BBC Breakfast

We heard earlier from former justice secretary David Gauke, who was expelled from the Conservatives earlier this year, and he has been talking a little more about his decision to run as an independent.

"I’ve given this the most enormous amount of thought. I’m conscious that in doing this, there are people who I like and respect a great deal who will be very angry with me."

He says "however many friendships might come to an end" he thinks he is doing the right thing for the country.

He says he thinks the UK would benefit if the Lib Dems, who are pro-Remain, "did very well in this forthcoming election".

"I think in very many seats, what I’d say to longstanding Tory voters is that the sensible thing for them to do is lend their support to the Liberal Democrats.

He says he still considers himself a Conservative and it feels "very strange" to tell people to vote Lib Dem.

Image source, Reuters

Boris Johnson will return to his core "get Brexit done" message on Wednesday after spending much of the past three days dealing with the fallout from the severe flooding in South Yorkshire and the East Midlands.

The UK cannot afford to "squander" more time deciding whether and how to leave the EU, he will say in his first major speech of the election.

He will argue that ending the current "groundhoggery" will deliver a big economic boost and enable the UK to focus on creating the jobs of the future and tackling climate change - and a Tory victory will ensure the UK exits the EU on 31 January.

Labour says the PM's deal is flawed and is promising another referendum.

Check out our Reality Check team's closer look at what exactly "get Brexit done" really means.

Andrew Griffiths backs his wife Kate Griffiths to represent his old consistency after standing down.

This is actually the second instance of this happening during the campaign. Ex-Conservative Charlie Elphicke said he was standing down to fight three charges of sexual assault - which he denies - and his wife, Natalie, will run in his place.

Image source, Getty Images

On a lighter note, at the weekend, the Times took a look inside the Tories' campaign HQ, external, noting that a key feature of the office culture was a campaign anthem that would blast out of speakers at 8.30am.

In 2017, it was Queen's One Vision that soundtracked Theresa May's loss of her majority.

Now the paper's deputy political editor Steve Swinford says this year's choice has been made, external: The Final Countdown by Europe.

Presumably the party is looking beyond the band's name and was perhaps attracted by the opening lyrics: "We're leaving together."

Whether they also give an indication of the party's plans for the UK after Brexit - "we're heading for Venus" - remains to be seen.

Image source, PA Media

The Liberal Democrats are turning the campaign spotlight on knife crime today, with a pledge to invest £500m a year in youth services to prevent teenagers being drawn into violence.

Party leader Jo Swinson says the money would "provide young people with positive, safe and healthy opportunities".

She says they would adopt a "public health approach" to knife crime, modelling its response on the approach taken by Scotland's Violence Reduction Unit.

That approach means identifying risk factors for young people falling into gang involvement and violence, then addressing them early on with youth workers, police, teachers, health professionals and social services working together.

"We are in a knife crime epidemic, but successive governments have taken the wrong approach to dealing with it," says Ms Swinson.

"For 25 years, Conservative and Labour governments have been competing to seem tough on crime, without doing enough to actually prevent crime."

The £500m is for England only, as education issues are a devolved matter, but the party said Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would also receive extra money.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

The Conservatives have suspended a number of members over claims of Islamophobic social media posts. The Guardian says , externalit has seen details of racist content posted, shared or endorsed by 25 sitting and ex-Tory councillors.

Senior minister Michael Gove was tackled over this very issue on Today - and particularly, the Conservative Party's backtracking on an inquiry into Islamophobia.

A week ago, Mr Gove promised a specific inquiry into the issue by the end of the year, but later Boris Johnson said it would be a "general investigation into prejudice".

Mr Gove denies that the party is failing to keep its promise, saying: "We will have our own investigation into Islamophobia and prejudice."

Conservatives have previously criticised Jeremy Corbyn for deflecting allegations of anti-Semitism by declaring he is opposed to all forms of racism. But Mr Gove denies he is doing the same thing, saying they have taken "swift action" against accused party members.

But while Mr Gove maintains he always promised that the party's investigation would cover other kinds of prejudice as well as Islamophobia, presenter Nick Robinson says that isn't true and the party has shifted its position.

"I have the transcript," Mr Robinson points out as he ends the interview.

There has been a lot of talk during this campaign about parties forming alliances to target certain constituencies. There are 650 constituencies in the UK but most of the campaigning for the general election will take place in a smaller number.

As ever, much of the focus will be on marginal constituencies - places where the winning majority in 2017 was small.

However, at this election the parties will also be targeting a large number of constituencies beyond the marginal seats.

There will be a lot of focus on areas that voted strongly to Leave or strongly to Remain in the EU referendum - even where the majorities are large. Big swings cannot be ruled out.

