Election latest: Sunak claims Starmer will cause 'irreversible damage' in 100 days; Farage facing questions amid racism row (2024)

By Laura Bundock, news correspondent

A majority of people on the Sky News YouGov voters panel say they are still undecided who to vote for.

As the politicians make the last push for support, many on our panel say they are uninspired by all the main parties.

Of the 51 people who responded, 32 are still struggling with their choice.

One voter said: "I seem to change my mind almost from day to day."

Another echoed this: "So many people are in the same boat. They don't know who to vote for, or who will do a good job."

You can read more from Sky News below:

Our flagship Sunday morning show, hosted byTrevor Phillips, will be live on Sky News from 8.30am, and we have a packed line-up for you after another eventful week of the campaign.

Trevor will be chatting to:

• Deputy prime ministerOliver Dowden;
• Labour's national campaigns co-ordinatorPat McFadden;
• Reform UK leaderNigel Farage;
• Scottish First MinisterJohn Swinney.

On Trevor's expert panel will be:

• Alastair Campbell, former Number 10 communications director;
• Sir Craig Oliver, former Number 10 communications director;
• Daisy McAndrew, former Liberal Democrat adviser.

Watch live on Sky News and in the stream at the top of this page - and follow updates here in the Politics Hub.

WatchSunday Morning with Trevor Phillipsfrom 8.30am every Sunday on Sky channel 501, Virgin channel 602, Freeview channel 233, on theSky News websiteandappor onYouTube.

Our live poll tracker collates the results of opinion surveys carried out by all the main polling organisations - and allows you to see how the political parties are performing in the run-up to the general election.

With under a week to go, the Tories and Labour have taken a drop, while support for Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats is on the rise.

Read more about the trackerhere.

Rishi Sunak has today warned that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer would cause "irreversible damage within just 100 days of coming to power".

With polls still showing theConservative Partystill failing to make a dent in Labour's 20-point lead, the prime minister only has days to change minds across the country.

Meanwhile, the Labour leader is arguing that the Conservatives "will feel entitled to continue serving themselves, rather than putting the needs of our country first" if they are re-elected.

Liberal Democratleader Sir Ed Davey is promoting his party's proposals for the NHS, while SNP leader John Swinney is arguing the Scottish public should "vote SNP to put Scotland's interests first".

You can read more from Sky News below:

Good morning!

Welcome back to the Politics Hub for the last Sunday of the general election campaign - and we have a packed episode of Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips this morning.

There is less than a week to go until polls open across the country for voters to select the next government on 4 July.

There's still plenty that could happen between now and next Thursday, however.

Here's what you need to know today:

• With just days to go until the general election, Rishi Sunak will today warn that Labour would cause "irreversible damage within just 100 days of coming to power";

• Meanwhile, the Labour leader is arguing that if the Conservatives are re-elected, "they will feel entitled to continue serving themselves, rather than putting the needs of our country first";

• Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey is continuing to promote his party's proposals for the NHS, while SNP leader John Swinney is arguing that the Scottish public should "vote SNP to put Scotland's interests first";
  

• And as we head into the last few days of the campaign, a large majority of theSky News YouGov voters panelsay they have still not been inspired enough by anyone to have made up their minds yet;

• Fallout will also likely continue after Reform UK yesterday withdrew support from three of its parliamentary candidates.

From 8.30am, Trevor Phillips will be joined by:

• Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden;
• Labour's national campaigns co-ordinator Pat McFadden;
• Reform UK leader Nigel Farage;
• Scottish First Minister John Swinney.

Follow along for the very latest in the general election campaign.

Thank you for joining us on the Politics Hub for live coverage of events on the general election campaign trail today.

Polls open in 4 days and 8 hours - and the politicians will be spending every last moment fighting for your vote.

Scroll down for all of today's developments - and we'll be back from 7am with the very latest.

And join us tomorrow from 8.30am on Sky News forSunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, where we will be hearing from:

• Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden;
• Labour's national campaign coordinator Pat McFadden;
• Reform UK leader Nigel Farage;
• SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney.

