Politics

Labour could be on course to win a historic landslide, with the party expected to win a 194-seat majority, a YouGov poll shows. It would be the highest number of seats of any party at any election since Stanley Baldwin won a majority of 208 in 1924. Sky News has partnered with YouGov for the

The Conservatives have vowed to change the Equality Act to ensure “biological sex” is a protected characteristic. The party said reforming the law – which states that an individual must not be discriminated against on the basis of their sex – would clear up “confusion” among public bodies and institutions about access to female-only spaces.

Transgender athletes may have to compete alongside their biological sex under the Conservatives’ plans to “clarify” equality laws, Kemi Badenoch has said. The cabinet minister told Sky News her party is “not giving instructions” to different sporting bodies, but rather “making it very clear what the law is, that there is a difference between identifying

Police are reviewing a Conservative candidate’s campaign adverts after receiving allegations of election fraud. Robert Largan, who is fighting to keep his High Peak seat, has published a number of campaign materials in the colours of Labour and Reform UK. The graphics also included the phrases “Labour for Largan” and “Reform for Robert”. Live updates

Labour has announced its plans to reduce net migration – with Sir Keir Starmer accusing the Conservatives of having “repeatedly broken their promises” to get the number down. It marks another attempt by the Labour Party to appeal to Conservative voters. Figures published after Rishi Sunak called the general election showed a net of 685,000

The prime minister has taken a defensive approach, signalling the Conservatives’ worry about being so far behind in the polls. Sir Keir Starmer’s visits show the scale of their ambition and highlight Labour’s awareness of the challenge they face. They need to gain 125 seats to win the smallest possible majority. This campaign is being

The Conservatives have pledged to give £20m to 30 towns across the country – a move the Labour Party has branded a “reckless, unfunded commitment”. Rishi Sunak’s party said it would add the towns – many of which are based in the Midlands and north – to its existing long-term plan for towns, increasing the

People caught fly-tipping will get points on their driving licences if the Conservatives win the next general election. Rishi Sunak will make the announcement on Friday as part of his party’s election campaign, promising to crackdown on anti-social behaviour. Other measures will include a new “three strikes and you’re out” system for nuisance social housing

Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of trying to purge general election candidates from the left of the Labour Party. Questions remain about whether veteran Corbyn ally Diane Abbott will be barred from standing again, while Labour suspended one candidate and declined to endorse another. Labour’s general election campaign has been overshadowed by the internal

Diane Abbott says she plans on standing in her Hackney North seat in the upcoming election “by any means possible”. The Labour MP had the whip restored to her on Tuesday after being investigated for almost a year over a letter she wrote in The Guardian, suggesting Jewish people do not face racism. But since

On 12 June, Sky News will be hosting an election leaders event in Grimsby – a key marginal seat and one of our Target Towns this election year. The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and the Conservative leader Rishi Sunak have been invited to attend, and we are looking for a live audience to join

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer will go head-to-head in their first televised debate of the general election on 4 June. The two leaders will appear on ITV at 9pm for an hour, the channel has announced. “Sunak v Starmer: The ITV Debate” will be moderated by journalist Julie Etchingham and will take place live

The Conservatives will promise to replace “rip-off degrees” with 100,000 apprenticeships each year by the end of the next parliament if they win the general election. The Tories will outline their plans on Wednesday to replace the “worst performing” courses with high-skilled apprenticeships, which they say will provide “more opportunities and greater financial security”. Politics

The Conservatives have promised to cut taxes for pensioners by creating a new “age-related” tax-free allowance – dubbed “triple lock plus”. Currently, people can receive £12,570 a year of their pensions before they start paying income tax on them – the same figure as the personal allowance for those who work. But if the party

More than 120 business leaders have written an open letter giving their backing to Labour in the general election. Senior figures, including chef Tom Kerridge and former CEOs of Heathrow, JP Morgan and Aston Martin, said the party had “shown it has changed and wants to work with business to achieve the UK’s full economic

Rishi Sunak is expected to continue championing his controversial plans to revive National Service by urging employers to prioritise job applicants who have served time in the military. The prime minister said all 18-year-olds would be made to undertake a form of “mandatory” National Service if the Conservatives are re-elected on 4 July. Despite growing

Suddenly, at election time, political predictions become so much harder and riskier. Everything changes in a campaign, not least the news cycle. That’s my excuse, at any rate, for failing to foresee the announcement of a general election in last week’s Politics at Jack and Sam’s. There were a few clues – and one magisterial

Nobody would go to jail for refusing to comply with National Service under a Conservative government, the home secretary has said. In the Conservatives’ first policy announcement of the general election campaign, Rishi Sunak said on Saturday he would introduce a new form of mandatory National Service for 18-year-olds if his party wins the vote

Rishi Sunak has said he will introduce a new form of mandatory National Service for young people if the Conservatives win the general election. In the first new policy announcement of the campaign, the prime minister has unveiled a plan that would see 18-year-olds given the choice of a full-time military placement for 12 months

The prime minister has joked he avoided catching pneumonia after making his election announcement speech outside Number 10 in the pouring rain. Speaking during a breakfast meeting with ex-servicemen in his constituency of Richmond, North Yorkshire, Rishi Sunak assured concerned local Vicky Rudd of his health, but couldn’t guarantee his suit survived the wet weather.