Summary

  • Nigel Farage says he's "dismayed" at "reprehensible" comments from Reform UK campaigners in Clacton, Essex - where Farage is a candidate

  • Reform campaigners were filmed by an undercover Channel 4 team making racist, homophobic and Islamophobic comments

  • "The appalling sentiments expressed by some in these exchanges bear no relation to my own views," says Farage

  • One Reform canvasser used a racial slur to refer to Rishi Sunak

  • Earlier, Keir Starmer criticised a "desperate" Tory advert telling voters not to "surrender" to Labour

  • Sunak defended the advert, saying he didn't want people "sleepwalking" into a Labour government

  1. Starmer narrowly ahead in post-debate snap pollspublished at 07:51 British Summer Time 27 June

    Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak

    We've now seen the last head-to-head clash of the campaign between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer - so who won?

    Of course, the answer to that question is purely subjective, but snap polls give us a sense of which way opinion was leaning shortly after the debate finished.

    YouGov asked 1,716 debate viewers for their verdict. On balance, they felt there was no outright winner - asked who performed best and leaving aside party preferences, the result was split 50/50.

    However, when asked who came across as the most trustworthy, likeable, in touch and prime ministerial, Starmer came out on top.

    Another snap poll was conducted by More In Common, this time with 1,525 respondents.

    That gave Starmer the victory, with 56% saying the Labour leader won, and 44% saying Sunak did - though 30% said the prime minister performed better than expected, compared to 19% saying the same for the Labour leader.

  2. How to watch last night's debatepublished at 07:37 British Summer Time 27 June

    Missed the Sunak v Starmer debate? You can watch the clash in full on BBC iPlayer here.

    Keir Starmer and Rishi SunakImage source, Reuters
  3. Watch: Starmer accuses Sunak of lying over taxpublished at 07:26 British Summer Time 27 June

    Sir Keir Starmer accused Rishi Sunak of lying in his debate closing statement.

    Rishi Sunak had warned voters not to "surrender" if they weren't certain about the future under a Labour government.

    He asked: "Can you afford to pay at least £2,000 more in tax, and why won't Keir Starmer be straight with you about what he wants to do?"

    Starmer replied: "That's a lie. He's been told not to repeat that lie, and he's just done it."

    For more on Sunak's disputed £2,000 tax claim, you can read this fact-check by BBC Verify.

  4. Junior doctors in England begin five-day walkoutpublished at 07:10 British Summer Time 27 June

    A person holds a sign calling for 'pay restoration for doctors'Image source, PA Media

    NHS waiting lists have been key a issue throughout this election campaign.

    Rishi Sunak has previously admitted he has failed to deliver on a pledge to cut NHS waiting lists, saying industrial action "has had an impact".

    Now junior doctors in England are beginning a strike which is due to end two days before polling day.

    The doctors' union says it's taking action as there has been no credible new pay offer - it has asked for a 35% increase, to make up for what it says are 15 years of below-inflation rises.

    Labour's shadow health secretary Wes Streeting has urged junior doctors to call off the strikes and says he's committed to negotiating if elected - but he's also said the money isn't there to increase pay by 35%.

    Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has said it would not be appropriate to make an offer during the pre-election period, describing the BMA's move as “cynical” and warning it “will harm patients”.

  5. Six key takeaways from the final debate before electionpublished at 06:56 British Summer Time 27 June

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during their BBC Head-to-head debate in Nottingham, 26 June 2024Image source, PA Media

    With just over a week to go before the 4 July polling day, Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer went head-to-head in the final TV debate of the campaign in Nottingham last night.

    • In a long and heated discussion over migration, Starmer said numbers "have gone through the roof" under Sunak's premiership - while the prime minister told voters not to "surrender the country's security" to Labour
    • The PM repeated his claim that Labour plans to raise taxes after the election, which Starmer called "a falsehood" before criticising Sunak's record on tax rises
    • On the election bets saga, Starmer said he wants to "reset politics" if he wins, while Sunak said he was "frustrated and furious” when he learned of the allegations
    • Both candidates touted their records when one audience member asked: "Are you two really the best we've got to be the next prime minister of our great country?"
    • On women's rights and trans rights, Sunak said protecting women's spaces was vital, while Starmer said everyone needs to be treated “with dignity and respect”
    • When it came to Brexit, Starmer said he won't accept that "the UK can't get a better Brexit deal than the current one" - but Sunak claimed there would be free movement "by the back door" under Labour
  6. The last debate is done - and the finish line sprint beginspublished at 06:49 British Summer Time 27 June

    Chris Mason
    Political editor

    After five weeks of campaigning, the vast lead Labour has in the polls over the Conservatives hasn’t budged.

    So the precedent of that period - a little over a month - suggests that a little over an hour spent in a TV debate is unlikely to shift the dial.

    But this is the zone of attention, a vanishingly small window in the five-year electoral cycle, where how people might vote isn’t an exercise in the hypothetical but the reality of now and next week.

    The need to woo, reassure, persuade even convince is never more acute in politics than right now.

    And this last set-piece event now done, the sprint finish to the end of this contest is under way.

    Read my full analysis here.

  7. Watch: The key moments from Sunak v Starmer last nightpublished at 06:43 British Summer Time 27 June

    Brexit, tax and immigration were among the issues debated during the BBC debate in Nottingham last night.

    Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak took questions from the audience in their final debate ahead of the election, interrupted at times by the sound of pro-Palestinian protesters outside.

    Sunak accused Starmer of planning tax rises and having no plan to deal with illegal immigration.

    The Labour leader said he'd restore trust in politics and accused the prime minister of making unfunded promises.

    In a hurry? You can see the key moments below.

  8. Good morning and welcome to the final week of the campaignpublished at 06:36 British Summer Time 27 June

    Ben Hatton
    Live reporter

    It's one week until polling day and there's much more campaigning still to be done.

    We'll get to the campaign trail shortly - but first we're going to take you through the key moments from last night's leaders' debate.

    The BBC clash was the last head-to-head between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer before votes are cast.

    We'll be looking at the political fallout this morning and bringing you all the key moments for those who missed it.

    Elsewhere, the scandal over election betting continues to rumble on, and junior doctors are beginning a strike which is not due to end until two days before polling day.

    In other words, lots still to come – stick with us.