From "ultra-marginals" to the highest Leave and Remain seats - which are the battlegrounds that could make the difference? Using maps, we have been taking a look.

As a former Tory minister turns on his party, Labour are getting similar treatment from one of theirs.

Former Labour minister Tom Harris has said he’ll vote Conservative at the general election because of Jeremy Corbyn.

Mr Harris, MP for Glasgow between 2001 and 2015, says he believes Mr Corbyn is a danger to the UK’s security and the future of Union.

He made the announcement as Mr Corbyn arrives in Glasgow to promise massive investment in Scotland if he wins power.

Mr Harris writes in the Scottish Daily Mail today: “I never believed the day would come - but, in this election, I will be voting Conservative in order to protect the country I love.”

Mr Harris has been a frequent critic of Mr Corbyn and led the Leave campagin in Scotland in 2016.

His comments were flagged up by former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson.

Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

Just four months ago David Gauke was a cabinet minister and regarded as one of the safest pair of hands in the Tory Party.

He is now urging voters to stop Boris Johnson winning a majority.

His decision to stand as an independent candidate is prompted by his fear that Mr Johnson is "boxed in" to a no-deal Brexit by his refusal to consider any extension not the transition period beyond December 2020.

An impossible timetable, Mr Gauke believes, in which to secure a trade deal - and a view shared by many hard line Brexiteers.

Mr Gauke is one of only a small band of former Tory rebels who've chosen to fight on, rather than to quit politics altogether.

But Lib Dem sources said they were unlikely to stand aside in his Hertfordshire seat.

Meanwhile, Downing Street has shrugged off his decision and later Mr Johnson will repeat his Brexit message - that his deal is the only way to get Britain out of the rut and end the "groundhoggery".

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Image source, PA Media

A bit more from David Gauke, uncorked as he is this morning (a reference there for the politics superfans among you...)

He says his comments are not a personal attack on Mr Johnson, although he says the PM "lacks qualities some would ideally want in prime minister".

But he urges voters to support "the centre ground" in the election so they can stop a hard Brexit, even lending their support to the Liberal Democrats if needs be.

"I have to say I am impressed by [Lib Dem leader] Jo Swinson and if I was living in a lot of constituencies I would lend my vote," he tells Today.

Mr Gauke now backs a confirmatory referendum on Mr Johnson's deal versus Remain. "I have reluctantly come to that view," he says.

"I thought the best outcome for our country was for us to unite behind some kind of soft Brexit [but] that option isn't there any more. The country is too polarised and there isn't the support for it.

"[Mr Johnson's plan] is a harder Brexit than what was promised to the British people in 2016.

"Because the consequences of the Johnson deal are so significant, we do need to check back in with the people, and it is perfectly possible to get a parliamentary majority for that after the election."

Image source, Getty Images

Just a reminder for you that when David Gauke referred to Nigel Farage it relates to the significant move the Brexit Party leader made on Monday.

He said he would not run candidates in seats the Tories won in 2017 in order to give them a boost - and the ladder he used for this at least partial climbdown?

Well, Mr Farage said he was no fan at all of Boris Johnson's Brexit deal, but the insistence by Conservatives that they would not extend the transition period beyond the end of 2020 made it far more palatable. Especially, Mr Farage said, when combined with a promise from Mr Johnson to focus on a future relationship with the EU based on free trade, not closer political ties.

It's those sorts of promises that Mr Gauke thinks are impossible to keep.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Now to hear from the man of the morning, former justice secretary David Gauke - this is our story on him by the way.

He says a Conservative majority at the upcoming election would be a "bad outcome for the country".

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Gauke attacks the policy of the Conservatives to not extend the implementation period for Brexit past December 2020.

The Tories plan to negotiate a free trade agreement with the European Union during that time, but have pledged to leave without one if no deal is reached by the deadline.

Mr Gauke says "one simply cannot renegotiate a trade deal in that time period", and leaving without a deal will be "disastrous for the prosperity of our country… [making] whole sectors unviable".

But he says Mr Johnson is now "boxed in" to the plan that he couldn't change his mind even if he wanted to - and he shows no sign of that.

"He would have letters flooding into the chairman of the 1922 committee [trying to oust him] and Nigel Farage would be out making a lot of noise," says Mr Gauke.

"I don't think that either the parliamentary party or the wider Conservative membership would allow him to do that. He is boxed in unless Parliament is in a position to force him to extend."

BBC Breakfast

Here's a little more from Labour's John Ashworth on Labour's plans for a four-day week.

As we said before, shadow chancellor John McDonnell announced at the Labour's annual conference that the average working week in the UK would be cut to 32 hours within 10 years under a Labour government.

