Election latest news: Nigel Farage says Tories ‘screwed’ regardless of Reform as Labour hold huge poll lead

James Cleverly is facing questions on Sky News Breakfast over the cost of living crisis.

Asked whether this was The Tories’ “Achilles heel”, the Home Secretary told Sky News Breakfast: “We’ve got to recognise the unique circumstances over the last couple of years. We had Covid which hit the global economy and of course the UK economy incredibly hard. The Prime Minister, when he was chancellor, put in place the most comprehensive and generous support package this country has ever seen, with the furlough scheme.

“We then had the Russian invasion of Ukraine which sent global energy prices spiking, but today we know that because of the decisions again made by Rishi Sunak there’ll be support for energy prices across the country. I totally recognise it’s incredibly hard for a huge number of people.

“We’ve now got inflation down to normal levels, we’ve kept unemployment low, the economy is growing faster than anywhere else in the G7, wages growing faster than prices. It’s tough but we have been making the right decisions to help people like the couple we’ve just seen. And all of that will be smashed to bits with a Labour government. Be under no illusion, their taxes will go through the roof.”

Pressed on tax rises under the Conservatives, Mr Cleverly said: “The reason that taxes have had to go up is we had to pay for furlough, we had to pay for energy support and the question now is what happened next. Independent predictions say under Labour the tax burden is the highest it has ever been. Under the Conservatives we have already started bringing taxes down, we’ve committed to abolishing National Insurance. So that’s the choice we’ve got ahead.”

Shadow secretary Jonathan Ashworth has faced questions on whether Labour is prepared for the pay demands the party is likely to face.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: “Well, first of all we’ve got to win an election on Thursday and this is the period now where your co-presenter who is a Manchester United fan would know that Alex Ferguson described as ‘squeaky bum time’.

“There are still people who are making their minds up, still working out what to do. And my message to them is don’t switch on Radio 4 on Friday morning and hear that Rishi Sunak has won five more years. The choice is clear. We’ll see what happens on Thursday.”

Foreign Secretary David Cameron has urged a video in support of “good man” Jeremy Hunt in his bid to be re-elected in Surrey.

We are finally on the final week of the general election campaign and parties have only three days left to hand their last leaflets.

Here’s what to expect today:

• Rishi Sunak is campaigning in the Midlands, where he will visit a business in Staffordshire.

• Sir Keir Starmer is campaigning in the South East, with visits scheduled for Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

• Sir Ed Davey is expected to visit Eastbourne, Wokingham and the Costwolds.

• SNP leader John Swinney will be campaigning across the North East of Scotland.

• The Greens will be in the east of England.

• And Reform UK’s Ann Widdecombe is set to take part in the Woman’s Hour leadership election interviews on BBC Radio 4.

While most people are aware of the political big hitters, there a few underdog parties that fly under the radar. Some of these parties are set up with satirical intent to provide comic relief to voters, while others attempt to make real political statements.

From Count Binface Party to A Blue Revolution, The Independent has put together a list of those fielding candidates in the general election.

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Only as you travel out to the more genteel areas of the constituency, like Frinton, do they give way to “I stand with Giles” boards. But Giles Watling, the Tory MP defending his Clacton seat, may be the only Conservative candidate in this election with a wide coalition of support across the country willing him to win.

In the wake of the Channel 4 News expose of the Reform Clacton team and the racist comments by one of the canvassers Andrew Parker, Watling received a telephone call from Tony Blair’s former spin doctor Alastair Campbell, in normal circumstances no lover of Tories.

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But in a crunch interview with just days to go before the vote, Mr Sunak told the BBC‘s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg “this campaign is something I am very proud of” as he sought to disparage Labour’s plans.

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