Pria Rai
BBC Asian Network

Image source, Kirn Kaur

Our colleagues at BBC Asian Network News have been speaking to voters and finding out about the issues that matter to the British Asian community.

Within Asian communities, it can be quite common to have bigger families living under one roof, like Kirn Kaur, who lives with her parents, sister and niece in Edinburgh.

"The cost of living is sometimes viewed as not really affecting our community much because in certain pockets people are quite affluent," Kirn, a newly qualified lawyer, says.

"But the grocery bill has increased. Mum and dad have recently retired so the income has lowered."

She feels there isn’t enough support, and expenses are impacting Kirn’s dreams of having her own home.

"Money's just haemorrhaging. You feel comfortable in a place that is yours but I feel that's just not achievable."

Image source, Nick Vyas

First-time voter Nick Vyas, 19, agrees and says he’s had "to allocate money more smartly" since moving from Leicester to Nottingham for university.

Like Kirn, he also wants to move out of his family home after uni.

"I'm not sure it’s a possibility. And honestly, I don't think there is enough being done to help young people buy their own houses."

• You can listen to Asian Network's election special on BBC Sounds

Emily Atkinson
Reporting from the BBC debate spin room

I’m in the “spin room” behind the set for tonight’s BBC Prime Ministerial Debate between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, starting at 20:15 BST.

For the uninitiated, a “spin room” is where politicians attempt to convince journalists that it's their contender that "won" the debate.

Today’s is located in an airy conference room at Nottingham Trent University, just down the corridor from the debate floor.

It’s a hive of activity, with people rushing around me checking this microphone and that camera angle to make sure that you can see and hear everything later on.

All the while, journalists from some of the UK’s main newspapers and broadcasters are starting to arrive.

Tonight will be the last time the two leaders face off before the general election and make their pitch to voters - and all in front of a live TV audience.

We’ll be covering the blow-by-blow from the debate on this page, alongside reaction and analysis to all those key moments.

Peter Barnes
BBC political analyst

Image source, .

The parties' poll ratings have stabilised over the last week.

Starting at the beginning of June, the Conservatives, and then Labour, saw their average poll scores drop. Meanwhile, support for Reform UK went up and support for the Liberal Democrats also rose, albeit to a lesser extent.

But over the last week or so, those shifts seem to have come to a halt. All the parties are polling fairly consistently on average.

That still means Labour retain their lead over the Conservatives by about 20 points, which they've held pretty much throughout the election campaign.

• You can see more detailed analysis on the BBC's poll tracker here

Jessica Parker
Political correspondent

There we were waiting for the home secretary to arrive at a venue in Nottinghamshire when some unexpected visitors came.

Greenpeace activists walked in with a ladder before one proceeded to climb up onto the roof of the Tory battle bus.

Her banner read: Clean Power not Paddy Power, a clear reference to the ongoing betting saga.

She wasn’t up there long before her colleagues enabled her descent.

Paul Morozzo, acting as a Greenpeace spokesman, denied it was very "risky". "These are highly trained people, we practice these things," he told reporters.

Challenged about whether it’s the right way to make their point, he claimed it was a quick stunt that didn’t cause damage and that they’re trying to get “people to vote with climate in mind".

The protester herself told reporters she took the action because "we deserve better" on climate and nature.

Emily Atkinson
Reporting from the BBC debate spin room

My train's just pulled in to Nottingham station. Time to punch the venue for tonight’s debate into my maps app.

As debates go, this is the big one. It's the final time Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer go head-to-head before polling day.

Sold? Here’s how you can follow along:

Where's it happening? In Nottingham, in front of a studio audience.

Who's hosting? Mishal Husain - she also chaired the BBC's seven-way debate earlier in the campaign.

When is kick-off? 20:15 BST.

How can I watch it? Right here, and also on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. A signed version will also be available on the BBC News Channel.

Anything else? From 21:30 BST, Laura Kuenssberg and Clive Myrie will present reaction and analysis live from the debate venue.

Eleanor Doyle
BBC Newsbeat, reporting from Birmingham

I’m in Birmingham, home to the Gambling Commission’s headquarters, to see how the betting revelations are filtering down to voters.

I meet Allistair, Andy and Debbie. They agree it’s not a good look but say it won’t influence them at the ballot box.

"It doesn’t change my view in any shape or form," Allistair says. "I’ve always had a grim view of them [politicians]."

Andy says there’s been "a lot worse scandals" in his opinion.

"It might change a lot of people's minds but It doesn't change mine," adds Debbie, who says she just doesn’t care.

One person it has impacted is 18-year-old Matthew. So much so, he tells me he’s changed his mind about who to vote for.

"It’s a bit petty," he says of the allegations. "It’s not worth it.

"It’ll probably change my vote from Conservative."

Andrew Rogers
BBC Newsbeat, reporting from Liverpool

Over now to our colleagues at BBC Newsbeat, who continue their general election Race Across the UK today in Liverpool.

After an overnight ferry from Belfast, we've made it to Liverpool where we’re talking about public transport with voters.

Outside Lime Street Station, I meet Luke and Georgia. Georgia studies at university in Bristol, so their long distance relationship relies on good connections.

