Election latest: Two arrests made after Nigel Farage milkshake attack - as Tory rival condemns incident (2024)

By Lara Keay, news reporter

"Neither of them are blessed with natural charisma."

This rather damning assessment of both Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer - the UK's choice of future prime minister - focuses on their speech and body language, not how they might lead the country.

The leaders of the two main parties face weeks of interviews, speeches, and walkabouts as part of their general election campaigns.

Ahead of their first live TV debate, Sky News speaks to Paul Boross, a business psychologist and body language expert who has coached several politicians and celebrities, and Elizabeth McClelland, forensic voice, speech, and language analyst, about the gestures and verbal characterisics that offer an insight into who the two frontrunners really are:

Sat around a circular table with reporters at the back of the Tory battle bus, the home secretary is clear what he doesn't want to talk about.

"It's not about him," James Cleverly says of the new Reform leader, before accusing Nigel Farage of "using another political party as the marketing arm of Farage enterprises".

"If I was Richard Tice (the party's now former leader), I'd be fuming."

If there is an emergency change in strategy under way at Tory high command, the home secretary doesn't seem to be rolling the pitch for it.

"Our motivation is driven by the needs of the British people, not by someone who… clearly couldn't restrain himself [at] the thought that Richard Tice would be getting the TV slots Farage feels are rightfully his."

U-turn on the way?

The long-time minister has previously sounded cold on the prospect of following through on the long-held ambition of many of his colleagues and pulling out of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Last April when foreign secretary, he told The Guardian he was "not convinced" the UK should join the "small club" of European countries not signed up.

He doesn't go that far today, telling reporters "we will always prioritise the security of our country… if there is ever a situation where something conflicts with that aim, we will always do what is in the best of interests of protecting our borders".

Tory defeat 'not inevitable'

On the broader prospects for the party amid dire polling numbers, he seems somewhat accepting of the situation but still optimistic about the future.

"I went through the 2017 election (when Theresa May blew her Commons majority)," he said.

"Numbers shift… voters are much more willing to change their mind as we go through the campaign, we've been on the receiving end of that… nothing is inevitable."

Our weeknight politics showPolitics Hub With Sophy Ridgewill be live on Sky News from 7pm.

The fast-paced programme dissects the inner workings of Westminster, with interviews, insights, and analysis - bringing you, the audience, into the corridors of power.

Sophy will be hearing from Wes Streeting, shadow health secretary, who will tell us more about Labour's case to govern the nation ahead of the TV debate this evening.

And making the case for the Conservatives will be the health secretary, Victoria Atkins, who will be speaking to Sophy.

We will also hear from Christine Jardine, the Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesperson.

On Sophy's panel tonight are:

• Sir Ben Bradshaw, former Labour MP for Exeter;
• Baroness Kate Fall, Conservative Peer and former deputy chief of staff to David Cameron.
  

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

WatchPolitics Hubfrom 7pm every night during the election campaign on Sky channel 501, Virgin channel 602, Freeview channel 233, on theSky News websiteandappor onYouTube.

Ahead of the first TV debate between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer this evening, we spoke to two senior members of both parties about the pitches their leaders will be making to the nation.

Conservatives

Chris Philp, who is currently the policing minister, wanted to focus initially when speaking to us on the Labour leader, saying Sir Keir has "laid out pretty much no policies".

"Keir Starmer is asking the British people to vote for him into Number 10 without setting out what their programme for government is - so the first question is one for Keir Starmer to answer."

Moving on to his own boss, he said Mr Sunak will be "explaining the plan for the country, for the economy, is working", with a focus on falling inflation and rising wages.

The incumbent PM will also be "talking about the need to reduce immigration", which is "falling already, but it needs to fall even further".

When challenged on the fact net migration is falling just slightly from a record high peak, Mr Philp insisted the Tories are making "very significant progress already".

He accused Labour of "talking a tough game on immigration", but said the opposition voted against measures to bring numbers down, adding: "Labour won't take any action at all to control immigration."

Asked if the focus on immigration is because he is afraid of Reform UK, Mr Philp denied it completely, and added: "A vote for Reform is essentially a vote for Labour."

Labour

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow paymaster general, told Sky News Sir Keir will be asking the nation if they want "five more years of that chaos and decline" with the Tories.

