After the Rwanda exchange, Robinson suggests Sunak is "constantly promising people what you will do".

Sunak responds by saying his party got the number of small boat crossings down by a third last year and "people can trust" him on the issue.

"We've got a plan, the planes are booked, the case workers are working," he says - adding that if he's re-elected, he'll work to get the figure down again.

For context: The numbers crossing in small boats across the Channel in 2023 were a third lower than in 2022. But the number of people who have crossed so far this year is at a record high - up more than a third on the same period last year. Read more here.

The prime minister is pushed on the Rwanda scheme, which would see some asylum seekers sent to the east African country. Robinson asks how many people have actually gone so far.

Sunak says "this election is about the future" and there's a clear choice between himself and the Labour Party.

Referencing last week's TV debate, Sunak says he asked Starmer what he would do with illegal immigrants and "time after time, he couldn't answer the question".

For context: During the debate last week, Starmer said: "We need to smash the gangs that are running this vile trade, making a huge amount of money putting some of the most vulnerable people in boats across the Channel." Labour's manifesto will also be published on Thursday.

Robinson turns to pledges Sunak has made in office.

On waiting lists

Sunak admits NHS waiting lists have gone up but says "they are now coming down". Put to him that waiting times have gone up under not just him, but the last five Tory prime ministers, Sunak says Covid-19 impacted the health service and insists his plan is working.

On immigration

Robinson says Sunak "promised to control our borders" but the number of people coming to the UK legally has reached a record high.

For context: Last year, net migration - the number of people coming to the UK, minus the number leaving - was 685,000.

Sunak says the numbers are too high, but adds "net migration is forecast to halve over the next 12 months or so".

On small boat crossings

It's put to Sunak that more than 11,000 people have crossed the Channel this year. He says the government managed to get the numbers down last year and will endeavour to do so again, and adds that the Rwanda scheme will act as a "deterrent".

Robinson continues to ask about the differences between Sunak and Farage.

He says some people believe the Reform UK leader is like a "Sunday roast with all the trimmings", while the PM is more of a "quinoa salad".

With a straight face, Sunak responds by saying "the policies are what matter, the substance is what matters... you're asking me about personalities".

He says the Tories are offering "lower taxes, protected pensions, increase in defence spending, a more sensible approach to net zero, and a clear plan to both stop the boats and bring down the levels of migration".

Robinson relays comments by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who said the D-Day controversy suggested Sunak didn't understand "our culture, our history".

"Is he playing with fire, by bringing your heritage into this argument?" he asks.

Sunak replies: "Well, Nigel Farage can answer what he exactly he meant by those comments. I'm not going to get involved in that, because I don't think it's good for our country or our politics. Now, obviously I disagree with him."

Robinson puts it to Sunak that many Conservatives think Farage is more of a Conservative than him.

Sunak says: "A vote for anyone who's not a Conservative candidate is just making it more likely that Keir Starmer [becomes prime minister]," he says.

Next, Robinson shows Sunak a photo of the international D-Day event that he apologised for missing last week.

It shows his Foreign Secretary stood next to the leaders of France, Germany and the US.

Sunak says he never meant to cause hurt or offence, which is why he's "apologised unreservedly" for the mistake.

"I hope people can find it within their hearts to forgive me," he says.

Pushed on whether he understands that many believed it was Sunak's duty to be there, and he wasn't, Sunak says he'd like to be judged on his record on veterans - including having a minister dedicated to their issues.

Nick Robinson asks if Sunak feels as though it hasn't stopped raining since the day he stood outside No 10 (in the rain) to call the election.

Sunak ignores the joke and says he's been "out and about every day", talking to people about the choice they have at this election.

He reiterates that his "plan is working", and "we have turned a corner" on issues like the economy.

Image source, PA Media

And we're off - watch along by tapping Play at the top of this page, and follow here as we bring you live updates.

Nick Robinson - who is a presenter on Radio 4's Today programme and spent a decade as the BBC's political editor - explains that everything recorded in this half-hour will be broadcast in full.

Robinson also tells viewers the prime minister didn't see any of the questions he'll face in advance.

Hugh Pym
Health editor

Earlier, the Liberal Democrats provided more detail on their pledge to, if elected, give patients in England the right to see a GP or appropriate practice staff member within seven days.

