Election latest: Minister says election 'not about the past' as poll suggests Tory wipeout on 4 July (2024)

Douglas Ross's decision to stand to be an MP has left a "bad taste" in a northeast Scottish constituency, First Minister and SNP politician John Swinney says.

The Scottish Conservative leader put himself forward as candidate for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East after David Duguid was told by the party's management board he could not stand due to his ill-health.

Mr Swinney said: "It's obviously the seat where the sitting Conservative MP has been ousted by Douglas Ross and I think that leaves a really bad taste in the mouths of people in this constituency.

"I'm keen to make sure that people elect Seamus Logan as a strong advocate of this community for the SNP- who will go to the House of Commons and put the interests of Scotland first."

Boundary changes mean that Aberdeenshire North and Moray East is being contested for the first time, but the majority of the constituency was in Banff and Buchan, previously represented by Mr Duguid.

A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: "Douglas is fully focused on winning the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East seat on 4 July.

"Like other key seats across Scotland, only the Scottish Conservatives can beat the SNP here, end their independence obsession for good, and ensure the focus moves on to local people’s real priorities."

The full candidate list for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East is:

• Ian Bailey, Scottish Liberal Democrats
• Andy Brown, Scottish Labour Party
• Jo Hart, Reform UK
• Seamus Logan, SNP
• Douglas Ross, Scottish Conservatives

Eight years ago today, Labour MP Jo Cox was killed during the Brexit referendum campaign by a far right extremist.

Her sister, Kim Leadbeater - who has subsequently been elected as a Labour MP and is contesting this election - has spoken to Sky News to remember her.

She spoke to political correspondent Ali Fortescue for the Politics Hub show.

Ms Leadbeater said that today has been a "very emotional day" for the family, heightened by the fact it has been Father's Day.

She added: "I don't think you can ever come to terms with something so horrific and genuinely unbelievable. I can't believe it's been eight years.

"It doesn't feel like two minutes ago in many respects".

Ms Leadbeater said that "an awful lot has happened since" and "every day is difficult" in her situation.

"But what we've tried to do as a family is remain resolute in our desire to remember how Jo lived," she added.

Asked about how she feels about how the current election campaign is going, Ms Leadbeater says she doesn't think it has been "too bad".

There have been "some moments of inappropriate behaviour".

She said it was "quite sad" that people have said they will not stand because of "threats and intimidation".

Ms Leadbeater condemned, for example, Labour candidate Rosie Duffield withdrawing from a hustings because of fears for her safety, and Nigel Farage having objects thrown at him.

The full candidate list for Spen Valley is:

• Javed Bashir, independent;
• Alison Brelsford, Liberal Democrats;
• Laura Evans, Conservative Party;
• Kim Leadbeater, Labour Party;
• Martin Price, Green Party;
• Sarah Wood, Reform UK.

WatchPolitics Hubfrom 7pm every night during the election campaign on Sky channel 501, Virgin channel 602, Freeview channel 233, on theSky News websiteandappor onYouTube.

Nigel Farage is "terrorising" the Conservative Party and Rishi Sunak is afraid to take him on, Labour grandee Lord Mandelson has told Sky News.

The former cabinet minister and spin-doctor, who masterminded Tony Blair's 1997 landslide win, argued the job of the Tory leader should be to stand up to Mr Farage and Reform UK rather than seeking to appease them.

Trying to outflank Mr Farage had only served to embolden the maverick politician and make him stronger, the peer said as he appeared on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.

The decision of the former UKIP leader to contest a Tory-held seat at the election and take the reins at Reform UK has exacerbated Mr Sunak's electoral woes, threatening to split the vote and the party.

Fresh polls gave an even bleaker outlook for the Conservatives, with one indicating the party on course to pick up just 72 seats.

A separate survey on Thursday night put Reform ahead of the Tories for the first time with 19% of the vote, compared with 18% for the Conservatives.

It led Mr Farage, who is set to launch Reform's manifesto on Monday, to declare his party was now the opposition to Labour.

You can read the full story here:

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has wished the England football team well, ahead of the start of their tournament.

The team are set to play Serbia this evening.

In a statement, Sir Keir said: "There is no feeling like the build up to the first England game of an international tournament: the pubs filling up, the flags waving, the nerves and excitement building.