Pledges and promises are coming thick and fast from every party as the general election approaches.

Struggling to keep up with who is saying what?

Here is a summary of where the main parties stand on major issues.

For a more in-depth look at what each party has pledged, scour ourmanifesto checker...

TV presenter Rylan Clark has said he would "love" to become a politician - and replace the party system with a "Power Rangers of government" model.

The TV personality, 35, joined political editor Beth Rigby and former Scottish Conservative leader Baroness Ruth Davidson for this week's Sky News Electoral Dysfunction podcast.

Asked if he would ever consider the career change, he said: "If I wasn't in the job that I was in, I would love nothing more."

Rylan, who won Celebrity Big Brother and also appeared on the X Factor, appeared on the podcast in place of Labour candidate Jess Phillips after tweeting his praise for Rigby on the day Rishi Sunak announced the general election.

Sharing a clip of her and Sky presenter Sophy Ridge outside a rainy Downing Street waiting for Mr Sunak to appear at the lectern, he said: "Obsessed with the Rigby."

Speaking to her and Davidson, he said his "obsession" with politics began with Brexit - "as we've seen so many promises which weren't fulfilled" since then.

He added: "I lie there at night sometimes, and I think about [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy. He hosted one of the same shows I've hosted in Ukraine."

The TV presenter also shared his idea of abandoning political parties altogether.

Read the full story here:

A short while ago, Rishi Sunak gave a speech BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, also known as Neasden Temple, which is a traditional Hindu temple in London.

Rishi Sunak, who is of the Hindu faith, told attendees: "Like all of you, I draw inspiration and comfort from my faith.

"I was proud to be sworn in as a member of parliament on the Bhagavad Gita [one of Hinduism's most prominent sacred texts].

"Our faith teaches us to do our duty, and not fret about the outcome as long as one does it faithfully."

"My family also strengthen my commitment to service," the PM said.

He spoke about the philanthropic work that his mother-in-law does in India, and praises his wife as "the greatest support that any husband could ever have" and "someone committed to a life of service".

To the attendees, Mr Sunak said: "I want to start by thanking all of you for your support, your prayers, and your love. You have been with me every step of the way.

"On the hardest days in this job, I have felt your backing, and I know the pride that it is to have a British-Asian prime minister, and I am determined to never let you down."

The PM argued that so many Indians are Conservatives because "our values bind us together", citing education, hard work, and family.

Mr Sunak said: "One of my most memorable moments of the last few years came on Diwali, sixty years after my [grandmother] boarded a plane in East Africa - her first ever, all by herself - to come ahead and make a new life for her family here in this country.

"Sixty years after that moment, her great-granddaughters, my girls, they played in the street outside our home."

They "had fun like so many other families do on Diwali - except, the street that they were playing in was Downing Street".

In reference to the racial slur a Reform UK campaigner had used about him, he said that the "events of the last few days should not make us forget that the United Kingdom is the world's most successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith democracy, and we should all by uplifted by that".

In conclusion, the PM said: "Thank you for all your support. I can only hope that I can make you all proud every day."

Even by Reform's standards, the frequency and ferocity of attacks flying out from the party has stepped up today.

We've had complaints going into Ofcom, the Electoral Commission and Essex Police.

The BBC boycotted, Channel 4 reported, and a former campaigner cut adrift.

This tells you more about Nigel Farage's mindset than his decision to suspend three candidates over online posts.

So, five days from the election, will these seemingly rolling controversies shift many votes?

Much like the row over the Reform leader's comments on Russia and Putin, that probably depends on how fully signed up you are to the party’s agenda.

For the diehards, talk of an establishment stitch-up will find sympathetic and supportive ears.

But wavering Tories dabbling with Reform may be queasier about all this talk of racism and a big media conspiracy.

One final point.

A fortnight ago, Nigel Farage demanded to be treated as one of the big players in this election, citing a poll putting him ahead of the Tories.

But with more coverage comes more scrutiny.

You can construct a fair argument that that's exactly what Reform has been exposed to in the last week.