Before we turn to this morning's interviews, here's one more clip from last night's Sky News show with Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer (for a full recap, scroll back through this page, or read our report here).

Sky's Beth Rigby pressed the Labour leader on his comments from the 2019 general election campaign, when he said Jeremy Corbyn would "make a great prime minister". Here's his answer...

Image source, Getty Images

Here's a story you may have missed from Wednesday evening - a senior aide to Rishi Sunak has admitted having a "flutter" on the general election, with the Gambling Commission now investigating.

Tory candidate Craig Williams - who was the prime minister's Parliamentary Private Secretary in the last Parliament - said on social media: "I've been contacted by a journalist about Gambling Commission inquiries into one of my accounts and thought it best to be totally transparent.

"I put a flutter on the general election some weeks ago. This has resulted in some routine inquiries and I confirm I will fully cooperate with these.

"I don't want to be a distraction from the campaign, I should have thought through how it looked."

According to the Guardian, external, Williams - who is standing for election in Montgomeryshire & Glyndwr - placed a £100 bet on a July election just three days before Sunak named 4 July as the date.

The newspaper reported the bet could have led to a £500 payout.

23,000 words long, but don't expect surprises in Labour's manifestopublished at 06:21 British Summer Time 13 June 2024

06:21 BST 13 June 2024

Chris Mason
Political editor

If you’re expecting surprises from Labour, well – don’t.

It doesn’t look like there will be any. This will be a manifesto seeking to reassure, rather than reveal.

To pull together, the party hopes, the “missions” for government Starmer has been fleshing out for the last 18 months centred on the economy, education, crime, health and energy.

Labour insist they amount to the foundations for what it calls a "decade of national renewal”.

The Conservatives, who’ve announced a blitz of new policies in the last few weeks, claim Labour’s plans are empty.

As the Tories seek to draw a dividing line with Labour on tax cuts, Starmer will counter that he rejects the instinct to tax and spend, instead growing the economy is his central objective.

Delivering that, though, could well prove rather more tricky.

The manifesto is around 23,000 words long, we're told – that’s shorter than their doomed offering in 2019.

And if you’re not sure what Starmer looks like when you start reading it, you will by the end – there are 34 pictures of him within it.

Image source, Reuters

Labour are likely to dominate election coverage today with their manifesto launch, particularly as Sunak is briefly stepping back from the campaign trail.

Unlike a lot of people heading to Italy at this time of year, the prime minister isn't taking a break. Instead he'll be in Puglia for the G7 summit in the city of Bari.

The group of wealthy allied nations are expected to agree a plan to use frozen Russian assets stashed in the West to raise $50 billion (£39 billion) a year for Ukraine.

The idea is to use interest from them to pay off a long-term loan to Kyiv, helping the government stay afloat as Russia continues to wage war on Ukraine.

Sunak is also set to promise Ukraine £242 million to support its humanitarian and energy needs.

The BBC’s Rome correspondent Mark Lowen has more on the G7 summit here.

One of the most striking moments in the Sky News election programme last night was when a member of the audience pushed Starmer on whether he was speaking like a robot.

After an initial moment of what seemed like stunned silence, the Labour leader sought to defend himself against the charge of being boring.

Watch their exchange below:

Paul Seddon
Politics reporter

Starmer appeared on Sky News last night to make the case for a Labour government - where he told the audience wealth creation would be the "number one priority" in his party's general election manifesto.

The Labour leader also stressed there would be "no surprises" on tax, as he sought to defuse Tory attacks that his party would put them up.

Only by growing the economy can Labour generate the funds needed for public services, he argued, after also making the case that people were "taxed too much already”.

The manifesto launch will be a chance for Labour to showcase key policies it had already announced before the election campaign began.

These include setting up a new state-owned energy investment and generation company, hiring more police officers and renationalising nearly all passenger rail.

But the party could also offer more detail in other priority areas such as planning reform, which it has put front and centre of its economic plans.

For more detail on what we know about Labour's manifesto plans, click here.

Hywel Griffith
Wales correspondent

Plaid Cymru is also launching its election manifesto today, saying it will demand a new funding deal for Wales.

A fight for "economic fairness" is how Plaid Cymru pitches its manifesto – pledging to secure more funding from the Treasury for Wales.

It has long argued that the HS2 high-speed rail project should have triggered extra spending in Wales, and says the nation is owed billions of pounds as a result.

It also wants control over the Crown Estate’s land, sea and river beds around Wales to be devolved as they are in Scotland.

One word which doesn’t figure prominently it seems is independence. While that remains Plaid Cymru’s ultimate ambition, its language seems to have softened under its leader Rhun ap Iorwerth, who accuses the other parties of taking Wales for granted.

