Election latest: Sunak and Starmer attend D-Day event - as Tory candidate quits over comments on fitness app (2024)

By Ian King, business presenter

If the polls are correct, Labour will be in government in less than a month, yet the party's policies are already having an impact on business.

Three oil and gas companies - Jersey Oil and Gas, Serica Energy and Neo Energy - said on Wednesday they had decided to delay by a year the planned start of oil production at Buchan, an oilfield in the North Sea 120 miles to the northeast of Aberdeen, which they jointly own.

The trio explicitly linked the decision to the earlier than expected timing of the election.

Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, confirmed last week that Labour intends to spend £23.7bn over the life of the next parliament on a "green prosperity plan" at the centre of which is the creation of a state-owned vehicle, Great British Energy, that will invest in renewables.

It will be chiefly funded by raising the existing windfall taxes first imposedon North Sea oil and gas producers by Rishi Sunak, as chancellor, in 2022.

And it's already spooked producers.

Read more from Ian below:

Hot on the heels of calling on the Tories to return money donated by controversial donor Frank Hester, the Liberal Democrats have pledged they would introduce a cap on political donations if they win the election.

It's emerged today that Mr Hester has continued to give money to the Conservatives even after Rishi Sunak condemned "racist" comments he made about Labour's Diane Abbott.

'Time to take big money out of politics'

The Lib Dems have called on the prime minister to return the cash, and have now said they would clamp down on donations by setting a strict £25,000 cap - way less than the millions Mr Hester has given.

Deputy leader Daisy Cooper said "it's high time we banned the wealthiest buying power and influence".

"It's time to take big money out of politics," she added.

It's not uncommon for prospective MPs to have to stand aside after inappropriate comments from their past get revealed.

Such is the fate of Sam Trask, who had hoped to be the Conservative candidate for Bridgend in South Wales.

He has said he will no longer run for the seat after posts he made on the MyFitnessPal app emerged.

The app is used to track exercise and diet - but also has a social aspect.

After his sexual comments about women were revealed by The Mirror, Mr Trask withdrew his candidacy.

The Conservatives have until Friday at 4pm to find a replacement.

Mr Trask told The Mirror: "These comments were made a number of years ago, and I recognise they are wholly inappropriate. For that I apologise and have decided to withdraw as a candidate."

A Conservative Party spokesman said: "The Conservative Party does not condone these comments. We are looking into the matter."

The prospective list of candidates for Bridgend is:

• Iolo Caudy, Party of Wales;
• Debra Cooper, Green Party;
• Chris Elmore, Labour Party;
• Mark Richard John, independent;
• Caroline Jones, Reform UK;
• Claire Waller, Liberal Democrats.

By Jon Craig, chief political correspondent

The last-minute easing of Douglas Ross and Richard Holden into Conservative-held seats this week, done while side-lining local activists, makes these two top Tories look like a self-serving elite.

Not only that, but several of Rishi Sunak's Number 10 aides have bagged themselves safe seats.

And some Tories who represented vulnerable seats, mostly in the Red Wall, have gone on a chicken run to a safer seat.

It wasn't always like this.

Back in 1992, the then Tory chairman Chris Patten soldiered on in his Bath constituency when he expected to lose, which he duly did in a general election which John Major won against the odds.

Clearly, that wouldn't happen now.

And up in the great division lobby in the sky, the current goings-on are likely to be greeted by a great roar of disapproval from what sounds like a snarling bulldog.

Read more from Jon below:

Both Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer will take part in a special leaders' event programme next week, Sky News has confirmed.

The Battle For Number 10, a UK Election Leaders Special Event, will be aired on Wednesday 12 June.

The event will be live from Grimsby in front of an audience.

The new Grimsby and Cleethorpes constituency is complex andlikely to be a key battleground in the election.

If you would like to be part of this studio audience, and be given the opportunity to ask a question to one of the party leaders, please complete the short questionnaire inthis link.

Sky News will put the main candidates vying to lead the country under scrutiny in front of a representative audience drawn from the local area and nationally.

The two men will look to pitch to voters in an in-depth interview before answering questions from the audience.

A little earlier, we reported on the Greens ditching their pledge to reduce childbirth interventions, after a reference to the proposal on their website was criticised widely on social media.

But the party has been speaking about the health care policies it would stick with should it win the general election.

Co-leader Adrian Ramsay said the Greens would spend £50bn a year on health and social care by 2030 - including £5bn to boost NHS salaries and cash dedicated to upgrading hospital equipment.

Poorest 'will be better off' under Greens

He admitted taxes may have to go up to pay for the measures, but costs would fall on those with the "broadest shoulders" - such as through a windfall tax on energy companies.

The candidate for Waveney Valley (East Anglia) said: "Those on the lowest incomes will be better off (under a Green government)."

The party will be launching its manifesto next week.

While Sir Keir Starmer attends today's D-Day commemorations, it has been left to his shadow cabinet to keep trying to reassure voters about Labour's tax plans.

It comes after Rishi Sunak used this week's TV debate with Sir Keir to try spooking households into thinking they'll face an extra £2,000 tax bill to pay for the party's spending plans.

Shadow pensions secretary Liz Kindall has reiterated Labour won't raise income tax, national insurance, or VAT.

"We have been really honest with people," she said.

"We will not raise taxes on working people."

She instead pointed to Labour's plans to scrap the non-dom tax status and tax breaks for private schools.

Ms Kendall insisted the party had been "clear" with voters.

Labour is facing accusations of a U-turn on support for women who claim they are owed compensation due to changes to their retirement age.

In the mid-1990s, the government passed a law to raise the retirement age for women over a 10-year period to make it equal with men.

The coalition government then sped up the timetable, but the Women Against State Pension Inequality, or WASPIs, said millions suffered financially as they were not given enough warning to prepare.

Earlier this year, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman recommended they receive compensation after a five-year investigation.

Reeves casts doubt on Labour pledge

Nothing has been forthcoming under the Tories, but Sir Keir Starmer previously said Labour would respond "at pace and reach a judgement".

The WASPI campaigners say this apparent commitment has now been rowed back by the shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves.

Speaking in Scotland, she said she recognises the "injustice" the women faced but has "not set out any money" for compensation.

'This has gone on long enough'

Angela Madden, chair of the WASPI campaign, warned the party not to turn its back on the women should they come to power next month.

"This has gone on long enough," she said.

"We are the sixth-largest economy in the world and an independent watchdog has recommended compensation be paid.

"We deserve better from both the big parties."

Sir Keir Starmer has just been speaking in Normandy, where world leaders, troops, and veterans are marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

"Today's event has been moving and powerful," he said.

"It's truly a privilege to be here on behalf of the Labour Party."

Sir Keir said he wanted to say "thank you" to veterans for the "freedom they fought for so courageously".

"We know it is our duty, as they get older, to continue to tell the story, to make sure the history is told," he added.

You can read more in our dedicated D-Day blog: