Swinney goes on the say that there's a "conspiracy of silence" between the Labour and Tory parties about public finances.

There are big spending cuts planned under the Conservatives which Labour have "effectively accepted", he claims, adding "this is not a moment for spending cuts".

"We've got to invest more in our public services," he says, insisting his party has done that in Scotland where they can.

Isn't it too simplistic to say that all the problems Scotland has been facing are because of decision-making in Westminster, while his party has been in power for so long? Swinney is asked.

He says the SNP has done "lots of good things in the last 17 years" and gives examples such as doubling the provision of early years childcare, scrapping of tuition fees for universities in Scotland, and an increase in tax on higher earners to invest more in health service.

"But we have done them while the UK government is applying spending cuts, and they will continue in the UK even if it is a Labour or Conservative government," he adds.

It's put to John Swinney on BBC Breakfast that he must hear sometimes that change is needed after his party has been in power for so long, what's his response?

The SNP leader says people are "suffering" because of Brexit and 14 years of "austerity" under the Conservatives, which he says are the result of the decision-making process in Westminster.

Scotland would be "in a stronger position if decisions were to be made in Scotland for Scotland", he says.

He says about 50% of people in Scotland want independence and at the last Scottish parliamentary election a majority of MSPs elected support it, so there's a "really basic democratic point here".

SNP leader John Swinney is now speaking to BBC Breakfast from Edinburgh.

We'll be bringing you all the key lines on what he has to say, and you can watch the interview live at the top of this page.

With less than a week to the elections, let's see what the newspapers are headlining this morning:

Friday's edition of the i newspaper splashes with a story on how quickly Labour would impose VAT on private school fees, should the party form the next government.

The Daily Express does some sums to work out the BBC spent at least £30,000 on audience members for Wednesday's big election debate. The broadcaster says payments are standard for such events to cover people’s travel costs and time.

Guardian says the Labour Party wants to "ban managers who silence NHS whistleblowers".

An exclusive interview with the prime minister makes the front of the Daily Telegraph, where Sunak says he believes Nigel Farage is an "appeaser" of Vladimir Putin.

You can see all the newspaper headlines from today here.

Chris Mason & Jennifer McKiernan
Political editor & political reporter

Image source, PA Media

Away from the top story and the comments made by Reform UK campaigners, Rishi Sunak's chief of staff, Liam Booth-Smith, has been interviewed as a witness by the Gambling Commission, about the saga over alleged bets on the timing of the general election.

Sources stress that Booth-Smith, the prime minister's closest aide, is not a suspect in the investigation and had not placed a bet himself.

He was asked to help the commission understand who may and may not have known about when polling day would be.

The ongoing saga started more than two weeks ago, when Tory candidate Craig Williams, who was an aide to the prime minister in the last Parliament, was alleged to have bet on the election date.

Since then, more candidates have been revealed as being under investigation, as well as seven Met Police officers.

You can read the full story here.

Hannah Miller
Political correspondent

The footage was obtained by Channel 4 News in Clacton, where Nigel Farage is standing to be an MP.

A volunteer, identified in the broadcast as Andrew Parker, talks about shooting illegal migrants and uses a racist slur to describe the prime minister.

Nigel Farage described those comments as “very prejudiced, very wrong” and said that “Mr Parker will not be welcome back” to volunteer with the party.

Parker said he was expressing personal views that he hadn’t previously discussed with the party – and apologised if he had brought Reform UK into disrepute.

A second man, known to Farage and linked to his campaign, called a display of the Pride flag "degenerate" and used other offensive language.

Farage described that as “crass” and “drunken”, before agreeing, when pushed by a reporter, that it could be described as homophobic.

Reform UK and Farage have said that the individuals involved would no longer be part of his campaign.

• You can see the full list of candidates standing in Clacton here.

Jennifer McKiernan & Sam Francis
Political reporters

As we've mentioned, homophobic and racist comments apparently made by Reform UK members have been recorded by an undercover Channel 4 journalist while they campaigned for Nigel Farage to become Clacton's MP.

Reform UK said those making "unacceptable comments" will no longer be part of Farage's campaign.

The secret recordings feature a conversation between individuals identified in the programme as a senior Reform UK campaigner, and two other men linked to the party.

One man linked to the party appears to make homophobic comments, describing a Pride flag on a police car as a "degenerate flag".

Footage broadcast by Channel 4 shows further racist, homophobic and Islamophobic slurs apparently being made by Andrew Parker, identified as a canvasser for Farage, who used a racial slur to refer to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is of Indian descent.

Speaking at a Reform UK event in Boston, Lincolnshire, party leader Nigel Farage said the party was not "perfect".

You can read the full story here.

Ben Hatton
Live reporter

There’s more than one election story in town today, with the US presidential debate taking centre stage for many this morning.

But with less than a week to go, political parties in the UK are running out of time to get their message out to the electorate on this side of the pond.

Reform UK is waking up to negative headlines, after an undercover team at Channel 4 recorded party campaigners apparently making racist, homophobic and Islamophobic comments.

Nigel Farage called the comments "reprehensible", and his party said those making "unacceptable comments" will no longer be part of his campaign. But expect further questions, and likely criticism from other parties, as the day progresses.

Elsewhere, the fallout from the election betting scandal continues. Rishi Sunak's chief of staff, Liam Booth-Smith, has been interviewed as a witness by the Gambling Commission. Sources stress he is not a suspect in the investigation and had not placed a bet himself.

As you'd expect, the parties are out and about today and on the airwaves – we'll be bringing you updates and analysis throughout.