"I have to commute two trains to see her," says Luke, 20. "And half the time that’s going to be cancelled."

They both want to see a more reliable service coming down the tracks, and ideally a cheaper one too.

With a railcard, a return journey between Liverpool and Bristol will set you back about £70. Without one, it’s more than £100.

"It’s terrible," says Georgia, 19. "You buy a ticket but then you’re not guaranteed a seat, so it feels like a waste of money sometimes.

"I understand why people who drive would never choose the train."

Adam Fleming
Newscast presenter

I saw the Director-General of the BBC at the train station. Some other colleagues are dotted around the carriage.

The Labour press team are sitting at the next table, making it very easy to arrange for Wes Streeting to pop up on Newscast for some post-debate spinning later.

I’ve occasionally overheard good gossip on these trains that are packed out with political types but the only intel I’ve picked up this time is that Sky News were sitting in our seats before we got on.

My best election train story, though, is when a stranger sat down next to me on the campaign trail in 2010 and it was fellow former Newsround presenter John Craven.

Our political correspondent Jessica Parker is with the Conservative campaign today, where it appears a climate activist has climbed on top of the party's battle bus in protest.

Her sign reads "Clean power not Paddy Power" - naming a gambling firm in an apparent reference to the ongoing election betting controversy.

Other bookmakers are, of course, available.

Starmer - pretty cautious when it comes to betting and politicspublished at 15:14 British Summer Time 26 June

15:14 BST 26 June

Damian Grammaticas
Travelling on the Labour campaign bus

You may not have guessed it from the highly-controlled, risk-averse way Sir Keir Starmer has run his election campaign, but, news klaxon, he is a "gambler". Or at least he admitted as much today.

The small gaggle of journalists I am with on the Labour bus were questioning the Labour leader as he visited a GP’s in Leicestershire. About half the questions he received while he was there were about gambling and not about his ideas for ending the 8am dash for an appointment with your GP.

Asked if he has ever gambled himself, Starmer said no he hadn’t gambled on politics but "yeah I've bet on the horses, not a lot of money, but I have bet on horses".

And he offered a bit more saying in "one case successfully when we didn't think we would, which was when we had the kids with us, sent the wrong message".

So I asked him how much he’d won on that occasion, thinking he might have scooped a sizeable jackpot on an outsider and his children might have got the impression you could win big if you gambled.

He said he’d won "about 30 quid" and then said he'd spent it on a meal at McDonalds.

The conclusion, any outward impressions appear to be right. Starmer, it seems, despite a flutter or two, is pretty cautious when it comes to betting, politics and elsewhere.

Sara Girvin
Ireland Correspondent

Image source, PA Media

The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) is the last of Northern Ireland’s main parties to launch its manifesto.

Speaking in Londonderry today, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood made reference several times to rival Sinn Féin’s policy of abstentionism at Westminster, meaning the party does not take its seats.

"My view is when I speak to people on the doors, they want people to go, to stand up for them," he said.

Eastwood said he “obviously” wanted to see a Labour government, but added: "I’ve been let down before by Labour governments.

"The only way to hold their feet to the fire is to have people from here, sent there to keep them honest."

Within the SDLP manifesto are pledges to reduce hospital waiting lists with additional investment in health, repeal the legacy act, improve the funding model for Northern Ireland, campaign for an independent environment protection agency and reform devolved institutions.

A full list of candidates standing in Northern Ireland can be found here.

Chris Page
Ireland correspondent

A high-profile election candidate for the DUP in Northern Ireland has said he “will not be deterred” after his constituency office was attacked.

Sammy Wilson, who is defending the seat of East Antrim in the general election, said "a firearm of some sort" was used in the attack in Larne. A window and a door were damaged.

Police said they were trying to "establish the circumstances around the incident".

Supt Ian McCormick said: "People standing as candidates in our elections or involved in canvassing are a key part of our democratic process and it is unacceptable when they become the subject of abuse."

Wilson said he did not know who had carried out the attack or what the motive was.

He has held the Westminster seat of East Antrim since 2005.

You can find the full list of candidates for the constituency here.

A man has pleaded guilty to a public order offence, after throwing items at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

Josh Greally, 28, was arrested on 11 June in Barnsley town centre, after the objects - one of which appeared to be a takeaway cup - were thrown at Farage, who was campaigning from the top deck of his bus.

He is due to be sentenced on 28 August.

We've just heard from Labour's shadow health secretary Wes Streeting on BBC Radio 4's World at One programme.

He was asked about a letter from Health Secretary Victoria Atkins calling a junior doctors' strike - that's set to happen just before the election - "cynical".

Streeting says he urged the British Medical Association to call off the strike as it became clear the government "wasn't going to do anything to end the strike before polling day".

Pressed further on whether he agrees with Atkins, Streeting says he doesn't want to resort to "name-calling".

"I want to make sure that if there's a Labour government next week then we can start taking a more serious and grown up approach to resolving not just this round of industrial action but trying to make sure we don't see patients inconvenienced," he says.

Image source, PA

It's not everyday you see a famous politician at your GP surgery.

Patients at Long Lane Surgery in Coalville, East Midlands, were in shock when they encountered Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and shadow health secretary Wes Streeting on the campaign trail.

"Ooh, this is a surprise," a patient said as the pair walked over to sit with them.

One patient said: "You look younger in person."

"You do," another agreed.

"That's the right way round," Sir Keir replied, prompting Streeting to joke: "How much have you paid these people?"

Disability rights campaigners say accessibility has been an "afterthought" in the lead-up to the general election.

Charities say issues such as making announcements without captions or British Sign Language interpreters, and some manifestos not being published in accessible formats show politicians and parties are "repeating the same mistakes".

“We have a message for parties, candidates, broadcasters and councils. This is simply not good enough,” said James Taylor, executive director of strategy at the charity Scope.

Other concerns include the introduction of a photo ID requirement and accessing a polling booth on 4 July.

According to research by Sense nearly one in five people with complex disabilities did not have the photo ID they need to be able to vote.

Richard Luke, who lives with cerebral palsy, says while he feels things have improved slightly in terms of voting accessibility, "there are still issues".

"I had to vote outside a polling station because I couldn't get my wheelchair inside. It feels like accessibility is an afterthought in the voting process."

The growing election betting scandal has dominated much of the day so far.

Here's a recap of how things have developed:

• Senior Conservative minister Mel Stride said politicians shouldn't bet on elections, suggesting a ban should be considered
• The work and pensions secretary, a close ally of Rishi Sunak, said the betting row has been "deeply disappointing", and added he didn't know the scale of the Gambling Commission's investigation
• Keir Starmer said he immediately suspended a Labour candidate who bet on himself losing, contrasting that with Sunak who he said took "days and days" to withdraw support for two Tory candidates being investigated over allegations of betting on the election date
• The Labour leader said he did not believe a ban should be introduced, accusing the Conservatives of trying to shift the focus away from the allegations against the Tories
• Lib Dem leader Ed Davey called for an urgent review into regulations on gambling
• But he also said he "had a flutter" on how well his party would do in the 2010 election, but lost the bet
• Leader of the Scottish Lib Dems, Alex Cole-Hamilton, said he had placed bets on some contests in the election, which follows Scottish Secretary Alister Jack, a Conservative, saying he bet on the date of the election but did not break any rules

The big set piece of the day is still to come, with Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak set to go head-to-head in a BBC debate at 20:15 BST - follow it here, on BBC One, and on iPlayer.

Over in Scotland, the Alba Party has launched its general election manifesto in Dundee.

Party leader Alex Salmond described it as a radical document focusing on independence, tackling cost of living pressures and reducing child and family poverty.

"The Alba Party believe that every single national election should be used to seek a mandate to begin negotiations for independence," he said.

"That means the election itself should provide a popular mandate for independence."

There is also a re-affirmation of its policy to end the basing of nuclear weapons in Scotland.

The party is fielding 19 candidates on 4 July, but says its priority will be fighting the Holyrood election in 2026.

Read more here.

Emily Atkinson
Live reporter

Hello from the London to Nottingham train, en route to the BBC’s Prime Ministerial Debate tonight.

While waiting for the platform to be announced, who should I spy but Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth and Pat McFadden, huddled near the back of the queue for the ticket gate.

I asked them how they thought their man, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, was going to do later on.

Ashworth, the shadow work and pensions secretary, tells me: “After 14 years of failure, the country is crying out for change.

“If you want change, you’ve got to vote for it on 4 July – that will be the theme that’s coming up in the debate tonight.”

Now, lots of our Live page readers are young people - some will be heading to the polls to vote in a general election for the first time – what would a Labour government do for them?

“We’ve got a big agenda to really help young people get on in life,” he says, reeling off several of Labour’s headline policies on housing, green investment and apprenticeships. (More on that here).

As we parted ways for our respective carriages, I overheard shadow defence secretary McFadden – who’s a few steps ahead of us by now - shout: “Already spinning from the platform!”

Indeed. There will be more of that from the dedicated “spin room” later on. The head-to-head starts at 20:15 BST.

Damian Grammaticas
Travelling on the Labour campaign bus

The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said “the culture of politics does need to change” in light of the investigations into allegations of gambling on the general election, adding there has been “too much politics of self-advancement in the last 14 years”.

He said he “wasn’t very happy” when he discovered a Labour candidate was under investigation.

Asked by journalists during a campaign visit to a GPs in Leicestershire the Labour leader said “yeah, I think the culture of politics does need to change. It needs to move to a politics of service”.

He went on: “It's something that I'm determined we will do if we do win the election, because I think there's been too much politics of self-advancement in the last 14 years. You've seen different versions of that during Partygate, covid contracts” and he added gambling too.

He said he was “resistant to go down the road of let's change the rules” because “this is quite simple. It's about the behaviour of the individuals under the current rules, which is why they're being investigated”.

And he added, “it's about leadership. What do you do if you find out that one of your candidates is being investigated by the Gambling Commission? To my mind, you suspend them straight away and show leadership.

"Rishi Sunak took a different course in relation to it, and that is important as we go into the election because there are only two candidates to be prime minister, Rishi Sunak or myself”.