He said his leader will be "showing strength of character, how he will want to change the country with his clear plan in the same way that he has changed the Labour Party".

He will talk about the NHS, economic stability, the cost of living crisis, schools, and cutting energy bills, as well creating "a fair immigration system".

Mr Ashworth also brought up the Truss mini-budget, pledging that Labour would never do something like that.

He insisted Labour has a plan to tackle illegal migration and reduce legal migration - but refused to put what he called an "arbitrary figure" on what would be an acceptable number of arrivals.

He also addressed the recent rows over candidates, saying Labour will "make no apology for putting forward candidates of the highest calibre in this general election".

As I reported this morning, Diane Abbott is now confirmed on the candidates list.

The Labour leadership will be hoping this draws a line under what insiders admit has been a tricky few days- with the campaign messages overshadowed by questions about Ms Abbott's future.

Ms Abbott, who is now running as a Labour candidate in Hackney North and Stoke Newington, tweeted she was looking forward to campaigning for a Labour victory.

Faiza Shaheen, the left-wing candidate in Chingford and Woodford Green, looked poised to announce she's standing as an independent.

After being dropped by the Labour Party, she said she would make an announcement tomorrow.

She was just 1,262 votes behind Conservative Iain Duncan-Smith at the last election in 2019 and with Labour heavily predicted to win that seat, this could shape up to be an interesting battle.

Labour have now selected Brent councillor Shama Tatler as their candidate.

If Ms Shaheen runs too, it could let the Conservatives through the middle, in a seat they've held since 1997.

As we reported this afternoon, Nigel Farage had a drink thrown over him after launching his campaign in Clacton.

After addressing a vast crowd in the seaside town, the Reform UK leader was leaving a pub when he was splattered with what appeared to be a banana milkshake.

You can watch the moment below:

It's just gone 5.30pm - and we're now well into the second full week of the general election campaign.

There is just a month to go until polls open across the UK on 4 July.

Here's what you need to know so far today:

• Nigel Farage had a drink thrown over him after launching his election campaign in Clacton;

• After addressing a vast crowd at the seaside town, the Reform UK leader was leaving a pub when he was splattered with what appeared to be a banana milkshake - and it's not the first time it's happened to him;
• Politicians from all sides condemned the incident, labelling it "unacceptable" and "disgraceful";
• Two people were arrested following the incident - one on suspicion of assault, and a secondon suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker;
• But Mr Farage himself was in high spirits afterwards, telling reporters: "My milkshake brings all the people to the rally".

• Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer spent the morning in Greater Manchester, where he met voters at a cafe in Bolton;
• His party have been pushing their energy policy - which is in large part the formation of Great British Energy - and promising to "close the door" on Russian President Vladimir Putin;
• Meanwhile, Labour has been finalising its list of candidates for the election and Diane Abbott has made the cut, which she welcomed on social media;
• That's despite Sir Keir admitting the pair have not spoken in "two or three months";
• Sir Keir has also agreed that immigration needs to "come down" - as the Conservatives are pushing today - but couldn't guarantee how this would happen under Labour;
  
• The prime ministerial hopeful will have spent the afternoon getting in some final preparation for the first TV debate against Rishi Sunak this evening.

• The Conservatives, meanwhile, havebeen pitching their plans for an annual cap on worker and family visas;
• Home Secretary James Cleverly hasn't been able to solely focus on that, though, as he's also faced questions on Nigel Farage's return to frontline politics with Reform UK;
• He told Sky News Reform is simply a "vehicle" for Mr Farage's "self-promotion" after he became the party's new leader;
  
• But ourpolitical correspondentMhari Aurorais hearing Rishi Sunak could soon suffer yet more defections as a result of Mr Farage's return and a poll yesterday projecting a Labour landslide;
• Rishi Sunakhimself arrived in Manchester this morning ahead of the TV debatethis evening after being put through what our chief political correspondent Jon Craigdescribes as a "gruelling" three days of rehearsals with his team.

