Election latest: Sunak 'pumped' for Sky event tonight - as Greens share his pain over childhood TV (2024)

The Green Party have released their election manifesto - and we've scoured their policy pledges, so you don't have to.

Scroll to the right in the interactive tool below to find out what the party has promised to do if they win the election.

We will produce a breakdown of all the other parties' manifestos here when they are announced - you can find the ones we've done so far in the key points above.

From 7pm tonight, the two men vying to be the next prime minister will face a grilling from our political editor Beth Rigbyand take questions from voters in Grimsby live on Sky News.

We asked both leaders how they are feeling ahead of The Battle For Number 10, and Sir Keir said he is "really looking forward" to it, adding: "It is important to prepare."

"I have been interviewed by Beth Rigby many, many times, and I know how important preparation is when you’re interviewed by Beth Rigby."

He added that he is "really looking forward" to taking questions from our live audience of voters.

Rishi Sunak is on his campaign bus heading towards Lincolnshire, and Sky News political correspondent Darren McCaffreyasked him how he is feeling.

The PM replied that he is "pumped", and looking forward to it.

Follow live build up to the Sky News leaders' event throughout the day, and watch the special programme live on Sky News from 7pm.

The Battle For Number 10 leaders special event will take place tonight from 7pm-10pm on Sky News - free wherever you get your news.

Freeview channel 233, Sky 501, Virgin 603, BT 313 and streaming on the Sky News website, app and across social channels. It is also available to watch on Sky Showcase.

The prime minister has been speaking to reporters on the Tory campaign bus today, and he was asked about his chances of winning the election given a series of damaging gaffes.

But Rishi Sunak insisted he has "absolutely not" given up hope of emerging victorious, in spite of the vast poll deficit that is not moving.

He went on: "What you saw yesterday is we've put a manifesto forward which has got a very clear set of tax cuts for the country, tax cuts at every stage of your life."

He insisted he is "really energised to now have a chance to put a very clear plan to the country and talk about all the things I want to do".

The Green Party manifesto launch has now ended, after the co-leaders set out their key policies and took questions from the media.

They unveiled plans to tax "the very richest" in society in order to fund vast investment in the NHS, social care, eduction, hosing - and the green transition, of course.

Scroll down for full details of what Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay unveiled.

Rishi Sunak has been the subject of much mockery for a comment in an interview, due to air later today.

Asked what he went without as a child, he said he and his family did not have a Sky TV package.

And so at their manifesto launch, the Green Party co-leaders are also asked what they went without as children.

Carla Denyer replies that her family did not have Sky TV, and her parents had second-hand cars.

"I'm not trying to elicit any tears here - I had a fairly comfortable childhood, but certainly not a luxurious one," she adds.

Adrian Ramsay says his upbringing was "fairly modest" but "we had what we needed".

He elicits a teasing, sympathetic reaction as he says: "I went without a pet for a large amount of my childhood - eventually persuaded my family otherwise."

But he confirms he did not have Sky TV either.

The PM has since addressed the backlash to his comment, acknowledging he was "very, very fortunate" growing up.

He said he was most grateful to his parents for providing him with an "enormous amount of love" more than "the material things."

Some Green candidates have been removed due to allegations of antisemitism made against them, and the co-leaders of the party are asked by a BBC correspondent if this is a problem with their vetting process, or if there's a deeper antisemitism problem in the party.

Adrian Ramsay replies that they are standing 574 candidates, and four were replaced "as a result of questions that were raised, that were then investigated, about things that they had said".

He says that "like any other parties", independent investigations take place when issues are raised.

But he dodges the question about a potentially deeper antisemitism problem within the party.

The question comes after a report in The Times newspaper last week that nearly 20 candidates are alleged to have shared "antisemitic" slurs and conspiracy theories.

Asked how the party ever expected to be taken seriously when they were still campaigning to remove the UK's nuclear deterrent, Mr Ramsey said: "Many people who have got a long history in the military have been clear the investment in nuclear weapons is not a good use of funds.

"That it is an outdated system.

"Even Michael Portillo, when he was defence secretary, said very similar.

"We want to make sure the money we spend on our defence is spent well: on personnel and on the humanitarian work our military does around the world.

"This is about a good use of that funding and not wasting it on an outdated system."

Next to ask a question is a correspondent from ITV, and she puts to the co-leaders a suggestion that a vote for the Greens is a waste because only two parties can likely form a government.

In response, co-leader Adrian Ramsay says Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has made "many U-turns, both on funding for public services, and also on climate".

He points to the plan to spend up to £28bn a year on the green transition, which was ditched earlier this year.

He argues that the Greens are the only party "being honest about the level of investment that's needed".

On the electoral maths, Mr Ramsay says if Sir Keir has "a huge majority", he will be able to "U-turn continually", whereas Green MPs would be able to "push Labour to be bolder both on climate and on investment in our public services".

Sky's political correspondent Gurpreet Narwan asks how the Greens can justify pitching national insurance tax rises that will see one in five taxpayers paying more during a cost of living crisis.

The party's proposed changes would impact those earning more than £50,000 a year.

Mr Ramsay responded: "We have a range of proposals on tax and spending that are about helping those on the lowest incomes through this cost of living crisis.

"But also taking action on the root causes of the cost of living crisis that will support all of us, including the people on middle incomes that you have referred to."

He cites a plan to "help insulate our homes" and "supporting farmers to produce our food locally".

Addressing the subject of national insurance, he said: "Our proposals mean that for someone earning £55,000-per-year would be paying an extra £5 a week.

"We are asking a little more, but we think it is affordable."

The Green Party co-leaders are now taking questions from journalists, and first up is the BBC.

They ask if they are really being honest that they can definitely raise the money needed for all the spending they are promising.

Carla Denyer replies: "Yes, we absolutely are. Our manifesto is fully costed - a lot of work has gone into it over many months.

"I think the Green Party was actually more ready for this general election than some of the other parties, from the look of it."

That line gets a round of applause, and Ms Denyer also gets a giggle when she says they are standing more candidates at this election than the Tories.

On substance, Ms Denyer acknowledges that their spending plans are "ambitious", but argues they are "the only party being honest that that's the level of investment needed to get the kind of public services we need".