Election latest: Farage says Reform ‘new opposition’ and makes false vote fraud claim

He writes: “In its manifesto, Labour has correctly identified a key problem: lack of economic growth. Britain desperately needs more of it to properly fund public services while preventing taxes from soaring rapidly.”

But while spotting the problem is easy enough, fixing it is another matter, Moore continues: “How does Labour’s manifesto measure up as a form of treatment for this fiscal malaise? The answer is mostly ‘umm, err…’ because the 130-plus pages are deliberately light on detail, with lots of talk about strategising and new agencies that will be, well, strategising.”

The Liberal Democrats, the SNP, the Greens, Plaid Cymru, and now Labour have all unequivocally committed to granting full voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds, for Westminster and all other elections.

O’Grady writes: “Given the likelihood of a Labour administration with an unassailable parliamentary majority, it’s worth quoting the party’s pledge: ‘We will increase the engagement of young people in our vibrant democracy, by giving 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections.’

“It seems that only the Conservatives, Reform UK and the DUP want the age for UK general elections left at 18. The implications could be profound, and unpredictable.”

Lib Dem deputy leader has said injuries would not stop Sir Ed Davey from engaging in stunts during the campaign trail.

Daisy Cooper said: “There’s almost nothing that’s going to stop Ed from getting out and about, meeting people, doing the stunts and having a lot of fun.”

She added: “We take our politics very seriously but we don’t think politicians should take themselves too seriously.

“Ed has won a lot of people’s hearts and minds with this strategy.”

Council staff across Scotland have rejected a new pay offer, with a vote now set to open on potential strike action, a union has said.

Unison Scotland balloted members on the offer from local authority body Cosla, but it said 91% of respondents rejected the 2.2% uplift, which would have increased by a further 2% after six months.

The union said over the coming weeks, its members – including cleansing workers and school staff – will now be consulted on walkouts.

Colette Hunter, chairwoman of the local government committee at the union, said: “This result must be a wake-up call for Cosla that council workers need to be rewarded fairly for the essential services they provide.”

Nigel Farage has demanded a spot on the BBC’s four-way leaders’ debate panel, which Fiona Bruce will host in York next Thursday.

The Reform UK leader suggested the broadcaster should feature him in the line-up after a landmark poll put his party ahead of the Conservatives.

Mr Farage added: “I think we can demand of right now that the BBC put us into that debate.”

The two-hour Question Time Leaders’ Special is set to feature the leaders of Great Britain’s four largest political parties.

Mohammad Al Kharewsh, 25, said he kept questioning why he was among the first chosen and became increasingly depressed during his time in Gatwick detention centre.

His arrival in the UK in 2022 had seen him reunited with his brother, who was granted asylum in the UK as a minor, and the prospect of being separated again was “extremely intimidating”, he said.

Mohammad was one of more than 100 asylum seekers rounded up by the Home Office in May ahead of planned deportation flights to Rwanda.

The former prime minister has endorsed a fourth Conservative candidate as he joins the election campaign.

He hailed Jane Stevenson, who is running in Wolverhampton North East, as “full of passion”.