Politics

Covering a general election campaign as a journalist can largely be summed up in two words – battle bus. Not too dissimilar to the coaches that rockstars use for their tours, battle buses are the vehicles each political party uses to transport their leaders, candidates, and advisers around the country during the election campaign. Sky’s

People are “really annoyed” the government has not always kept its promises, a Tory minister has said as he acknowledged the election was “tough” after 14 years in power. Speaking to Sky News Johnny Mercer admitted the campaign had been “up and down”, but insisted the polls showing the party lagging behind were not reflected

Even a poll-obsessive like me would have to admit that during election campaigns we often spend too much time focusing on the election ‘horse race’ – who is up and who is down in the polls – on an almost hourly basis. Even in this election, where Labour has been well ahead of the Conservatives

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has said he should be allowed into a political leaders’ event next week – and challenged Sir Keir Starmer to a head-to-head debate. The parliamentary hopeful was speaking at an event in London, after a single poll put his party one percentage point above the Conservatives. This is within the

Let’s party like it’s 1997. That could be the message from Labour’s 2024 general election. Back in ’97, the front cover of Labour’s manifesto showed a full-page photo of a mean and moody-looking Tony Blair. The title then was “New Labour, because Britain deserves better” and the campaign song was D:Ream’s Things Can Only Get

Sir Keir Starmer has promised to “end to the desperate era of gestures and gimmicks” with a “credible” long-term plan from Labour to “rebuild our country”. There were no surprises at the party’s manifesto launch in Manchester, with the leader sticking to the “five missions” for government he set out last year – if they

Whether it was the audience reaction, the overwhelming verdict in a snap poll or simply the crestfallen look of the PM as he battled to defend his record, it was clear which of the two leaders had the more challenging time on Wednesday night. The Battle for Number 10 rigorously ran the rule over Keir

The countdown is almost over. In just a matter of hours, Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer will answer questions from Beth Rigby and audience members in the Sky News leaders’ special event. The Battle for No 10 will be broadcast live from Grimsby with each leader facing 20 minutes of questions from Sky’s award-winning

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will be interrogated by Sky’s political editor Beth Rigby and members of the public tonight. During The Battle For Number 10, they will talk and be questioned at length about their ambitions, so viewers can understand in detail what their plans are. Mr Sunak

Rishi Sunak has said “now is the time for bold action” as he pledged a £17bn package of tax cuts in the Conservative manifesto. The prime minister has put reductions to national insurance, stamp duty and a tax break for pensioners at the heart of his pitch to voters in a multi-million pound gamble to

The Labour Party has seized on Rishi Sunak’s admission that it has become “harder” to own a home under his government, branding it “damning indictment” of his party’s time in power. In an interview with the BBC, the prime minister said he wanted to make it “easier” for young people to get on the housing

Douglas Ross has announced he is stepping down as leader of the Scottish Conservatives after the 4 July election. It comes following criticism over the deselection of David Duguid as a general election candidate as well as amid reports Mr Ross used Westminster expenses to travel in his role as a football linesman. Mr Ross

It was a question you don’t expect to hear being asked of a senior cabinet minister during an election campaign. In fact, the last time doubts were raised mid-campaign about whether a beleaguered party leader would make it to polling day was more than 40 years ago. This time, discussing Rishi Sunak’s D-Day fiasco on

Rishi Sunak is “deeply patriotic”, a Cabinet colleague has told Sky News, as the controversy over the prime minister’s D-Day snub rumbles on in the run-up to the election. Responding to ongoing criticism of the Tory leader, Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said his boss had recognised he had made a mistake over his

The Tories will put benefit reforms at the heart of their election campaign on Sunday as Rishi Sunak seeks to turn things around following a difficult week. The party is promising to cut the cost of welfare to the tune of £12bn by the end of the next parliament through measures aimed at helping people

The Conservative Party will pledge to cut stamp duty for first-time buyers as part of its manifesto. The levy is currently paid on property purchases worth more than £250,000 – with the rate ranging from 5% to 12% of the ticket price, increasing as the price rises. For people purchasing their first home, stamp duty

It was reported last weekend that allies of Penny Mordaunt claimed Downing Street was keeping her “in a box” during the election campaign because Rishi Sunak’s team see her as a threat. Well, after her barnstorming performance in a TV debate against politicians from six opposition parties, the Leader of the Commons is well and

Rishi Sunak has said it was a “mistake” to return from D-Day commemorations in Normandy early. The prime minister was heavily criticised for not being at the final moments of the 80th anniversary D-Day ceremony on Thursday as he travelled back from France to the UK to record a TV interview. On Friday morning, he

Keir Starmer’s election manifesto is expected to pledge recognition of a Palestinian state before the end of a peace process, Sky News understands. According to people familiar with a draft, it will say a Palestinian state should be recognised as “part of a peace process” and not vetoed by other states in the region. The

A Labour minister has struggled to rule out raising other taxes after announcing VAT, income tax and national insurance will not go up. Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey was repeatedly asked if Labour would raise property taxes such as capital gains tax, council tax and stamp duty if his party wins the election – but