The interview shifts now to council tax with Harper saying that in Wales, where there is a Labour government, they are currently legislating to revalue council tax and increase the bands.

Laura interjects to say that since 2010, under Conservative governments, people are paying 51% more in cash terms on council tax in England. She adds that their forecasts already show that council tax is projected to increase.

Harper continues to say that Tory councils deliver better services with lower council tax than Labour ones.

Laura picks him up again to clarify the average Band D property tends to be higher in Labour councils but that the overall average council tax bill tends to be lower in Labour councils.

Harper is now shown a picture of a campaign leaflet issued by Tory candidate Angela Jenkyns which features photographs of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

When pushed on it, Harper rejects that some of his party's candidates do not want to associate with the national brand.

He again says that if you want to control taxes and have lower migration, vote Tory.

Laura asks Harper about the Conservatives' position down in the polls, with "nothing shifting".

Harper says "nobody has voted yet" and the current debate is being framed by the "polling debate".

He pushes back saying it's worth "not taking voters for granted", adding that he believes this election offers a choice between tax cuts or tax rises.

Representing the Conservative Party today is Transport Secretary Mark Harper.

Laura asks Streeting about the criticisms of Labour NHS plans by the Nuffield Trust think tank. It says both Labour and the Tories' plans don't add up and that the NHS will be more strapped for cash than during austerity.

Streeting replies that he respects the Nuffield Trust but they have got it wrong.

He lists the many manifesto promises on the NHS, including 40,000 more NHS appointments each week, and says the manifesto is fully costed.

Earlier in the interview, Streeting said Labour's plans don't require a council tax rise.

"None of those pledges in our manifesto requires increases in council tax or increases in fuel duty or any of the other number of taxes the Tories are claiming we want to increase," he insisted.

Streeting accepts he would have liked social care plans to be more ambitious - but to get things into the mainfesto required running a "gauntlet" of whether it was achievable and affordable.

"You had to run the gauntlet of answering two fundamental questions - can we keep this promise and can the country afford this promise - and if the answer to either of those questions was no then it's not in the manifesto."

Laura now asks Streeting directly what he thinks care workers should be paid. Streeting responds saying that they will negotiate that as they did with the national minimum wage.

He adds that he wants care to be regarded "as a profession" with real career progression.

Laura pushes back with an example of a job advertised for a live-in care assistant in his constituency for £94 per day - Streeting says that sum is not fair and says that's why fair pay agreements are in the manifesto.

Streeting now stresses the importance of working together on fixing health and social care

He praises Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey for speaking candidly about his experience of caring for his mother and his disabled son, saying it was the "best thing" he had done during this campaign.

Streeting is now questioned by a viewer, whose mother has spent £430,000 during the seven years she has been living in a care home.

Asked if he thinks this is fair, the shadow health secretary says "no".

He adds that his party is "committed" to not scrapping a cap on care costs, implemented by the current government, that is due to come in.

• Read our explainer on the cap - due to come in next year - here

Laura again says there's nothing about raising more money for social care in Labour's plans. Why is there no bold offer on this ?

Streeting says dealing with late discharges from hospital is an important part of what they want to do. He adds there's lots of blame to go around, including from Labour: "I want to have a different politics on social care."

Laura asks Wes Streeting about social care and particularly why there is nothing in the Labour documents from this week about raising extra resources for that.

He responds that Labour's first steps on this issue will be the negotiation of a fair pay agreement and making sure there are consistent national standards across the country.

He underlines it's not just about additional funding but also spending the money that is there well - he mentions a patient who couldn't leave hospital for 60 days, because there wasn't a care plan.

Up first this morning is Labour's shadow heath secretary Wes Streeting.

You can watch him face Laura's questions live by clicking the Play button above.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is the first panellist to speak. He stresses the importance of fixing social care, urging everybody to get behind the next government in delivering this.

Actor Brian Cox says the parties' manifestos, most of which were published this week, were "same old, same old".

He also says of greatest importance to him is "getting rid of the present government".

The show is now well under way.

First Laura will take a look over this morning's papers - most lead on Princess Catherine at the Trooping the Colour events yesterday - before heading to the panel for an initial whip-around.

Stay with us.

Joining the panel today are Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, the Scottish actor Brian Cox and former MP Nadine Dorries.

Brian Cox is widely known for having been a vocal campaigner for the Scottish independence movement, having previously been a member of the Labour Party.

Labour's Andy Burnham last month won his third successive term as mayor of Greater Manchester. His overwhelming win saw him receive 420,749 votes, almost two-thirds of those available, which he said was an "emphatic endorsement" of his policies.

Nadine Dorries stepped down as an MP last year after accusing Sunak of abandoning "the fundamental principles of Conservatism". Her seat was consequently won by Labour. She has, in recent weeks, claimed that Reform will overtake the Conservatives in the election.

Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg is now live on BBC One, the BBC News channel and BBC iPlayer.

Join in the action by pressing Play at the top of this page.

Or follow our text updates, clips, reactions and analysis right here.

As he's introduced, Labour's Wes Streeting is asked if he remembers the party's six pledges, after forgetting one last month. He recites them without hesitation - practice obviously makes perfect...

Image source, PA Media

Also speaking to Laura this morning is Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth.

The party launched its election manifesto on Thursday - and you can read our analysis of the manifesto key pledges here.

At the launch event in Cardiff, ap Iorwerth called for "fair" funding for Wales and a £20 a week increase to child benefit in its manifesto for the general election.

He also said Wales should get an extra £4bn in funding from the HS2 rail project and more control over its natural resources.

Ap Iorwerth backed a "fairer" tax system with increased windfall taxes on energy companies and for powers over policing to be handed to the Senedd.

He also appealed to Welsh voters not to give Labour a "free pass" in the general election.

One of the Lib Dems' more striking proposals is a plan to introduce free personal care in England, similar to the system that operates in Scotland where people needing help with daily tasks do not have to pay.

The Liberal Democrats have also promised 8,000 more GPs in England and promise to increase public spending.

But detail is important - it is not clear if GPs will be fully trained, or doctors working in surgeries.

And the free personal care system that operates in Scotland has shown that it’s not a silver bullet, with a lot being determined on who qualifies for the free care.

Before the election was called, the Lib Dems were the fourth-largest party in Parliament after the Conservatives, Labour and the SNP, with 15 MPs.

Their numbers have recently been swelled by a series of by-election victories, often winning in former Tory strongholds.

Image source, PA Media

We expect lots of questions for Labour today about how they'll fix the NHS and the shadow health secretary is the man who has to answer them.

Wes Streeting - who's been an MP since 2015 and recently had treatment for kidney cancer - says Labour would deliver an extra 40,000 appointments each week and double the number of CT and MRI scanners.

But as we've been reporting, Labour's health proposals are under scrutiny from think tanks who say the ideas tick the boxes but lack details. The Nuffield Trust, a health think tank, says all the main parties need to set out more credible plans.

Labour will also face questions about tax. Keir Starmer has ruled out capital gains tax on your main home (that's a tax you pay when you sell an asset that's gone up).

Starmer has also ruled out increasing income tax, VAT and National Insurance - but questions remain over where the money for their extra spending plans is going to come from.

The Tories have asked if Labour will rule out changes to council tax bands and rates. Treasury chief secretary Laura Trott said that if Labour refused to rule it out "then they are planning to do it".

Image source, PA Media

Mark Harper was transport secretary in the last Parliament, but today he is speaking for the Conservative Party, so any issue can come up.

The Tories have been campaigning on tax, immigration, social care costs and new dentists for the NHS.

They have also sought to make transport - particularly support for drivers - a key dividing line with Labour, accusing the opposition of pursuing a “war on drivers”.

Harper could face questions over how his party’s transport plans will impact devolution, and the fight against climate change and air pollution. Transport - not including aviation and shipping - accounted for just under a quarter of UK emissions in 2022, making it the largest emitting sector.

Rishi Sunak has said his party would reach net zero by 2050, only without “unaffordable eco-zealotry”.

But the UK’s independent watchdog on climate has warned the country isn't on track to meet its commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 68% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2030.

Image source, PA/Getty

As we get closer to Sunday with Laura Kuessnberg, which you can watch live from 09:00 by pressing the Play button at the top of the page, let's take a look at who Laura will be speaking to this morning.

Mark Harper is out to bat for the Tories. Transport Secretary in the last Parliament and an MP since 2005, he has been out campaigning for re-election. Speaking about the prime minister’s decision to leave D-Day commemorations in Normandy early last week, Harper said he agreed “with what the prime minister himself said – it was a mistake for him to leave early”.

Speaking on behalf of the Labour Party will be Wes Streeting, who has himself been an MP since 2015. The shadow health secretary has been out on the campaign trail speaking about social care and NHS reform and dental appointments for children. He has also recently revealed to be among the victims of a deepfake smear network on X.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has possibly had the most visually memorable campaign, having been pictured grilling sausages on a BBQ, riding rollercoasters in Thorpe Park and attempting a water obstacle course. His plans to fix social care have largely been welcomed by the industry.

Finally, Rhun ap Iorwerth, the leader of Plaid Cymru in Wales, has recently become much more visible for audiences outside of Wales, appearing in national interviews and debates alongside the other six main parties. He has spoken about Welsh independence, bringing Wales closer to the European Union as well as the NHS and the cost of living in Wales.