• The Liberal Democrats have pledged to provide free day-to-day care for adults in need, including the elderly and disabled, should they win the election;
• And never shy of a photo opportunity, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has provided a rather literal interpretation of his party's bid to bring down the so-called Blue Wall;

Here are a couple of other stories that may interest you ahead of the TV debate this evening:

Jon Craig preview:Popcorn at the ready - gripping drama awaits in the first Sunak v Starmer head-to-head

Our essential political podcast,Politics At Jack And Sam's, is going out every week day through the election campaign to bring a short burst of everything you need to know about the day ahead as this election unfolds - here is today's edition.

Tap here to follow Politics At Jack At Sam's wherever you get your podcasts.

By Jennifer Scott, political reporter, in Salford

So, we are up in Media City in Salford for tonight's debate, where all the journalists and politicians are being placed in a spin room to watch on as the leaders battle it out.

But what is a spin room?

It is a concept that dates back to the 1980s, first set up by Ronald Reagan's team as he fought for the White House in the US by debating his rival Walter Mondale.

That was in a American hotel's banquet room, but we are in a far more glamourous location - a room next door to the Coronation Street Experience, which is sure to have seen lots of drama of its own.

The point of the spin room is to have representatives for the candidates on each side of the debate ready to talk up their man - in this case - and hammer home their points with a captive audience of reporters hungry for news.

It can get a little feisty when the politicians sent in face off against each other too.

I remember a particularly angry encounter between Conservative Dominic Raab and Labour's Barry Gardiner when I last attended one of these in 2019 over Brexit.

In fact, Mr Gardiner then went on to take on Matt Hanco*ck too as the press gawped at the exchanges.

Let's hope for some more fireworks tonight...

Welcome to the "spin room" at the ITV studios in Salford where Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer will do battle in the first TV debate of the 2024 general election campaign.

We're inside Granada TV’s "Coronation Street Experience" - and for all those who love the soap opera of politics, the one-hour showdown between the Conservative and Labour leaders is sure to provide gripping drama.

There's no VAR in this contest, but the referee with the task of keeping order is Julie Etchingham, a Sky News presenter from 2002 until late 2007 and who hosted leaders' debates in the 2015, 2017 and 2019 elections for ITV.

Here in the spin room, top politicians, including senior cabinet and shadow cabinet ministers, will later join party spin doctors in striving to persuade the media that their candidate was the winner.

Among the top-level politicians expected are, for the Tories, cabinet veteran Michael Gove and rising star Victoria Atkins and, for Labour, the witty and wily Jonathan Ashworth.

Earlier, the prime minister travelled to the north-west by train, arriving at Manchester Piccadilly station at lunchtime, casually dressed and accompanied by a vast entourage of No 10 backroom staff and party officials.

For the past three days he has been put through a gruelling programme of preparation by his team, with the deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden playing the Labour leader in rehearsals.

Sir Keir, who spent the morning campaigning in nearby Bolton, has also been put through a fierce programme of rehearsals, with a relatively unknown member of his staff, Tom Webb, reputed to be a good mimic of Tory prime ministers, playing Mr Sunak.

The Labour leader, of course, as a former Director of Public Prosecutions, is more used to addressing judges and juries than a TV audience, but will no doubt attempt to deploy the forensic interrogation style he uses at PMQs in the Commons.

Mr Sunak, meanwhile, as the underdog in the opinion polls will be urged by his team to take the gloves off and throw insults at Sir Keir like "Sir Softy" on crime and immigration, "Sir Flip Flop" on his opponent's U-turns and "Sir Fear Starmer" over his reluctance to take part in more than two TV debates during this election campaign.

Popcorn at the ready. Here we go!

Diane Abbott has welcomed her formal endorsem*nt by the national party as the Labour candidate in Hackney North and Stoke Newington.

A row has been ongoing for over a week over the treatment of the veteran left-winger, after briefings the leadership wanted to bar her.

Sir Keir Starmer had denied this was the case, and eventually said that she would be free to stand the constituency after the party whip was restored last week.

Today, the party's National Executive Committee met to endorse their candidates, and Ms Abbott's candidacy was formally approved.

In a post on X following the news of her endorsem*nt, she wrote: "My local party and I welcome my endorsem*nt today as Labour candidate for HN&SN [Hackney North and Stoke Newington].

"Looking forward to campaigning for Labour victory. The Tories have decimated our communities & our country.

"Time for a change!"