Election latest: Tories took more cash from donor condemned by PM (2024)

While Sir Keir Starmer attends today's D-Day commemorations, it has been left to his shadow cabinet to keep trying to reassure voters about Labour's tax plans.

It comes after Rishi Sunak used this week's TV debate with Sir Keir to try spooking households into thinking they'll face an extra £2,000 tax bill to pay for the party's spending plans.

Shadow pensions secretary Liz Kindall has reiterated Labour won't raise income tax, national insurance, or VAT.

"We have been really honest with people," she said.

"We will not raise taxes on working people."

She instead pointed to Labour's plans to scrap the non-dom tax status and scrap tax breaks for private schools.

Ms Kendall insisted the party had been "clear" with voters.

Labour is facing accusations of a U-turn on support for women who are owed compensation due to changes to their retirement age.

In the mid-1990s, the government passed a law to raise the retirement age for women over a 10-year period to make it equal with men.

The coalition government then sped up the timetable, but the Women Against State Pension Inequality, or WASPIs, said millions suffered financially as they were not given enough warning to prepare.

Earlier this year, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman recommended they receive compensation after a five-year investigation.

Reeves casts doubt on Labour pledge

Nothing has been forthcoming under the Tories, but Sir Keir Starmer previously said Labour would respond "at pace and reach a judgement".

The WASPI campaigners say this apparent commitment has now been rowed back by the shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves.

Speaking in Scotland, she said she recognises the "injustice" the women faced but has "not set out any money" for compensation.

'This has gone on long enough'

Angela Madden, chair of the WASPI campaign, warned the party not to turn its back on the women should they come to power next month.

"This has gone on long enough," she said.

"We are the sixth-largest economy in the world and an independent watchdog has recommended compensation be paid.

"We deserve better from both the big parties."

Sir Keir Starmer has just been speaking in Normandy, where world leaders, troops, and veterans are marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

"Today's event has been moving and powerful," he said.

"It's truly a privilege to be here on behalf of the Labour Party."

Sir Keir said he wanted to say "thank you" to veterans for the "freedom they fought for so courageously".

"We know it is our duty, as they get older, to continue to tell the story, to make sure the history is told," he added.

You can read more in our dedicated D-Day blog:

The UK has signed a joint statement reiterating calls for a ceasefire in Gaza after a potential deal was outlined by US President Joe Biden.

The leaders of the US, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand, and UK said "there is no time to lose".

They are backing a deal which would see Hamas release remaining hostages and lead to "an immediate ceasefire and rehabilitation of Gaza".

There would also be "security assurances for Israelis, and Palestinians" and moves towards ensuring a two-state solution.

Israel "is ready to move forward" with the agreement, they say.

"At this decisive moment, we call on the leaders of Israel as well as Hamas to make whatever final compromises are necessary to close this deal and bring relief to the families of our hostages, as well as those on both sides of this terrible conflict, including the civilian populations," they add.

"It is time for the war to end and this deal is the necessary starting point."

Until voters go to the polls on 4 July, the Politics Hub will be looking back at some memorable moments from previous general election campaigns.

Indiana Jones infamously hid in a fridge to survive a nuclear explosion, but who knew they were equally effective at protecting yourself from Piers Morgan.

During the UK's last general election campaign back in December 2019, Boris Johnson retreated into an industrial-sized fridge at a milk business in Yorkshire after being invited to speak on ITV's Good Morning Britain.

Told by a producer from the show that he was live on telly, Mr Johnson said he'd be "with you in a second" before enacting his daring escape.

"He's gone into the fridge," Morgan muttered in apparent disbelief, down the line from the ITV studio, as the then prime minister surrounded himself with the comfort of milk bottles.

Mr Johnson did eventually emerge and went on to win the election, but was turfed out of Number 10 less than three years later.

Previous entry: Cameron's own goal

Earlier this morning, deputy Green Party leader Zach Polanski joined us to discuss the party's health policy - after concerns were raised over its pledge to reduce the number of medical interventions in childbirth.

The Greens' birth policy pledge - which has since been deleted from its website - included a line noting the incidence of medical intervention in childbirth has escalated in recent years, "particularly the rate of caesarean sections which are expensive and when not medically required".

"We will work to reduce the number of interventions in childbirth and change the culture," it read.

When asked why, Mr Polanski said "pregnancy can be really traumatic for people, and this is a really sensitive subject".

"Ultimately this will not be in our manifesto, which will be launching next Wednesday," he added.

"It's not that we have changed our minds," he said when challenged, before adding advice would need to be issued by experts on the matter before the policy could be included.

Rishi Sunak should "hang his head in shame" for accepting more donations from Frank Hester, Sir Ed Davey has said.

The businessman was embroiled in a racism row earlier this year after reports emerged that he'd said Diane Abbott should be shot.

Mr Sunak condemned the comments as "racist and wrong", but it's now emerged he took more money from the Tory donor afterwards.

Sir Ed said: "I don't know how low the Conservatives are going to go - and this is the fault of Rishi Sunak.

"Why did Rishi Sunak take this donation? He took it after the previous scandal around Frank Hester and he went ahead.

"I think lifelong Conservative voters will be appalled by this. I think all those other people donating money to the Tory party should ask for their donations back. Rishi Sunak should hang his head in shame."

Asked whether the PM should hand the cash back, Sir Ed said: "Of course he should."

The Conservative Party accepted fresh cash from donor Frank Hester days after he had become embroiled in a racism row.

We have already reported today on an extra £5m the party took from him in January (see 8.36 post), just weeks before reports emerged about comments he'd made about Labour's Diane Abbott.

But Electoral Commission figures released today also reveal Mr Hester made a further donation of £150,000 on 8 March, which was accepted by the Conservatives on 14 March.

That was two days after Rishi Sunak had branded his comments about Ms Abbott "racist and wrong".

In 2019, Mr Hester said veteran MP Ms Abbott made him "want to hate all black women" and should "be shot".

In March, he said he was "deeply sorry" for the comments.

A Conservative Party spokesperson said today: "As Mr Hester has apologised and shown contrition we consider the matter resolved."

By Jon Craig, chief political correspondent

It's a meeting that's so top secret that those attending - at a secret location - are ordered to surrender their mobile phone and any other electronic devices when they arrive.

They're given numbered copies of the agenda, thick bundles which are then collected from them at the end of the meeting. Security is extremely tight. Nothing is left to chance.

No, this is not a meeting of spooks and generals to plot the nation's secret strategy for going to war. At least not a real war. And those participating are not members of the government. Yet.

This is Labour's "Clause V" meeting, attended bySir Keir Starmerand his shadow cabinet, senior backbench MPs, top trade union leaders and members of the party's national executive.

And it's happening this Friday, with just one huge item on the agenda: agreeing the manifesto that Sir Keir is expected to present to the country on 13 June, three weeks beforepolling day.

The manifesto will be based on Sir Keir's five "missions" launched last year - on the economy, the NHS, crime, climate change and education.Labouris declaring war - on the Tories.

Friday's meeting is a far cry from the smoke-filled rooms and beer and sandwiches of the Labour and trade union folklore of yesteryear. These days it's strictly mineral water and even vaping is banned.

About 80 people in all will be attending, making the task of keeping the contents of the manifesto under wraps a nightmare. And security will be tighter than ever before after the 2017 manifesto leaked.

Read more from Jon here.