"As fans up and down the country get ready for kick off, I want to wish Gareth and the team all the best on behalf of the Labour Party.

"We will be with you for every twist, turn and VAR decision. England is behind you. Make it a summer to remember."

Read below to see how football fan Starmer could change football if he becomes prime minister:

Our live poll tracker collates the results of opinion surveys carried out by all the main polling organisations - and allows you to see how the political parties are performing in the run-up to the general election.

So far, only one poll has shown Reform ahead of the Conservatives - the Tories are currently an average of 7 points ahead of Nigel Farage's party.

Read more about the tracker here.

Sky News has spoken to Sally Gainsbury, a senior policy analyst at the Nuffield Trust, a health thinktank.

It comes after the Trust released a report criticising the lack of detailed plans for NHS spending from any of the main parties - Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat.

Speaking to political correspondent Tamara Cohen, Ms Gainsbury said: "These plans aren't realistic.

"All of the main parties in England, if they were to deliver what they're promising, without making substantial cuts elsewhere in the NHS, are going to have to commit substantial additional funds above what they have so far earmarked."

The issue Ms Gainsbury is highlighting is the pressure on NHS budgets due to issues like inflation.

She said: "We have these amounts of very, very low funding increases compared to the history of the NHS, across all three parties.

"That certainly would not be enough to really keep the NHS going as it is today, let alone funds the improvements that everybody wants to see."

Ms Gainsbury added: "Sadly, on the basis of the funding offers at the parties seem to be committing at the moment. We cannot see that patient experience will improve."

You can read about the various party's policies here:

The polling currently suggests the Conservatives will not be maintaining their majority after the next election.

If that does turn out to be the case, it is likely that Rishi Sunak will stand aside and there will be a contest to replace him.

Public affairs firm Charlesbye - run by former Downing Street communications chief and Boris Johnson aide Lee Cain - has asked 2,447 people who they would like to see takeover.

The most popular choice among the public was current foreign secretary and former prime minister Lord David Cameron - backed by 25.5% of those polled.

This was followed by Nigel Farage - on 20.3% - despite him not being a member of the party.

In third was Penny Mordaunt with 18.6%, followed by Kemi Badenoch on 7.7%, James Cleverly on 6.6%, Priti Patel on 6%, Tom Tugendhat on 5.2%, Suella Braverman on 4.7%, Claire Coutinho 3.2% and, in last, Robert Jenrick with 2.3%.

Among those who intend to vote Conservative in the upcoming election, support for Lord Cameron grows to 30.1%, Ms Mordaunt jumps to second with 24.6%, and Mr Farage drops to third with 16.3%.

Of those who voted Conservative in the last election, Ms Mordaunt is the favourite with 26.6%, followed by Lord Cameron in second with 23.8% and Mr Farage in third with 22.7%.

Mr Cain said: "A gaffe-riddled campaign has crushed what remained of Sunak's credibility - with the public now more likely to vote Conservatives if he was no longer leader.

"Focus in Tory circles is already turning to who can rebuild the party from the ashes. The popularity of Penny Morduant, David Cameron and Nigel Farage shows there is no clear consensus for the path it will take."

From first past the post to voter ID, here's everything you need to know about the general election in less than five minutes.

By Narbeh Minassian, news reporter

Politics can shape the future of football at the best of times, but after the past five years it's arguably as important as ever to gauge how Westminster will approach the national sport.

With some clubs facing extinction, attempts at a breakaway league, the rise of the women's game and state ownership, there are many ways the sport could move up the next government's agenda.

The most pressing matter will be the landmark Football Governance Bill, which was introduced by the Tory government but broadly enjoys cross-party support.

As football finance expert Kieran Maguire told Sky News, there is an argument football is "so embedded in the fabric of the country that it needs protecting" - which is what this bill aims to do.

"A football club is a monopoly supplier, if you support Wolverhampton and they go out of business, it's simply not the case that you can just go and support West Bromwich Albion," he said.

"Because of that intensity, it needs protection - from owners, from changing the identity of club."

As the England men's team kicks off its Euro 2024 campaign on Sunday, many eyes will shift between football and politics over the next three weeks.

So how would one affect the other; how could Labour's plans affect fans and what questions remain?

Find out below: