Frome and ride rollercoasters at Thorpe Park - to name just a few.

Today he found himself on an assault course near Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent.

And he appears to have impressed the owner, Peter, who told him he was "quite fast".

Sir Ed's message was focused on getting young carers educational support, but he also commented on an investigation into a close aide of Rishi Sunak who has admitted placing a bet on when the election would be held (see post at 10.05am).

If he knew the outcome, placing a bet on it would have been "morally questionable", he said.

Sir Keir Starmer says Labour's newly unveiled manifesto rejects "fundamentally the proposal that Britain can't do better".

"Britain can do better. Britain will do better," he says.

He is speaking in Cheshire, hours after Labour launched its election manifesto.

Should Labour win the election, he says they will "take the country forward", and that will be felt "in every community across the country".

He says work to "secure and stabilise our economy" will "start on day one of a Labour government".

He goes on to outline Labour's key manifesto pledges.

You can read all the key points from Labour's manifestohere, and follow live reaction and analysis here in the Politics Hub.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has once again accused Labour, the Conservatives, and the Liberal Democrats of participating in a "conspiracy of silence" over the difficulties facing the next government.

Director Paul Johnson said the fiscal challenges are "perfectly clear" and whoever forms the next government won't get away with a "shock and horror" routine once they get into power.

He made the comments in his initial analysis of Labour's manifesto.

He said Labour's "big promises" on the NHS will require "big spending", which leaves them with a "problem".

Given the £17.5bn of borrowing over the next five years to fund a green prosperity plan, there is "literally no room" for more spending than that already planned by the current Sunak government.

That includes cuts to investment spending and unprotected departments like transport and justice - something Sir Keir Starmer has "effectively ruled out".

While the economic growth Labour is promising would make things easier, if it doesn't transpire then there will have to be cuts or tax rises.

Another think tank, the Resolution Foundation, has also suggested the party would have to raise taxes more than they've said.

Mr Johnson characterised the public service spending increases and tax rises - like VAT on private schools - promised in the manifesto as "trivial".

To see a full breakdown of Labour's key manifesto pledges, check out our pinned post at the top of this page - or watch Ed Conway's breakdown:

At the halfway point of the general election campaign, the bad news for the man who triggered it just keeps on coming.

Polling from YouGov reveals 72% of Britons have an unfavourable view of Rishi Sunak - the highest level of disapproval recorded by the pollster since he became PM.

After a slight boost in his approval rating after calling the election, just 21% of Britons have a favourable view of Mr Sunak, giving him a net approval rating of -51.

Voters are also not happy with the Conservative Party overall -70% have a negative view, compared to just 21% with a positive view.

Starmer on the up - but most still don't like him

Meanwhile, the number of Britons with a positive view of the Labour leader has hit the highest level since late 2022, with 39% feeling favourably towards Sir Keir Starmer.

That said, 51% of people still have an unfavourable view, meaning his net score sits in the negative still, at -12.

The Labour Party overall very much divides opinion, with 44% having a positive view, and 47% holding a negative one.

How are the smaller parties faring?

The popularity of the Lib Dems has increased slightly since the election was called, now at 37% (up 4% since mid-May), with 47% having a negative view (no change).

It is the best score for the Lib Dems this parliament.

The Greens are also doing better - and are the only party of whom there is a net positive view: 41% have a favourable opinion towards them and 40% an unfavourable one.

And Reform has also seen its favourability increase - albeit from a very low base.

In mid-May, 20% of Britons had a favourable view of the party, and that figure has risen to 27%.

But a majority - 56% - have a negative view of the party, which has increased from 48% before the election.

After years of questions over exactly what Labour would do if in government, the party has now unveiled its manifesto, including its tax and spend plans.

Our economics and data editor Ed Conwayhas provisionally crunched the numbers to work out:

• How much Labour will raise in tax versus how much it will spend (spoiler: it's cautious);
• How those plans compare to the other main parties;
• How they compare to Labour's manifesto proposals in 2019 and 2017;
• The effect on the tax burden over the next five years.

Watch Ed's full analysis below: