Summary

  • We're answering first-time voters’ questions on everything from tactical voting to what you need to bring to the polling station - scroll down to see more

  • Meanwhile, parties are ramping up their election campaigning with just three days left until polls open

  • Conservative leader Rishi Sunak tells the BBC's Chris Mason the election is "not over until it’s over" as he insists he hasn't given up on the campaign

  • Keir Starmer tells voters the choice "could not be starker" as he calls for a "summer of change"

  • At least six councils across the UK have had issues with delayed postal votes - here's what to do if your ballot hasn't arrived

  • Unsure who to vote for? Compare the main parties in our manifesto guide here

  1. I let Ed Davey take part in too many stunts, Cooper jokespublished at 10:19 British Summer Time 30 June

    Laura asks Cooper - what is the one mistake the party has made ?

    Cooper jokes she let the Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey take part in too many stunts and she missed the chance to do them herself.

    She would have liked to go to Thorpe Park, she adds.

  2. Lib Dems would like 'more free movement for under-35s to work or study abroad'published at 10:19 British Summer Time 30 June

    Cooper is then asked if immigration would go up, if the Liberal Democrats were to achieve their goal of re-joining the European single market.

    She says immigration was lower when the UK was part of the European Union, but a return to the single market is not on the table.

    Instead she says, what is on the table is a "botched Brexit deal" and the party would like to see more free movement for under-35s to work or study abroad in Europe.

  3. What immigration levels do Lib Dems want to see, Cooper askedpublished at 10:17 British Summer Time 30 June

    Cooper is pressed again on what sort of immigration levels her party wants to see, and she repeats that she does not believe in an "artificial cap".

    She says some immigration is needed for the UK to have a "dynamic economy", and points to policies on the minimum wage as a means to get people into work in things like the care sector.

    Asked again, she refuses to give a number on net migration levels she thinks would be acceptable.

  4. Cooper pressed on why she thinks immigration is too highpublished at 10:16 British Summer Time 30 June

    Laura presses Cooper on why she thinks immigration is too high.

    She responds saying we need to invest in our domestic workforce (as well as welcoming people here).

    Laura presses her again - what is the appropriate level of immigration?

    Cooper says they don't want to put what she calls "an artificial cap" on immigration numbers. She says we need to work with each sector to work out what kind of workers they need.

  5. Immigration is forecast to come down, Cooper sayspublished at 10:15 British Summer Time 30 June

    Cooper says in response that immigration is forecast to come down anyway.

    She adds that the Liberal Democrats wants a higher minimum wage for care workers in the UK to attract more people to the role.

    She says many visas are given to care workers from overseas, and that while these people should be welcomed "with open arms", a debate is needed around the domestic workforce and investing in those workers first, before foreign workers.

  6. Lib Dems' Daisy Cooper now taking questionspublished at 10:10 British Summer Time 30 June

    Daisy Cooper

    Next up, we're hearing from the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats Daisy Cooper.

    First she's asked about immigration - Cooper has previously said she thinks it is too high. Why?

  7. Will you still be prime minister on Friday, Sunak askedpublished at 10:04 British Summer Time 30 June

    Rishi Sunak and Laura Kuenssberg during an interview

    A big question to wrap up a bumper interview: Do you think you will still be prime minister on Friday?

    Sunak responds: "Yes."

    He suggests that people are "waking up" to what a Labour government may mean, and to close makes his pitch on what the Conservatives plan to do to protect pensions, address migration and cut taxes.

    And that's the end of the interview.

  8. Sunak 'appalled' by gambling cheating allegationspublished at 10:03 British Summer Time 30 June

    The PM is asked what he thinks his biggest mistake in this campaign has been - Laura raises the gambling scandal and his decision to leave D-Day events early.

    Sunak says he was “appalled” by allegations of gambling cheating from his aides and candidates.

    He ends by saying “we all make mistakes, I’ve been open about that”.

  9. Sunak asked if he has made any mistakespublished at 10:01 British Summer Time 30 June

    Laura asks Sunak if he has made any mistakes.

    "When was the last time you were wrong?" she asks.

    "If you talk to my wife and daughters they would say on a regular basis," he jokes.

    He goes on to say he is proud of the campaign he has run, claiming it has shone a spotlight on Labour which, he claims, will raise people's taxes.

  10. Is money more important than values, Sunak askedpublished at 10:00 British Summer Time 30 June

    In the final minutes of the interview, Laura poses the question whether money is more important than values in this instance.

    Sunak says no, and adds that Hester has apologised and it's reasonable if people are generally contrite for their past actions that that is accepted.

  11. Sunak asked about Tory party donor Frank Hester commentspublished at 09:59 British Summer Time 30 June

    Now Sunak is being asked about comments made by Frank Hester, who has donated millions to the Tory Party.

    It has previously been revealed Hester made racist comments about Labour candidate Diane Abbott. Why has the party taken his money if it's opposed to racism, Sunak is asked.

    The PM says he had condemned Hester's comments but that it is right to accept an apology when someone shows "genuine contrition".

    He contrasts himself to Farage, who called racism in his party "inappropriate not vile and racist and wrong".

  12. UK 'most successful multi-faith, multi-ethnic democracy in world'published at 09:58 British Summer Time 30 June

    Sunak says it is sad that he had to say this in 2024.

    But he says he is living proof of the progress the UK has made.

    He adds that the UK is the most successful multi-faith, multi-ethnic democracy anywhere in the world.

    That is what so special about this country, he says - I don't think my story would be possible anywhere else.

    sunak
  13. Reform UK canvasser comment 'deeply inappropriate and racist'published at 09:57 British Summer Time 30 June

    Next, Laura asks Sunak about his thinking behind his decision to repeat the use of a racial slur by a Reform UK canvasser.

    The prime minister says that he hated doing it, but it was important to say the offensive word to "call out what it was".

    He adds that the comment was "deeply inappropriate and racist", but that the vast majority of people in the UK would agree that the colour of your skin, your ethnic background or your gender should not define you.

  14. Sunak asked about Reform UKpublished at 09:55 British Summer Time 30 June

    Now the PM is being asked about Nigel Farage, who Sunak has previously said he has respect for.

    As a reminder, a campaigner for Reform UK was heard racially abusing the PM this week, which Sunak publicly condemned.

    Sunak says Farage has been right to highlight some issues in the past but adds that incident offended him and he was keen to call it out.

  15. Postpublished at 09:52 British Summer Time 30 June

    Laura puts it to Sunak that the UK is spending less on defence than in 2010, in today's prices.

    Sunak says the threats in the world have changed. He says he has increased defence spending since 2020 when he was chancellor.

    He says this sends a signal to the UK's adversaries such as Vladimir Putin that we are not going anywhere.

  16. Why did Sunak not agree to spend 3% of GDP on defence?published at 09:51 British Summer Time 30 June

    sunak and kuenssberg

    Moving on to international security, Laura talks about the threat of an "axis of authoritarian" states around the world, as previously described on the programme by the boss of Nato.

    Sunak's defence secretary has suggested we are in a "pre-war world", and if that is the case, Laura asks, why did Sunak not agree to his request for 3% of GDP to be spent on defence?

    The prime minister responds saying he did agree to 2.5% to be budgeted and adds we need to be able to build up funding and the munitions industry in the UK.

    He also says the armed forces are "delighted" with the plans set out.

  17. Postpublished at 09:50 British Summer Time 30 June

    It’s put to the prime minister that companies will invest elsewhere if the market becomes “hostile”.

    Sunak pushes back against comments about the UK economy which he describes as “declinist nonsense”.

    He points to growth in the British electric vehicle industry, in which he says there has been billions of pounds of investment in the last 12 months.

  18. Postpublished at 09:48 British Summer Time 30 June

    Laura asks again about Tory climate change plans.

    We are doing far more than other countries, Sunak says.

    "But I don't think it is right to saddle British families with hundreds of pounds of extra costs to get a new car, boiler and convert their home," he says.

  19. Not true that UK has lost any status on climate change internationally, Sunak sayspublished at 09:47 British Summer Time 30 June

    Looking at various pledges previously made under different Conservative governments that may have been more bold, Laura asks whether some may ask whether the UK's international standing may become more challenging.

    Laura says that past "bold" commitments on tackling climate change, for example, seem to have fallen by the side.

    Sunak refutes a "declinist" narrative and says it is not true that the UK has lost any status internationally and claims other countries and organisations and queuing up to work with the UK, such as Nato.

  20. Postpublished at 09:44 British Summer Time 30 June

    Sunak says global growth will come from outside Europe in the coming years, and Brexit means the UK can “link” themselves to that.

    It’s put to him that the trade deals the UK has signed are “rollovers” from what was already in place under the EU.

    Sunak points to the CTTP trade deal - an agreement involving several countries around the world, including Canada and Australia. It is not yet in force, but the PM calls it a big moment.

    Sunak says Labour will accept EU rules rather than pursue new opportunities.