Low-key Starmer steps oh-so carefully
Welcome to the daily ITV News digest direct from the campaign trail. Each afternoon we'll bring you analysis and insight from across the nation as the General Election 2024 gathers pace.
Hi, Anushka Asthana, ITV News deputy political editor here, as Keir Starmer published Labour's manifesto today - 23,000 words, 135 pages and no less than 34 photographs of the leader himself, including meeting President Zelensky on the world stage last week.
This was a deliberately low-key offering, raising and spending significantly less money than the Conservative party, and much less than smaller parties like the Lib Dems and Greens.
You could call it the 'Rachel Reeves' effect. Almost every shadow Cabinet member has told me she has clamped down on generous spending policies.
In Leigh, in Greater Manchester, one Conservative voter said he could no longer put a 'cigarette paper' between the two biggest parties. Others said they were rejecting the Tories, despite voting for them back in 2010.
Some said they would back Labour, some Reform UK, and quite a few said they would stay at home this time round.
Starmer insisted the offer was not 'austerity' but as my colleague Robert Peston pointed out, experts do not believe a Labour government could grow the economy quick enough to prevent further spending cuts.
For more analysis on the manifesto, check out Talking Politics, our daily podcast from the campaign live from 4pm on ITVX, hosted today by presenter Gamal Fahnbulleh, with me and Robert Peston and our economics editor Joel Hills. Or watch on demand on ITVX or where you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for reading and enjoy some of the best content brought to you by the rest of the ITV News team below.
Labour manifesto aims to turn page on ‘14 years of Tory chaos’
Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled Labour's General Election manifesto as he seeks to change the economic landscape of the country.
Speaking from Manchester, he said the party will "turn the page decisively” on 14 years of “Conservative chaos” as he set out Labour’s plan for government.
The launch was interrupted after Sir Keir was heckled by a climate protester in the crowd, who was swiftly escorted out.
In response, the Labour leader said: "We gave up on being a party of protest five years ago, we want to be a party of power. That's not in the script, but that is part of the change."
Laura Trott, the Conservative Chief Secretary to the Treasury told broadcasters: “What we saw this morning was Labour’s tax trap manifesto. It only contained tax rises, no tax cuts whatsoever.”
ITV News Economics Editor Joel Hills has taken a look at how Labour will balance the books and you can watch our report from the launch on ITVX.
Read more as Anushka Asthana, ITV News deputy political correspondent, explores how Keir Starmer has moved from committed socialist to now running an election on wealth creation.
Plaid Cymru launch manifesto with bid for £4bn HS2 compensation
Plaid Cymru has launched its General Election manifesto, calling for fairer funding for Wales including an extra £4billion from the HS2 rail project.
Rhun ap Iorwerth, the leader of the party, demanded windfall taxes on oil and gas companies, money “owed to Wales” in rail funding and for closer ties with the EU, which the country left following Brexit.
However, his speech did not mention Welsh independence, a founding principle of his party, and the concept does not appear until page 42 of the manifesto, saying the party will produce a "green paper" to set out how Wales could become an independent state.
Watch our report from the Plaid Cymru manifesto launch on ITVX.
And you can read what ITV News Wales Reporter Rhys Williams made of the manifesto here.
ITV stages second televised election debate - how and when to watch
ITV’s second live televised General Election debate will take place tonight.
It will be a multi-party format featuring leaders or senior representatives from the following parties: Penny Mordaunt - Conservative Party; Angela Rayner - Labour Party; Daisy Cooper - Liberal Democrats; Stephen Flynn - SNP; Nigel Farage - Reform UK; Carla Denyer - Green Party and Rhun ap Iorwerth - Plaid Cymru.
News at Ten presenter Julie Etchingham will moderate - having already asked the questions in ITV’s Sunak v Starmer head-to-head earlier in the campaign.
The programme will be broadcast on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player, from 8.30pm.
Political Correspondent Harry Horton provides a quick preview on what to expect here.
Cameron defends ‘commanding’ Sunak as Farage ready to swoop
Lord David Cameron has said Rishi Sunak was “totally in command” during last night’s The Battle For No 10 programme.
Lord Cameron also again defended the prime minister’s decision to leave D-Day events early and subsequent apology.
Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain, the foreign secretary said: “Because that’s the sort of guy he is, he made a mistake, instead of digging in and defending it, he said: ‘actually, no, no, I got that one wrong I should’ve stayed’.”
Meanwhile, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage suggested on LBC the Conservative Party here “may well be dead, this may well be the end of their journey”.
Mr Farage said he wants to lead a “national opposition” to Labour if Sir Keir Starmer’s party wins the General Election.
He also insisted he would not “surrender to the mob” after having a milkshake poured over him and objects thrown at him at campaign events.
Keep across the latest from the campaign trail on our Talking Politics: The Election podcast - live each weekday from 4pm on ITVX.
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Former Tory minister Andrea Jenkyns uses Farage picture on leaflet
Tory former minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns has an election leaflet which includes an image of her and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage at his 60th birthday party earlier this year.
There is no mention of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on her election leaflets as she campaigns in Leeds South West and Morley.
But Dame Andrea defended her choice, as she acknowledged there had been “lots of excitement” about it in a post on social media site X (Twitter).
See the full story and who else is standing against her on our ITV News Calendar website here.
Sir Ed gets a summer makeover…
Sir Ed Davey has done many things during this election campaign to get noticed… and now he’s been given the full makeover treatment.
The Liberal Democrat leader popped on to the This Morning sofas, and was treated to a wardrobe refresh, complete with Panama hat, sunglasses and linen jacket.
At least fellow guest, ex-soap star and singer Jason Donovan was impressed: he described the new Davey look as “sexy”…
You can judge for yourself here.
What’s coming up…
Thursday June 13: ITV hosts the ‘Election Debate’, featuring leaders or senior figures from most parties - from 8.30pm.
Sunday June 16: Eighth anniversary of the murder of MP Jo Cox. The Batley and Spen Labour MP was stabbed and shot by a far-right extremist in Birstall, West Yorkshire.
Monday June 18: Midnight deadline for registering to vote.
Tuesday June 19: Deadline for new postal vote applicants or amending existing absent voting arrangements.
And finally… Who’s excited for the maths exam?
When politicians are on the campaign trail, they can expect to encounter a few “tough crowds”.
So, perhaps trying to get a bunch of Grimsby school children excited about a looming maths exam was always going to be a long shot for prime minister Rishi Sunak.
Having declared himself a “big fan” of maths as he joined their lesson, he then posed the question: “Who’s excited about the exam?”
You can see how this was greeted on our ITV Politics TikTok account…