Election news – live: Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer grilled by public in latest debate

The Independent is giving readers the chance to chat directly with candidates from some of the major political parties in a special general election series of Ask Me Anything events.

In one of the sessions, our community will be able to chat exclusively with Dr Ellie Chowns, who is hoping to be elected MP in North Herefordshire for the Green Party.

Serving as the party’s housing and communities spokesperson, Dr Chowns served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the West Midlands for the party from 2019 to 2020.

She has also been a councillor on Herefordshire Council since 2017, representing the Bishops Frome & Cradley ward, and is leader of the council’s Green group.

If you have a question about the Green Party’s manifesto, pledges or policies submit it here now.

As the country gears up for a general election in under two weeks, young voters are relying less and less on traditional media to access the news.

A substantial 21 per cent of 18- to 34-year-olds say that TikTok and Instagram have been their main source of information during the election campaign, an exclusive Techne poll for The Independent can reveal.

Nigel Farage has come under fire for “cuddling up to the Kremlin” as a leading think tank accused his Reform party of poisoning the election debate.

On another torrid day for the ex-Ukip leader, military experts queued up to criticise his claim the West provoked Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Kemi Badenoch has hinted she could make another run for the Tory leadership, if the party loses the election next month.

During a debate hosted by the Institute of Directors and Bloomberg on Monday, the Business Secretary was asked about her intentions if Rishi Sunak is ousted on 4 July.

She claimed there was “no better job” than Business and Trade Secretary, which she described as being “a lot easier and a lot less pressured than being prime minister”.

Starmer’s grilling by Sun readers has now finished.

The Labour leader was tackled on his previous support for Corbyn, the economy, immigration and the NHS, among other issues.

Starmer says his priorities will be to stabalise the economy and cut NHS waiting lists.

He is asked if he will be more radical in government.

Everything in our manifesto is fully costed, he adds.

Starmer says he is ready to become the prime minister should Labour win the election.

We have the chance to change things, he adds.

But people must go out and vote for it, he adds.

Starmer says women-only spaces must be protected.

He is asked why Labour would make it easier for people to change gender.

Labour will treat everyone with respect, he adds.

Starmer is tackled on his comments that he wouldn’t use private health care.

I won’t skip the queue, he says.

My government will bring waiting lists down, he adds.

Labour leader says he has nothing against private schools.

He is tackled about his plan to tax private school fees.

We need to fund public sector schools too, he adds.