Labour say they won’t over-promisepublished at 05:27 British Summer Time 13 June 2024

05:27 BST 13 June 2024

Nick Eardley
Political correspondent

Image source, PA Media

A Labour figure told me yesterday they would avoid a "sugar rush" of policies.

The party’s argument is that the Conservatives over-promised in their manifesto.

Labour say they won't do the same – so don’t expect big surprises today.

But Labour do have pledges to pay for such as more NHS appointments, more teachers, primary school breakfast clubs, more police and police community support officers.

Where will they find the money? Labour point towards making private schools pay VAT, a stricter windfall tax on oil and gas company profits, and collecting more of the tax money that's already owed – what is often called “closing the tax gap”.

We’ll be able to scrutinise the numbers later.

But what’s also interesting is what Labour are ruling out - rises in income tax rates, national insurance, VAT and corporation tax.

At the same time, they are pledging to bring debt down as a share of the economy.

All of which has led to warnings that there could be a significant spending squeeze in some government departments after the election – whoever wins.

Adam Durbin
Live reporter

Good morning, it’s a big day for the general election campaign as Labour is due to set out key election pledges in its manifesto launch in a few hours' time.

We’re expecting party leader Keir Starmer to say he will make economic growth his number one priority, should he win the election.

Last night, on a special Sky News election broadcast, he told the audience there would be “no surprises” about taxes and argued people were taxed too heavily already.

As always with election manifestos, a lot of it has been trailed in advance like Labour’s plans to create a new state-owned energy firm, recruit more police officers and renationalise nearly all passenger rail.

But these and many other policy priorities will almost certainly be spelled out in greater detail, as the party makes its pitch to voters.

It's not all Labour though, as Plaid Cymru are also due to put out their manifesto calling for, among other things, a new funding deal for Wales.

We’ll be reporting, analysing and fact-checking all the key pledges – so stay tuned for that as the day progresses.

And not that anyone in the newsroom is counting, but it's exactly three weeks to the day until polls open on 4 July.

Halfway there.

Marita Moloney
Live reporter

We're going to pause our live coverage now after another day on the campaign trail.

Our team will be back first thing tomorrow to bring you all the latest election news and analysis from across the UK, but if you can't wait until then, there's lots to read across BBC News:

• The Green Party launched its manifesto today - BBC correspondents have analysed the main pledges here
• The BBC is interviewing all the major party leaders in the run-up to the election. Here are Nick Robinson's interviews today with the SNP's John Swinney and Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth
• Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer both took part in a televised election event, which you can digest in the posts below. But if you want to read our news story, you can do so here
• And you can go back to basics with our simple guide to the election here

Thanks for joining us.

Ione Wells
Political correspondent

When I asked Mark Spencer, the former Conservative chief whip, what he made of Craig Williams being investigated by the Gambling Commission (see our last post) - he said there was a process under way.

I asked if the Tories were gaining a reputation for bad behaviour that was not helping their election campaign, and he said this was an issue that other parties faced too.

"Some of my colleagues across the House have not covered themselves in glory," he said.

When I then asked which party had the most MPs who lost the whip in the last parliament, Spencer replied: "We had the most MPs."

I asked if he was implying that meant it was okay to have a higher number of suspended MPs for poor behaviour and Spencer added that "one is too many".

Image source, Getty Images

Away from this evening's various political programmes, a story emerged earlier regarding a senior aide to Rishi Sunak.

Tory candidate Craig Williams has admitted that the Gambling Commission are making inquiries after he reportedly placed a bet on the date of the general election.

He said he put a "flutter" on the general election some weeks ago. In a statement he added: "This has resulted in some routine inquiries and I confirm I will fully cooperate with these."

The Guardian reports that Williams placed a £100 bet on a July election just three days before Sunak named the date for the poll.

• Read more here

Kris Bramwell
Your Voice, Your Vote project

When Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer faced questions earlier, the Labour leader was grilled on his plan for the future of dentistry - and it's something many of you have told us is a major issue for you in this election.

Here's a flavour of what you've been telling us:

• Sarah, 48, from Lincolnshire: "We have a growing town but no improvements to key public services. Getting GP/dental treatment locally is almost impossible."
• David, 72, from Liverpool: "I have one tooth left in my mouth, I have pulled several of my teeth out and believe me it hurt. I desperately need a dentist. I just can't get one, I'd love any of the parties to find me a dentist, it's not too big an ask, I just want a dentist."
• John, 73, from East Sussex: "Rural areas are especially hit by shortages of doctors and dentists."
• Linda, 65, from North Lincolnshire: "[There are] no NHS dentists, I am having to pay private. Dentists should be paid a decent wage, so that they don't need to go into private practice."

Find out more about Labour's plans for dentistry here, and the Conservatives' plans here.

Tell us what election issues matter to you, what we should explain, and the local issues you'd like us to report on here.

