Election latest: Starmer would cause 'irreversible damage within 100 days in power', Sunak claims; Farage facing questions amid racism row (2024)

Both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer have made various claims about the state of the UK's economy and their plans to change that.

But Sky's economics and data editor Ed Conway has fact-checked one of the Labour leader's pre-election claims about "British people falling behind".

"I'm not comfortable with a trajectory that will soon see Britain overtaken by Poland," Mr Starmer said last year.

So will Poland's economy soon overtake the UK's?

Not quite.

When considering both countries' GDP per capita, Poland's economy is indeed growing at a faster rate than the UK's at the moment.

"If you just assume that those lines continue as they have been for the last 10 years,Poland [will have] overtaken the UK [by 2030]. That is the point that Keir Starmer is making," Ed says.

"But here's the thing. You can't really treat economics like this because fast-growing frontier economies don't always maintain their growth rate. You can't always assume that that's going to continue as it was before."

Forecasts from the International Monetary Fund show that while the gap between both countries is narrowing, the UK is still 8% bigger in terms of GDP per capita than Poland by the end of the decade.

Using the same logic that the Labour leader is, Poland would overtake the US as the world's wealthiest economy by 2050 - a claim Ed calls "ridiculous".

"That is the mathematical trick that's being played in order to make it seem like the UK is falling behind. And it's just one of the tricks that we've seen in this long election campaign."

By Tom Cheshire, online campaign correspondent

If you want a good idea of what matters to each party - its deepest desires, its darkest fears - look at where it's spending money.

What it shows is a story of Labour spending big and spending everywhere, as it pursues a plausible supermajority, while the Conservatives retreat to fight for some of their heartland constituencies, and spend much less.

It shows the current state of play for all parties across the country. The map shows which is the biggest spender in each constituency - which parts of the country they're fighting to win, or not to lose.

The map was created by Who Targets Me (WTM), which tracks digital political advertising and has partnered with Sky News as part of our online campaign team.

"Our map of advertising activity shows where the parties have targeted their Facebook and Instagram ads in the last week," Sam Jeffers, executive director of WTM, says.

Reform UK has withdrawn support from three of its parliamentary candidates as the racism row engulfing the party continues to grow.

The party led by Nigel Farage is no longer supporting Edward Oakenfull, who is standing in Derbyshire Dales, Robert Lomas, a candidate in Barnsley North, and Leslie Lilley, standing in Southend East and Rochford, after alleged comments made by them emerged in the media.

It comes as party leaders from across the political spectrum have lined up to condemn Reform UK, and told Mr Farage he needs to "get a grip" of his party.

Oakenfull has been suspended after reportedly having written social media posts about the IQ of sub-Saharan Africans - which he told the BBC were "taken out of context".

Meanwhile, Lomas said black people should "get off [their] lazy arses" and stop acting "like savages", The Times reported.

Lilley, according to the newspaper, described people arriving on small boats as "scum", adding: "I hope your family get robbed, beaten or attacked."

By Adam Boulton, Sky News commentator

Becoming prime minister is a shock. Not so much the moment of being elected - any sensible democratic politician knows that opinion polls can be wrong and gets ready for all eventualities.

No incoming prime minister can ever be fully prepared for the demands of the job, placed on them from day one, when - among many other demands - they are taken aside to be briefed about their role in a nuclear war.

The process is particularly challenging in the UK because the change is so quick. There are no weeks of transition as in most other countries. Nobody else does it like us.

AsTony Blairremarked to Alastair Campbell: "Imagine preparing for a new job by working flat out travelling the country for six weeks and then going a few nights without sleep."

There are seemingly three things on the minds of British people at the moment - the Euros, the election, and Taylor Swift.

But while the Royal Family have been quick to send their backing to England's footballers and catch the pop star's Eras shows at Wembley, they'll be keeping their distance from the politics.

That's despite the fact that, apart from the monarch, the royals are technically allowed to vote in UK general elections.

Sky News explains why they don't.

By Laura Bundock, news correspondent

A majority of people on the Sky News YouGov voters panel say they are still undecided who to vote for.

As the politicians make the last push for support, many on our panel say they are uninspired by all the main parties.

Of the 51 people who responded, 32 are still struggling with their choice.

One voter said: "I seem to change my mind almost from day to day."

Another echoed this: "So many people are in the same boat. They don't know who to vote for, or who will do a good job."

You can read more from Sky News below:

Our flagship Sunday morning show, hosted byTrevor Phillips, will be live on Sky News from 8.30am, and we have a packed line-up for you after another eventful week of the campaign.

Trevor will be chatting to:

• Deputy prime ministerOliver Dowden;
• Labour's national campaigns co-ordinatorPat McFadden;
• Reform UK leaderNigel Farage;
• Scottish First MinisterJohn Swinney.

On Trevor's expert panel will be:

• Alastair Campbell, former Number 10 communications director;
• Sir Craig Oliver, former Number 10 communications director;
• Daisy McAndrew, former Liberal Democrat adviser.

Watch live on Sky News and in the stream at the top of this page - and follow updates here in the Politics Hub.

WatchSunday Morning with Trevor Phillipsfrom 8.30am every Sunday on Sky channel 501, Virgin channel 602, Freeview channel 233, on theSky News websiteandappor onYouTube.

Our live poll tracker collates the results of opinion surveys carried out by all the main polling organisations - and allows you to see how the political parties are performing in the run-up to the general election.

With under a week to go, the Tories and Labour have taken a drop, while support for Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats is on the rise.

Read more about the trackerhere.

Rishi Sunak has today warned that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer would cause "irreversible damage within just 100 days of coming to power".

With polls still showing theConservative Partyfailing to make a dent in Labour's 20-point lead, the prime minister only has days to change minds across the country.

Meanwhile, the Labour leader is arguing that the Conservatives "will feel entitled to continue serving themselves, rather than putting the needs of our country first" if they are re-elected.

Liberal Democratleader Sir Ed Davey is promoting his party's proposals for the NHS, while SNP leader John Swinney is arguing the Scottish public should "vote SNP to put Scotland's interests first".

You can read more from Sky News below:

Good morning!

Welcome back to the Politics Hub for the last Sunday of the general election campaign - and we have a packed episode of Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips this morning.

There is less than a week to go until polls open across the country for voters to select the next government on 4 July.

There's still plenty that could happen between now and next Thursday, however.

Here's what you need to know today:

• With just days to go until the general election, Rishi Sunak will today warn that Labour would cause "irreversible damage within just 100 days of coming to power";

• Meanwhile, the Labour leader is arguing that if the Conservatives are re-elected, "they will feel entitled to continue serving themselves, rather than putting the needs of our country first";

• Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey is continuing to promote his party's proposals for the NHS, while SNP leader John Swinney is arguing that the Scottish public should "vote SNP to put Scotland's interests first";
  

• And as we head into the last few days of the campaign, a large majority of theSky News YouGov voters panelsay they have still not been inspired enough by anyone to have made up their minds yet;

• Fallout will also likely continue after Reform UK yesterday withdrew support from three of its parliamentary candidates.

From 8.30am, Trevor Phillips will be joined by:

• Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden;
• Labour's national campaigns co-ordinator Pat McFadden;
• Reform UK leader Nigel Farage;
• Scottish First Minister John Swinney.

Follow along for the very latest in the general election campaign.