General election 2024 live: Sunak and Starmer give final speeches as poll predicts historic Tory defeat

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said that Diane Abbott is “free” to stand as a Labour MP following a row over her role in the party.

Abbott was suspended from the party last year and was under investigation following comments she made about racism against Jewish, Irish and Traveller communities.

While the veteran had the whip restored to her this week, there were conflicting reports that suggested that she may have still been blocked from running as a party candidate in the upcoming election.

However, Starmer has said that Abbott is “free to go forward as a Labour candidate”.

Abbott has been Labour’s Hackney East and Stoke Newington MP since 1987 and was the UK’s first black female representative.

A series of new polls published within the last 24 hours have all given Labour a huge lead on the Tories.

One poll from BMG Research has put the party 16 percentage points ahead of the Conservatives, with 43% of 1,500 adults favourite Labour, compared to 27% favouring the Tories.

Another poll by TechneUK, conducted on May 29, has put Labour 24 percentage points ahead of the Conservatives, while a YouGov poll, conducted on May 29 and 30, gave the party a 25-point lead over Sunak’s party.

ITV have announced that senior figures from multiple parties will go head-to-head in a televised debate.

The debate, moderated by Julie Etchingham, will take place on June 13 and feature “leaders or senior representatives” from the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, SNP, Reform UK, Greens and Plaid Cymru. Michael Jermey, ITV’s director of news and current affairs, said: “ITV’s debate programmes will allow millions of viewers to see and hear the politicians debate the big issues facing the country.

“Many of our viewers tell us they greatly value the TV debates.

“We’re pleased that ITV will be able to provide a forum in which voters can question the political leaders and in which the politicians can debate directly with each other.”

A showdown between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer has already been scheduled by ITV to take place on June 4.

As we reported earlier this week, LBC presenter Iain Dale was stepping down from the radio station to put his hat in the ring for the Tory MP position in his home constituency of Tunbridge Wells.

However, just two days later, Dale has withdrawn from the race after comments in which he was less than favourable about his home seat surfaced.

While speaking on the For The Many podcast in 2022, he said: “I’ve lived in Tunbridge Wells since 1997, slightly against my will, in that my partner comes from Tunbridge Wells… I’ve never liked the place, still don’t and would happily live somewhere else.”

Dale has now confirmed that he has withdrawn from competing for the candidacy, telling LBC’s Nick Ferrari: “I decided on Wednesday evening that I would ask them not to put my name on the shortlist.

"That was a decision I took. I could have gone to the selection meeting tomorrow. I could have done a “ra ra ra” speech and I could have won. But what if they’ve got something else that I’ve said. I wasn’t willing to suffer death by a thousand cuts."

Whether Dale will return to his position on LBC remains to be seen...

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has said that she feels there is “no reason why” Diane Abbott can’t stand as an MP for the party.

Veteran MP Abbott’s future within the party was secured following an investigation into comments she made about racism. While the whip was restored to her, conflicting reports suggested that she will still be banned from sitting as a Labour MP in the upcoming election.

Rayner told ITV News: "I don’t see any reason why Diane Abbott can’t stand as a Labour MP going forward... I am saying that as the deputy leader of the Labour party."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said that "no final decision has been taken" on whether Abbott can stand as a Labour candidate in her constituency for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, a seat she has held since 1987.

A Tory canvasser has been caught on camera removing a Labour leaflet from a resident’s letterbox and replacing it with their party’s own leaflet.

Anthony Buffin, who captured the moment on his Ring doorbell, was at home in Gloucester when the Tory canvasser approached his home and removed the Labour leaflet which had been left by another campaigner who had visited his home only minutes earlier.

Buffin said that the moment “paints a very poor picture”.

Read more here: Moment Tory canvasser removes Labour leaflet from letterbox and delivers his own captured on doorbell footage

Nigel Farage has hinted on the Sun’s Never Mind The Ballots YouTube show that he would consider doing a deal with the Tories. Remember, in 2019, the Brexit Party stood down candidates across the country to help Boris Johnson get into power.

This time around, Reform UK leader Richard Tice has refused to do this, even though it appears his party will help Labour win a majority. He’s promised to stand candidates in 630 seats, and has said repeatedly there will be no deals.

However, Farage, Reform UK’s honorary president, appears to have hinted a deal could be possible. Speaking to former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, he said: “We should be in the same party together - on China, on everything.”

When asked by Sun political editor Harry Cole if he would accept a peerage or a knighthood, Farage replied: “No, no, no, no. I'm not asking for anything other than: I've done them some huge favours over the years as a party. Give me something back. We might have a conversation.”

Watch the full interaction on YouTube here.

Liz Truss has been criticised by Labour’s Jess Phillips for her scheduled appearance on the Lotus Eaters podcast.

Carl Benjamin, one of the founders of Lotus Eaters, previously said “I wouldn’t even rape you” to Phillips, after she highlighted the rape threats that female MPs get. He then later said: “Let’s be honest nobody’s got that much beer.”

Benjamin, who stood for Ukip previously and launched a political movement with Tommy Robinson, said this was a “joke” and accused the Labour MP of misrepresentation.

Phillips has written to Rishi Sunak urging him to deselect Truss over her appearance, while campaign group Hope Not Hate has said the same.

Georgie Laming, campaigns director at Hope Not Hate, said: “It is completely irresponsible for any MP or candidate to share a platform with Lotus Eaters and their band of conspiracy theorists and far-right activists. This isn’t the first time Liz Truss has flirted with the far-right, she must be immediately suspended from the Conservative Party.”

ITV has announced the first televised general election debate between Tory leader Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

The broadcaster will hold a debate at 9pm on Tuesday, June 4 moderated by Julie Etchingham. It will take place in front of a live studio audience.

Michael Jermey, ITV’s director of news and current affairs, said: “Millions of viewers value the election debates. They provide a chance to see and hear the party leaders set out their pitch to the country, debate directly with each other and take questions from voters. ITV is pleased to be broadcasting the first debate in this year’s election campaign.”

Stopping Diane Abbott standing “genuinely could be a huge hit of morale to BAME members”, a Labour source has told me.

She was the UK’s first black female MP and a staunch supporter of Jeremy Corbyn. “Honestly the way they treated her has been horrible,” the source has said. Do not expect this story to go away.