Election latest: New poll blow for Sunak over manifesto - Labour doesn't come out much better (2024)

Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon, has today outlined her party's £10m plan to recruit "sewage inspectors".

This, she says, would form part of a Clean Water Authority to replace Ofwat - the Water Services Regulation Authority - and tackle the issue of polluted water.

She told Sky News: "We'd want to get rid of Ofwat... It is a busted regulator. It's got no teeth at all.

"And when you do that and replace it with what we'd like to call a Clean Water Authority, the two together would be transformative.

"So today we're announcing £10m to recruit sewage inspectors."

The Lib Dem candidate said the government also needs to tackle the "root cause of how we got here".

This, she says, "is the fact that water companies have been allowed to mark their own home work, that cannot be allowed to continue."

"We want sewage busters to come in to tackle this national scandal."

Sky News' deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politico's Jack Blanchard with their guide to the election day ahead.

This is day 27 of the campaign. Jack and Sam discuss the Tories doubling down on blank cheque warnings, if Labour’s economic message is struggling to break through, and Nigel Farage heads to Clacton.

Email Jack and Sam: jackandsam@sky.uk

👉Tap here to follow Politics at Jack and Sam's wherever you get your podcasts👈

Premier League clubs could have to pay a 10% tax on the transfer of football players under plans being considered by Labour.

Sir Keir Starmer's party has pledged to bring forward football governance reforms that would prevent breakaways in the style of the ill-fated European Super League if Labour wins the general election.

On Monday, shadow sports secretary Thangam Debbonaire was asked if this would include reviving the transfer levy - something which was recommended in a 2021 fan-led review but not taken up by the Conservatives in their version of the bill.

Ms Debbonaire said she was "going to look at everything again" that was in the review.

You can read more from Sky News here:

Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow business secretary, has said the general election is a choice between "real measures" and "gimmicks" on immigration.

With record highs of people arriving in the UK on small boats, illegal immigration - and the future of the Rwanda scheme - has been a core component of the election campaign.

But is stopping the boats an impossible task?

"I think we can make a difference," Mr Reynolds said.

"This is an incredibly significant issue, you see it manifested all over the world.

"But the question should be - do you want real measures to improve that situation, or are you for gimmicks?

"There is simply no way any robust analysis of the Rwanda scheme from this government stacks up as a serious way to do it."

He said this scheme - to send people to a third-party country to have their asylum claims processed - would not "even touch the scale of the problem".

Mr Reynolds stressed what is needed is "real action" on the criminal gangs behind illegal migration in the English Channel.

Asked if immigration has become a dirty word, the frontbencher said: "We will always welcome people coming, but we think it's going to come down from these record highs.

"We've got a number of policies about linking the immigration system to the school system, how we will change the apprenticeship levy that will do it.

"It's all about an economy that works better for all parts of the UK, and I think that's the right way to look at the particular issues around illegal immigration."

If you're not yet registered to vote, time is running out to sort it so you can have your say in the 4 July general election.

The good news is, you have until 11.59pm on 18 June - and it only takes five minutes.

Here's everything you need to know about how to register so that you can cast a vote to choose your local MP...

By Faye Brown, political reporter

Labour is being urged to commit to keeping the requirement for local referendums on "excessive" increases in council tax if it wins the election.

The Conservatives claim the fact that Labour have not pledged to maintain the rules in their manifesto suggests they would "ditch" them in power.

Under the current system, parliament can set a limit on council tax increases, which is 4.99% this year.

If a local authority wishes to increase tax above that level, it must hold a referendum first.

While the Conservatives have committed to keeping this rule in place if they retain power at the general election, the Labour manifesto does not mention the referenda.

Labour described the claims as "hysterical" and "desperate" - but outgoing Communities Secretary Michael Gove said"we are simply holding Labour to the standard they set for themselves".

Read more about Labour's council tax position here...

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.

So far, only one poll has shown Reform ahead of the Conservatives - the Tories are currently an average of seven points ahead of Nigel Farage's party.

Read more about the tracker here.

Environment minister Mark Spencer told Sky News that Britons should "stick to the steady ship" with Rishi Sunak at the election on 4 July.

He claimed Labour has "not shared with us what their taxation plans are".

"They certainly seem to be playing that very close to their chest," the minister said.

"We suspect - well, we know - that there's at least £2,000 worth of commitment to increase taxation through various means that they're talked about and commitments they've made."

Labour has repeatedly claimed that all their plans and policies are fully costed, and ruled out rises to income tax, national insurance and VAT.

Mr Spencer said: "But when it comes to farming and to food security of course, the way in which you pass that from generation to generation can be challenging given the value of the asset.

"And Labour won't rule out putting huge amounts of tax on passing those farms down the generations."

The minister points out this isn't in Labour's manifesto, before ruling out such an inheritance tax rise under a Tory government.

Former Labour adviser Ayesha Hazarika joins Sky News political editor Beth Rigby and Conservative peer Ruth Davidson as the general election campaign heads towards its final fortnight.

They're assessing whether Labour can shake off the questions about their taxation policies.

After Conservative Grant Shapps seemed to accept election defeat in an interview, is that something anyone should do in the middle of the campaign?

They discuss the "what ifs" of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as he tries to become an MP.

And as the SNP launch their manifesto, how is the election shaping up differently in Scotland?

👉Click here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts👈

Plus, Beth, Ruth and Ayesha tackle listeners' questions on manifesto promises and Reform UK's unusual set-up.

Email Beth, Ruth, and Margaret at electoraldysfunction@sky.uk, post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444.

In this episode, we mention the Clacton-on-Sea constituency, where the full list of candidates are:

• Bensilum, Matthew (Liberal Democrats)
• Farage, Nigel Paul (Reform UK)
• Jamieson, Craig (Climate Party)
• Mack, Tony (Independent)
• Osben, Natasha (Green Party)
• Owusu-Nepaul, Jovan (Labour Party)
• Papanastasiou, Tasos (Heritage Party)
• Pemberton, Andrew (UKIP – NO to Illegal Immigration)
• Watling, Giles Francis (Conservative Party)

Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and Plaid Cymru have released their manifestos - as the general election campaign continues.

Sky News has scoured their policy pledges so you don't have to. We will add a breakdown of all the other parties' manifestos here when they are announced.

Click the link below to find out what the parties have promised to do if they win theelectionon 4 July...