Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

Jeremy Corbyn will today set out a very different vision for Britain's role on the world stage.

While he will say he is not a pacifist, he will reiterate his long standing opposition to military intervention abroad - which he says has become "almost routine" - a "bomb first, talk later" strategy that has spread devastation and destabilisation.

The war on terror has failed, he will say. If elected prime minister, Mr Corbyn will promise,  he would only authorise the use of military force if sanctioned under international law and as a genuine last resort.

Mr Corbyn will also criticise the UK's ties with the US and pandering to the whims of the White House. Speaking on the Today programme, shadow cabinet member Barry Gardiner said he believed voters would welcome such an approach.

Mr Corbyn's allies believe -  after the Iraq war -  his stance will resonate with many voters. However, the prime minister campaigning in the north east today, will accuse Mr Corbyn of  abandoning proud and patriotic working class voters, who had backed the Labour Party for generations.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

BBC Scotland editor Sarah Smith says the issue of a second independence referendum is "dominating" the election campaign.

"If it's a Brexit election down south, it's an independence election up here," she says.

"There's something of an argument going on between the SNP and the Conservatives, as each accuses the other of being obsessed with independence at the expense of other issues such as health and education," she points out.

"Tory leaflets have 'independence' in huge letters, but the SNP doesn't mention it - they talk about being the true opposition to the Conservatives."

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

We've asked you to let us know what you think should be "on the grid" during this election campaign and today our reporter Sanchia Berg looks at special needs education.

The Sun

Image source, PA

"Jeremy Corbyn’s loopy Labour manifesto would catapult us back to the 1970s – when UK ground to a halt with constant strikes, rubbish and empty shops," says the Sun., external

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner begins his interview on Labour's foreign policy by criticising the Today programme for reading out the Sun's headline, external this morning, saying he expects "a higher quality of debate - I expect you to exercise a degree of choice".

He claims the BBC is "trivialising the debate" by "focusing on a throwaway remark" made by Jeremy Corbyn about the circumstances in which he would use military force.

Mr Corbyn would "think carefully before putting our armed forces in harm's way and won't jump to the US' tune, but would work collaboratively with the UN", according to Mr Gardiner.

"Nobody has a stronger record" of speaking up for human rights and against genocide than Mr Corbyn, he adds.

Daily Mirror

A ComRes survey for the Daily Mirror "hows overwhelming support for plans to re-nationalise energy, tax the wealthiest and cap the pension age rise", the paper says.

Following the leak of a draft of Labour's manifesto, the Mirror says its "snap poll" showed:

However, "the poll also finds a clear majority do not rate Jeremy Corbyn as a candidate to be prime minister".

BBC Breakfast

Prof John Curtice of Strathclyde University says, at this election: "The biggest change is fewer UKIP candidates and to what extent the Greens fight this time.

"It's an open question as to whether UKIP is not standing by accident, thinking 'we don't have the money' against a deliberate attempt to help the Conservatives."

He says electoral pacts have not really emerged as such, as Labour is standing everywhere, but it is "relatively unusual" to see the smaller parties stand aside in so many seats.

The Guardian

Image source, EPA

"Jeremy Corbyn today takes the fight to foreign policy," says the Guardian,, external looking ahead to the Labour leader's speech to an international affairs think tank.

"He’ll tell an audience at Chatham House that he’s 'not a pacifist' – but instead wants a resurrection of the ethical foreign policy championed by the late Robin Cook.

That could mean "an end to arms sales to Saudi Arabia, a review of contracts with Bahrain and other repressive regimes, and no unilateral action against Syria".

The Daily Telegraph

The papers are looking ahead to today's campaigning - and still digesting the leak of an early draft of Labour's manifesto.

"Labour MPs last night turned their back on Jeremy Corbyn's left-wing manifesto and vowed to oust him after the election in an attempt to save their seats," claims the Telegraph., external

The paper reports: "Some Conservative MPs fear the Labour split could undermine their bid to win a landslide in June if voters choose to back their local MP despite Mr Corbyn's leadership.

Image source, Getty Images

The Press Association has carried out analysis of the parties' official accounts on Facebook and Twitter since the election was called on April 18 which suggests: 

• Seventy-five per cent of posts from the Conservatives have mentioned either Mrs May or Mr Corbyn by name since the election was announced, compared with just 19% of posts from the opposition party's accounts
• Posts on both Conservative accounts have featured almost no mention of the NHS, police or schools - with these topics appearing in just 2% of all posts, compared to almost 20% of Labour posts
• Brexit features in a third (30%) of all social media posts from the Conservatives, in comparison to only 2% of those sent by Labour
• Thirty-one percent of Conservative Party posts used the exact phrase "strong and stable leadership"
• Eleven per cent of Labour's Facebook posts and just 6% of tweets feature the phrase "for the many not the few"

The seats where the Greens are not fielding candidates include: 

• Chester
• Oxford West and Abingdon 
• Eltham 
• Ealing Central and Acton
• Richmond Park.

The Labour leadership did not respond to the Greens' appeal not to field candidates in Brighton Pavilion and the Isle of Wight.

Image source, Richard Baum

A Liberal Democrat candidate has urged supporters to vote for his Labour rival in a bid to defeat the Conservatives in the general election.

Richard Baum has been selected by the Lib Dems as their candidate in the highly marginal Bury North seat, on 8 June.

Labour welcomed his words but the Tories said it was part of a plan to "prop up" Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

The other candidates are David Nuttall, who won the seat for the Conservatives in 2010 and Labour's James Frith.

UKIP and the Green Party have chosen not to field candidates in the Greater Manchester seat.

BBC Breakfast

BBC political correspondent Eleanor Garnier says Jeremy Corbyn is seeking to shake off his "image as a pacifist and someone who's unwilling to take action - but he'll also accuse Theresa May of pandering to Donald Trump".

That could be a theme for today as things are "set to get personal", with Mrs May travelling to traditional Labour heartlands to tell voters "they might feel let down" by Mr Corbyn.

Jeremy Corbyn will give a speech in London where he'll seek to bolster his reputation as a potential world leader by saying he is prepared to take military action as a last resort.

Theresa May will claim Labour has "deserted" working-class voters as she campaigns in the north east of England.  

The Lib Dems will be talking about their offer to fathers of an extra paid month of paternal leave.

The BBC’s Fergal Keane travels from Belfast to Cork to understand what effect Brexit is having on the future of the island.