This would be written into the NHS Constitution along with other rights, such as starting planned hospital treatment within 18 weeks. However, this would not be a legal right challengeable in the courts - it would simply hold the secretary of state accountable if not delivered.

Most of these requirements are not met year in, year out - and patients might wonder if they will make much difference. The Lib Dems argue that at least it would prioritise GP access and data on the seven-day benchmark could be published monthly, along with other key NHS stats.

Image source, PA Media

We've just had a response from Labour to Rishi Sunak's comments on housing in a BBC interview earlier.

Angela Rayner, the party's deputy leader and shadow housing secretary, calls the prime minister's admission that it has become harder to afford a home under the Conservative government a "damning indictment of 14 years of housing failure".

In a statement, she says home ownership is a "pipedream for young people in Britain today".

She continues: "Never once in 14 years have the Tories met their 300,000 a year housing target, and their recent decision to appease the Tory MPs on their backbenches and abolish mandatory housing targets has seen housebuilding take a nosedive."

Rayner adds that Labour will build "1.5 million new homes" and "help families onto the housing ladder with first dibs for first-time buyers".

The prime minister told the BBC his party would ramp up house-building and help get young people into work if they win on 4 July.

You can watch the full interview with Sunak at 20:00 on BBC News and BBC iPlayer, and we'll bring you key lines right here.

Bluey, a children's cartoon character, has caused headaches for a council trying to arrange the general election count in East Sussex.

Brighton & Hove City Council had hoped to book the Brighton Centre from 3 to 5 July, but officials were left scratching their heads after learning the venue was already booked for Bluey's Big Play.

The city's election count will instead be held 5 miles (8km) away at Portslade Sports Centre, meaning customers will be unable to use the facility during the count period.

The sports centre will be closed to customers from 3 to 5 July, with its members being given access to other gyms and studios across the city during the closure.

• Read more here about Bluey and the Brighton election count

After many of you said housing was an important topic in this election, Nick Robinson pressed Rishi Sunak on the issue in his BBC interview, due to air at 20:00.

In the interview, Sunak says it's now harder to have your own home under the Conservatives, adding that he wants to make it easier if he wins the next election.

We've been asking you to tell us your questions, what you want us to report on, and what you need explaining as part of our Your Voice, Your Vote project. And housing has been one of the biggest topics you've been telling us matter.

Nick Robinson will be interviewing other party leaders over the next week or so - and you can submit questions by emailing bbcyourvoice@bbc.co.uk.

We've another couple of lines to bring you now from an interview Rishi Sunak's done with the BBC's Nick Robinson - these are on tax.

He says the Conservative manifesto - which is due to be published in full tomorrow - will include tax cuts: "We're going to keep cutting people's taxes. You'll see that in our manifesto tomorrow."

Challenged over how he'll fund his policies, Sunak says they're all "fully funded and costed".

In the spring Budget, the government announced a 2p tax cut to National Insurance for 27 million workers - matching another reduction set out in last year's Autumn Statement. The Conservatives have also said they want to abolish National Insurance completely in the long-term, when it is deemed affordable to do so.

The party's manifesto, which will outline what it plans to do if it wins the election, is expected to include a pledge to scrap stamp duty for first-time buyers of properties costing up to £425,000.

• When the full interview between Sunak and Nick Robinson airs at 20:00 BST, we'll bring you key lines and clips right here

Rishi Sunak has admitted that affording a home under the Conservatives has "got harder" in an interview with the BBC's Nick Robinson.

Towards the end their of the conversation, the prime minister was told how people in their 30s are having to live with their parents much later than they'd like to because they can't afford rent or a deposit to buy.

"Having your own home has got harder under a Conservative government, hasn't it?" Nick Robinson says.

"It has got harder, and I want to make sure that it's easier," Sunak replies.

"What we will do is not just build homes in the right places... but make sure that we support young people into great jobs so they can save for that deposit".

• You can watch The Panorama Interviews with Nick Robinson on Monday 10 June at 8pm on BBC One and on BBC iPlayer

Nick Robinson
Presenter, Radio 4 Today

I've just come out of my interview with the prime minister.

For half an hour or so I quizzed Rishi Sunak about his D-Day apology and the political threat he faces from Nigel Farage; his promises on the NHS, controlling our borders and taxation; the warnings that whoever is in power next will have to cut spending on public services and on the Tories' record from 14 years in power.

You can judge for yourself when the interview is shown in full at 20:00 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer (and at the top of this page) but I found him remorseful about D-Day, bullish about his own record as prime minister and defiant in the face of criticism that he is unfairly warning of Labour tax rises.

There are other subjects we could have covered and you may wish we had.

There are claims made that we could have spent the whole of the interview debating - and BBC Verify will look into some of them.

Overall, I hope you will agree with me that it was a fair and robust interview in which he made his case and I tested it.

There's just one more thing to add - for this and the other six interviews with party leaders I will do - he was not told the questions in advance and what you see is everything that was recorded.

David Wallace Lockhart
Political correspondent, BBC Scotland

We've been speaking to Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross about his decision to stand down as the party's leader.

He admitted some of his colleagues were “uncomfortable” with his decision to run for Westminster again, and when asked whether he had mishandled the situation, he told the BBC “everything could be done differently in hindsight".

Ross said his decision had nothing to do with reports that some of his Commons travel expenses coincided with his work as a football assistant referee.

Speaking for the first time since his shock announcement, he said “I have only ever claimed expenses for parliamentary duties,” and pointed out the claims in question had been approved by the Westminster authorities.

Ross also denied he was treating Holyrood as a backstop in case he failed in his attempt to be re-elected to Westminster.

Read more about his decision to quit here.

Tom Symonds
On the Lib Dem campaign bus

Image source, Reuters

More from Sir Ed Davey now - who has been speaking with the BBC and other media this afternoon.

In an interview at Thorpe Park he insisted his party’s financial plan was "cautious".

In response to today’s manifesto launch, the Institute for Fiscal Studies warned "there are clear risks that their package of tax measures would not raise the £27bn a year that they claim."

The Lib Dems' proposals to raise taxes on banks would need to see them reach "new highs".

It would be "difficult" to raise £7bn by cracking down on tax avoidance and a new policy of taxing frequent flyers would require "an entirely new administrative mechanism", the think tank has said.

Questioned about how a £8.35bn package for the NHS and social care would be funded, Davey said some money was already in the budget.

He said the party had taken “expert advice” and possible savings from the NHS had not been included in costings.

On Europe, he dismissed suggestions it would be hard to win the votes of “blue wall” Brexit supporters, as an "unashamed pro-European party".

Davey said the Lib Dems would get a "much better" trade deal by being co-operative with the EU.

He continued: "The Conservatives have so undermined our relationship with our nearest European friends, so poisoned the trust there, that it’s going to take some considerable time to build back."

Cachella Smith
Live reporter

Last night, the Conservatives set out their latest election pledge: to recruit 8,000 more police officers over the next three years.

This may ring some bells. In 2019, Boris Johnson announced the "uplift" recruitment programme, which aimed to increase the number of police officers in England and Wales by 20,000.

That recruitment drive concluded last March, with all forces except the Metropolitan Police meeting their targets. It followed a drop in officer numbers between 2010 and 2018.

Labour has criticised the Conservatives for their record on investment in the police over the last 14 years - so what do the numbers tell us?

Figures published in January show that on 31 March 2023, headcount in the police stood at 149,566, external, a few thousand higher than the figure in 2010.

As of 30 September 2023, headcount had fallen slightly to 149,164.

So in short, there has been a modest increase in the number of officers since 2010 - but don't forget that the population will also have increased over that period.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said at the election debate on Friday that Labour would put 13,000 new officers on the street.

Image source, RALF IBING - FIRO SPORTPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

Tom Symonds
On the Lib Dem campaign bus

After launching the party's manifesto, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey headed straight for Thorpe Park, an amusement park in Surrey.

Dodging rain showers, he stood in line briefly to ride on Rush - a giant swing - before enduring a vertical loop, cobra roll, double corkscrew and quadruple barrel roll on a rollercoaster called Colossus.

Speaking to the BBC between rides, he said: “What I’m saying to people is - come on the ride with us, read our ideas, back our local champions.

"There are so many parts of the country where if you want to get rid of the Conservatives you vote Liberal Democrat. In Scotland if you want to get rid of the SNP you vote Liberal Democrat as well.”

We'll be bringing you more from our chat with Davey soon.