Iain Watson
Political correspondent, reporting from Hertfordshire

Image source, PA Media

Returning to Labour's election campaign, the party's leader Keir Starmer is currently taking questions from voters at a Hertfordshire factory.

It's a fairly up-close-and-personal encounter for Starmer, as he underlines that everything Labour says will be fully costed.

Starmer's remarks echo his shadow chancellor’s comments this morning - and she's at the event beside him.

Starmer is asked by an employee of Airbus, a multinational company, if he would restore freedom of movement. He says he's not going back to that, saying the Brexit referendum has been held, but it should be easier for workers to move around within companies. Rachel Reeves adds that Labour will look at touring for musicians.

As a reminder, under freedom of movement, citizens of EU countries have the right to travel, live and work wherever they wish within the EU.

We're currently streaming their Q&A, so you can press play at the top of the page to follow along.

Harry Farley
Political correspondent

Greater Manchester Police earlier said they had shared details of their investigation into Angela Rayner's housing arrangements with Stockport Council and HMRC - and we’ve been trying to work out whether either of these organisations would be investigating the Labour deputy leader.

A Labour source just told me Rayner had already asked HMRC to look into it and they had decided no further action will be taken (see my previous post).

Now we’ve had a statement from Stockport Council, who also say no further action will be taken.

Here's their statement in full:

Harry Farley
Political correspondent

A Labour source tells BBC News that HMRC have said Angela Rayner does not owe any Capital Gains Tax and will not take any further action on the matter.

The Labour deputy leader asked the tax authority to look into the matter, the source says.

A few moments ago, Greater Manchester Police said it would not take any further police action but had referred their investigation to HMRC and Stockport Council because "council tax and personal tax do not fall into the jurisdiction of policing".

A Labour party spokesperson said the police statement "draws a line under the matter" and Rayner had cooperated with the police throughout.

Image source, PA

Sticking with the SNP, Scotland's first minister and SNP leader John Swinney has written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer to demand that they recognise a Palestinian state.

Speaking on a campaign visit to an exhibition of poems written by children in Gaza, Swinney claimed his party had been Westminster’s moral compass on the conflict in Gaza.

Scotland's first minister also said it is important the UK "take steps to bring about an immediate ceasefire".

"This catastrophe has got to be brought to an end. We have to stop selling arms to Israel," he adds.

Spain, Ireland and Norway have formally recognised a Palestinian state, in what they say is an attempt to refocus attention on efforts to find a political solution to the war in the Gaza.

You can follow the latest from Gaza in our live page here.

Let's briefly turn away from Labour to look at the latest from the SNP.

They've criticised the Conservative Party's pledge to raise the tax-free pension allowance, named the "Triple Lock Plus", if they win the election.

Under the plans, the minimum threshold at which pensioners pay tax will increase by at least 2.5% a year - or in line with whichever is higher out of earnings increases or inflation. The Tories say this will stop millions more pensioners paying income tax.

Speaking on the BBC News channel, the SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said the idea will "ring hollow in the ears of people right across Scotland", who he says have been "watching on as the economy collapsed beneath them".

He adds that under the Tories, mortgages, energy bills and food prices have all "skyrocketed".

"For those pensioners who have had to bear the brunt of that, they'll be looking on wondering why the prime minister isn't focused on prioritising economic growth for the next generation."

The Labour Party has just responded to the news that police have decided to take no further action against Angela Rayner, in the row over her previous living arrangements.

"Angela cooperated fully with the police investigation throughout," a spokesperson for the party says.

They add that Rayner "has always been clear that she was not liable for Capital Gains Tax on the sale of the home she owned before she was an MP, that she was properly registered to vote, and paid the appropriate council tax".

"She took expert tax and legal advice which confirms this," the statement concludes. "This draws a line under the matter."

As a reminder, Greater Manchester Police said matters involving council tax and personal tax don't fall into police jurisdiction - and details of the case had been shared with HMRC.

Jack Fenwick
Political reporter

Image source, PA Media

As police say they're taking no further action on allegations surrounding Angela Rayner's housing arrangements, let's briefly recap how we got here:

• Rayner bought her former council house in Vicarage Road, Stockport under the right-to-buy scheme in 2007
• Eight years later, following her marriage in 2010, she sold the property for £48,500 more than she paid
• She initially said she didn't pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on the profit, because, like the "majority of ordinary people who sell their own homes," it was "my home and the only one I owned"
• For context: People selling their "main residence" typically don't have to pay the tax - but married couples and civil couples can normally only count one property as their main home for CGT purposes, which had prompted questions over whether she should have paid some
• The tax question then prompted further questions over whether Rayner registered to vote at the correct address, as it is an offence to give "false information" when joining the roll
• Questions about her living arrangements were first raised in an unauthorised biography of her, written by Tory peer Lord Ashcroft, which was published in March

Police haven't said exactly what offence they were investigating, but a few moments ago said they've passed information on to Stockport Council and HMRC.