Would pensioners face a retirement tax under Labour?published at 22:15 British Summer Time 12 June 2024

22:15 BST 12 June 2024

One last claim we at BBC Verify have been looking into, after the head-to-head between Rishi Sunak and Keir Stamer this evening.

Sunak said during it that Labour would bring in a "retirement tax".

Pensioners relying solely on the state pension are on course to potentially pay income tax in 2027-28, because the state pension in that year (£12,578) is forecast to marginally overtake the tax-free personal allowance (£12,570).

The Conservative triple lock plus policy - raising the personal allowance for pensioners only to £13,710 by 2027-28 - would remove that risk.

Labour haven’t said yet whether they would match it or not. But note the Conservatives only unveiled the policy within the last couple of weeks, so to present this as a planned Labour tax rise is a bit disingenuous.

And bear in mind that triple lock plus would only save someone living solely on the state pension around £29 a year.

Fact-checking claims about NHS waiting listspublished at 22:04 British Summer Time 12 June 2024

22:04 BST 12 June 2024

There was claim and counter-claim made about NHS waiting lists in England this evening.

When Rishi Sunak pledged to bring waiting lists down at the beginning of 2023, the overall list was at 7.2 million.

That's now gone up to 7.5 million, as it was put to him earlier.

But the prime minister was also right when he said "what you're now seeing is that the numbers are coming down".

Lists have fallen from a peak of 7.8 million last September, although there have been some changes to the way it’s being calculated in that time.

Image source, .

Sky (who, as a reminder, hosted tonight's election event) has just published a snap poll of 1,864 people who watched the programme featuring Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer.

Of those asked, 64% thought the Labour leader performed better, while 36% gave it to the prime minister.

Polls carried out after last week's head-to-head TV debate between the pair (the first of the election campaign) were much closer, with none giving either No 10 hopeful a clear win.

If you're just joining us, or need a recap, Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak have appeared on a Sky News election programme. Here's a recap of the main lines:

• Keir Starmer said he was "certain we would lose the 2019 election" when asked about previous comments saying Jeremy Corbyn would make a great Labour prime minister
• He accepted that he may have ditched some previous pledges - such as nationalising energy companies - but said it was right because of the country's financial situation
• The Labour leader won applause as he attacked the Tory record on tax, although was not drawn on whether he would raise some taxes having ruled out increases to income tax, National Insurance and VAT
• Starmer also told a striking junior doctor the UK can't afford a 35% pay rise for them when he was asked when salaries will increase
• Rishi Sunak conceded that the last 18 months have not been good when Sky's Beth Rigby asked "what is going so wrong" given the Tories are well behind in the polls
• The prime minister repeated his apology for leaving D-Day commemorations early and said he hopes people "can find it in their hearts to forgive me"
• He said he never believed in Liz Truss' economic policies and insisted flights to Rwanda would take off in July, after the audience applauded when he was asked why he had called an election before voters could see the policy in action

Ione Wells
Political correspondent, reporting in Sky News spin room

That’s a question Rishi Sunak faced tonight - and one that's followed him quite a bit throughout this campaign.

In part, because some policies announced so far - like increasing tax thresholds for pensioners - have seemed particularly targeted at an older, core voter base. Perhaps to stop some of their core voters switching to Reform (another point raised this evening)...

A final question from William, a student from Grimsby (where the Sky News programme we've been covering was held), who says Rishi Sunak's national service policy and triple lock plus pension plans are "far away" from the interests of young people.

Sunak says he has two young daughters and is "incredibly excited" for them to do national service - which, again, prompts loud laughter in the room. He then rattles off a list of reasons why he thinks it's a positive proposal, adding that parents love the idea.

Another member of the audience interrupts, asking whether Sunak would criminalise those who refused to do national service. "No of course not," the prime minister replies.

He goes on to say his party's plans for national service are "transformational and positive for young people", and points to another new proposal - made just yesterday - for a Tory government to launch a "new and improved" Help to Buy scheme which aims to give people in England a hand with raising deposits to buy their first home.

That's it for our coverage of this evening's Sunak-Starmer event - stay tuned for a recap of everything we heard.

Just two more audience questions for Rishi Sunak to bring you now - the first is on whether people should vote for Reform UK

The PM says no and reiterates his argument that any vote for Nigel Farage's party ultimately is a vote to put Keir Stamer into No 10.

Sunak goes on, saying he's the person voters should choose if they care about "cutting taxes, protecting pensions, a sensible approach to net zero and bringing migration down".

An audience member shouts out “you’ve failed” as Sunak goes on to say that Starmer doesn’t have a plan.

• Reform's potential to appeal to traditional Tory voters came to the fore earlier today when Conservative candidate Andrea Jenkyns was criticised for including a picture of Farage on a campaign leaflet