But Mr Ashworth has been playing down the policy, saying it's something that is under consideration.

He said: "John McDonnell wants to set up a commission to see if there are ways in which, in 10 years’ time, people’s working hours can be reduced.

"The idea that the NHS is going to go to a four-day week on 13 December if Labour get in is just for the birds - it’s nonsense."

Asked whether the NHS was part of a four-day week plan, Mr Ashworth said “no”.

BBC Breakfast

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth has been discussing Labour’s promise to spend more on the NHS in England than the Tories if it wins the general election.

He says Labour are promising £6bn on top of what the government announced last year, saying “we are going significantly further than that because when the government announced their plans lots of the health experts said this isn’t enough to really improve the quality of care”.

On the suggestion from the Tories that plans for a shorter working week would scupper Labour's ambitions, Mr Ashworth called that “hopeless nonsense”.

He says he “laughed out loud” when he saw Mr Hancock’s remarks. “I couldn’t believe how ridiculous it was. It’s absolutely not true.”

He says Labour’s plan for a four-day week is long term - in “10 years’ time” - it would not happen the day after the election.

The Conservatives have responded to Labour's promises by arguing that the party's plan for a shorter working week would eat into any extra funding due to the need for more staff.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it would "cripple our economy and cost the NHS billions every year".

At the Labour conference in September, shadow chancellor John McDonnell announced that the average working week in the UK would be cut to 32 hours within 10 years under a Labour government with "no loss of pay".

He said negotiations over working hours would be carried out as part of plans to roll out collective bargaining across different industries.

The Lib Dems have also responded to Labour's big NHS promise, with health spokeswoman Luciana Berger saying it "completely misses the point".

"They are ignoring the fact that Brexit is the biggest threat to the NHS."

The Lib Dems, of course, want to see Brexit cancelled altogether.

Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent

What is quite remarkable is just how similar the Tories and Labour are in terms of many of the areas they are focusing on.

Both are looking to increase the budget by more than it has been in recent years - albeit Labour are promising 4% more by 2023-24 for the front line.

Setting aside free prescriptions and car parking, which are not Tory policies, both parties are prioritising to train extra staff and invest in new buildings and equipment

Last week the Tories too pledged extra training places for GPs, saying they wanted to recruit an extra 6,000 GPs.

The prime minister has also promised there will be 40 major hospital building projects in the next decade - although only six have been given a guarantee of funding so far.

More on the big Labour promise of the day. They say under them the NHS budget would rise to £155bn by 2023-24 - £6bn more than the government promised the front-line budget would reach by that stage when it set out its five-year plan last year.

Our graphic below shows how NHS spending has changed over time and what could happen next.

Image source, BBc

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell says the money will come from Labour's policy of taxing the "richest in society" and reversing cuts to corporation tax.

They want to spend it on:

• reducing waiting times in A&E and for routine operations such as knee and hip replacements - both targets for how long patients should wait have been missed for the last few years
• prioritising mental health, promising to fund more counselling services for schools, community mental health hubs and crisis teams
• funding the return of the bursary for nurses and midwives to fund their time spent studying at university - the government scrapped these in 2017
• increasing the number of GP training places from 3,500 a year to 5,000
• giving free prescriptions and hospital car parking

Image source, PA Media

Michael Gove has defended the government’s response to the flooding in northern England after it was criticised by Labour and the Liberal Democrats who said Boris Johnson should declare a "national emergency".

The former environment secretary said: “It’s certainly an emergency and it deserves a national response and that’s what we’ve had.”

He says extra funding has been released to local authorities and there's also money available for individual businesses and households - there's more detail in our story here.

He says there "there is an increasing risk of flooding as a result of climate change" and the government needs to do two things – invest and improve flood defences, and think about the long term approach on the environment.

He add that his "heart goes out to everyone who has been affected" by the recent flooding.

BBC Breakfast

First political guest of the day is senior minister Michael Gove.

He's asked about the aforementioned intervention from former justice secretary David Gauke, who was expelled by the Conservative party earlier this year. Mr Gauke has been making headlines this morning after saying that a Tory majority would be a "bad outcome for the country".

However, Mr Gove, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, says his former colleague "is a good friend but I think on this issue he’s got it precisely wrong".

"The only way that we can Brexit done is by making sure we do have a functioning majority government.

"We’re going to get a good deal with the EU and we’re going to get it by the end of 2020."

Mr Gauke is expressing serious scepticism about this promise, but Mr Gove is adamant...

"One of the problems that we’ve had is that Parliament has engaged in endless dither and delay on this, and that’s because we haven’t had a strong majority," he insists.