Harry Farley
Political correspondent

In the last couple of minutes, Greater Manchester Police said they have “concluded that no further police action will be taken” over the questions facing Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner.

But the statement goes on to say that “matters involving council tax and personal tax do not fall into the jurisdiction of policing”, adding the force has shared details of its investigation with Stockport Council and also with HMRC.

So that might - we should stress - might, not be the end of the matter.

We are now calling both of those organisations to find out if they will be looking into the allegations that Rayner may owe council or personal tax.

As ever with breaking news stories, we don’t yet know the full details. It’s worth saying Rayner insists she has done nothing wrong.

You can read a full explainer on the row here.

Following that bit of breaking news about Angela Rayner, we've just received a statement from Greater Manchester Police.

They say, having "completed a thorough, carefully considered and proportionate investigation", officers concluded "no further police action will be taken".

However, the force adds that "matters involving council tax and personal tax do not fall into the jurisdiction of policing" - and details have been shared with HMRC.

The statement ends by saying:

Image source, PA Media

Greater Manchester Police is taking no further action over allegations concerning Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner's living arrangements before she was an MP.

Questions had been raised over whether she owed tax on a house she sold in 2015, and if she registered to vote at the correct address.

She had promised to step down if she was found to have committed a criminal offence, and insisted she had followed the rules at all times.

Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation earlier this month into whether "any offences have been committed". The force has not said exactly what it has been investigating.

Iain Watson
Political correspondent, in East Midlands

Earlier this morning, I reported on a dossier doled out by Labour on the national service plan - well here's what that document looked like.

Even though she had nothing to do with it, former PM Liz Truss features on the front cover, just as she is regularly mentioned in Keir Starmer’s speeches.

The Conservatives are doubling down on the policy and adopting the 'attack is the best form of defence’ approach to Labour’s charge that 18-year old-footballers would have to do national service.

Tory sources say it would be good if young people could rub shoulders with premiership footballers, and that England great Sir Bobby Charlton did his bit before post-war national service was ended. They say Labour are "sneering" at footballers - and that many top Italian players did not shirk military service, which was in force more recently there.

Still talking to the media in Leicestershire - Sunak's asked about Lucy Allan, the outgoing Conservative MP representing Telford who backed Reform UK on the way out.

On the party's honorary president Nigel Farage's claim that Reform UK is becoming the "new Conservative movement", Sunak says that come 5 July (the day after Britons go to the polls) - "one of two people is going to be prime minister - Keir Starmer or me".

That is the choice people have, he says, adding that his government is prepared to take bold action and has a clear plan.

Sunak's asked if by calling the new policy pledge a "tax cut" he's admitting that his party's policy to freeze personal tax thresholds in 2021 (under then-PM Boris Johnson) was in fact a tax rise.

Not answering the question directly, the prime minister says most people will recognise the difficulties the country has been through over the last few years, and where the government has stepped in to help.

"Whether that was furlough, the vaccine rollout or helping people with energy bills," he says.

Sunak repeats that his government's "plan is working" - citing recent figures that show inflation is down from 11% (in October 2022) to 2% as it stands.

On 121 business chiefs backing Labour earlier, Sunak adds that he's "not exactly sure what it is they think they're backing - because Labour haven't said what it is they'll do differently for businesses in our country".

Image source, PA Media

Rishi Sunak continues to travel around the country on the campaign trail - speaking to reporters most recently from Leicestershire.

He's asked whether effectively cutting taxes for pensioners, but increasing them for working people, means he has "given up on young voters".

"What I believe is if you work hard all your life, you should have dignity in retirement," he says, adding people who've worked hard all their lives should have "dignity in retirement".

That's why the Conservatives have protected the triple lock, Sunak says, and introduced a "triple lock plus" - which pledges that retired people will never be taxed on their state pension income.

Under Labour, he adds, "pensioners will be paying tax" - and "that's a clear choice on offer".

We've put together a quick explainer to address a few key elections questions many of you have been asking about:

How can I vote if I am on holiday?

If you have already registered and know that you will not be able to vote in person you can apply for a postal vote., external

You will need to prove your identity when applying.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote for the general election is 17:00 on Wednesday 19 June.

Alternatively you can nominate a proxy,, external to vote on your behalf. You and your proxy must both be registered to vote.

Will I need photo ID to vote at the general election?

Yes. Since May 2023, voters have to show a valid form of photo ID at polling stations to vote in person at a general election.

There are 22 acceptable forms of ID,, external including passports, driving licences and Older or Disabled Person's bus passes. You can use out-of-date photo ID as long as you look the same.

How do I find out who is standing in my constituency?

The candidates for the parties have not been confirmed yet. The official list will be published on Friday 7 June.

Where do the polls stand now?

As of 25 May, Labour was leading the Conservatives by 21 percentage points.

Find our handy poll tracker here.

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

Sharon Graham, the leader of Unite - Labour's biggest union funder - has criticised an endorsement of the party by a former chief executive of Heathrow.

"Labour must immediately distance itself from John Holland-Kaye, who was responsible for one of, if not the most brutal example, of fire and rehire during the Covid pandemic," she said.

"The Heathrow example is why there must be a total ban on fire and rehire to prevent such a cynical practice ever being allowed to happen again."

'Fire and rehire' is when employees are dismissed then rehired with a combination lower pay or inferior conditions.

She has criticised Labour for allowing fire and rehire in "exceptional circumstances" - for example changing working conditions/contracts when a company's viability is considered to be at risk.

Hannah Miller
Political correspondent, reporting from the Lib Dem battle bus

The Lib Dem battle bus is on the move again - you might spot us heading down the M6 in the direction of Wales, though I can’t say anymore than that at the moment (you’ll just have to watch this space).

The party seems pretty happy with how today is going so far, this morning’s visit to Lake Windermere certainly "made a splash"...

It is still raining outside but I can confirm Ed Davey appears to have dried off after his multiple morning dips.

Away from the damp weather and viral photo opportunities, I asked Davey about his tax plans.

Only a few weeks ago the party was highlighting how hundreds of thousands of pensioners would be dragged into paying income tax under the Conservative government's plans.

Today’s pledge from Rishi Sunak on the "triple lock plus" may have neutralised that attack line, as the prime minister promised the state pension would always be below the threshold at which people must start paying income tax.

But when asked, Davey avoided saying whether his MPs backed that plan.

He told me he wanted to unfreeze tax thresholds for everyone (which would effectively offer a tax cut), not just for pensioners.

But that would be hugely expensive at a time when public spending is squeezed - and when I asked if it was a policy right now he simply said "wait for the manifesto".

As we reported earlier, Nigel Farage - honorary president of Reform UK - gave a speech in Dover this morning, where he discussed migrants crossing the Channel in small boats.

While moving from Farage's speech to Rachel Reeves' event in the East Midlands, the BBC News channel presenter Geeta Guru-Murthy said: "Nigel Farage with his customary inflammatory language there, at a Reform UK press conference."

On the same channel, Guru-Murthy later said: "Now an apology. Earlier today we heard live from Nigel Farage, speaking at that election event we just saw.

"When we came away from his live speech, I used language to describe it which didn’t meet the BBC’s editorial standards on impartiality. I’d like to apologise to Mr Farage and viewers for this."

Do Labour's claims about £64bn unfunded Tory tax cuts stack up?published at 14:18 British Summer Time 28 May

14:18 BST 28 May

In her speech this morning, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves referred to Rishi Sunak’s plan to "offer up £64bn worth of unfunded tax cuts”.

In recent days and weeks, Labour has criticised the Conservatives aspiration of abolishing National Insurance altogether and they claim this would cost £46bn.

That figure is a reasonable estimate of what it would cost, but the Conservatives have said it would be funded and they would not do it until the economy is growing enough for it to be affordable. They also say it would not be brought in before 2030 at the earliest.

But we’re not sure where the extra £18bn has come from to make it up to £64bn.

We’ve asked Labour to clarify their figures.

Lucy Manning
Reporting from Dover

Image source, PA Media

This morning we saw a general election press conference with the man who isn’t actually standing at the election.

But Nigel Farage denied he was a chicken for opting out of running as an MP, more, he said, that he was realist.

Standing behind a sign saying "Rishi can’t stop the boats" he aimed his fire at illegal immigration and the records of both the Labour and Tory parties.

With some personal digs at both leaders, and his view that Labour were going to win the election, he claimed it was a waste to vote for Labour or the Conservatives and people should vote for what they actually believed in.

On illegal immigration and the failure to "stop the boats", the Reform Party honorary president stood by his claims there had been an “invasion”, using the analogy there had been a “slow motion D-Day in reverse” and said if the French Navy won’t send the boats back he would draft in the Royal Marines to do the job.

He might not be standing but Nigel Farage is determined to have an impact at this election.