Election latest: Lord Cameron admits Rishi Sunak faced 'tough crowd' at Sky leaders' event; Labour launching manifesto (2024)

Lord Cameron was asked by Sky's Kay Burley how often he's woken up regretting that he did not impose a two-thirds majority requirement in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

The former PM denied he ever has done, saying it's "not the way we do things", and that he pledged the vote three years before it happened.

"I kept that promise. I think it's important politicians do keep the promises. I campaigned as hard as I could on the side to stay in, and I lost, and that's why I resigned."

But he said he will remain in his current post as foreign secretary if Rishi Sunak wins, adding that his is "fighting" for a Tory win.

"We've got 21 days to go. I know from the 2015 election that you fight for every vote. You fight for every seat, and the people decide."

He added that there is "plenty of petrol in the tank", and said there are "a huge amount of exciting ideas coming out in our manifesto".

Reform UK has closed to within one point of the Conservatives, according to the latest YouGov poll for Sky News.

But Lord Cameron said we should "not waste our time" talking about the polls.

He did, however, make an appeal to potential Reform UK voters, saying: "I suspect what you want is you want lower taxes, you want lower immigration, and you want strong defences in a dangerous world.

"You'll get all of those things with a Conservative government, you'll get none of them with a Labour government.

"And yet if you vote for Reform, you're more likely to get Keir Starmer in Downing Street."

Asked if Nigel Farage is yet again a thorn in his side, the former PM replied: "Anyone who's not standing for the conservatives is a thorn from my side because I want us to win."

Rishi Sunak provoked fury and outrage last week when he left the D-Day commemorations in France early in order to do a TV interview in the UK.

Lord Cameron is reported to have been apoplectic with the PM for the misstep - and although he refused to get into the details of their conversation, he said he "absolutely wasn't at all".

The foreign secretary went on to defend his boss, saying: "He did the key event in Portsmouth, did it brilliantly, and it was a magnificent event.

"He did the key event above the British D-Day beaches in Normandy at our new commemorative centre."

He went on to say that Mr Sunak did not plan to stay longer when the schedule was originally decided, but has admitted it was a mistake.

Lord Cameron also said that the international event was American and French led, and explaining how he appeared in the photo alongside the two presidents and the German chancellor, he said President Macron suggested it.

"It wasn't an event I was at with the other three leaders. It was a photograph."

He also denied that anyone questioned where Mr Sunak was.

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer faced questions from Sky's Beth Rigby and our audience in Grimsby, and we asked the foreign secretary how he thought the PM performed.

Lord Cameron said it was a "tough crowd", but said the "standout moment" was when the Labour leader was asked why he said Jeremy Corbyn would be a great PM, and repeatedly replying that he never thought they would win anyway.

Refusing to admit he was wrong to say that, Lord Cameron said, left people wondering "well if you were misleading us then, what are you misleading us about now".

On his own boss, he said: "I thought Rishi did very well and it's a tough crowd, but he gives a very good account of himself."

Lord Cameron conceded that it's "difficult" to fight an election after 14 years in power, but emphasised that it is particularly hard after COVID and the Ukraine war, with the ensuing economic consequences.

Asked about the polling showing the opposition comfortably ahead, and his colleagues warning of a Labour "supermajority", Lord Cameron said discussing polls is "wasted time".

"Better to spend the time comparing the plans, comparing the leaders, comparing the teams, asking, you know, who's got the plan to keep Britain safe and keep us prosperous?"

He added: "This is not a party that's run out of ideas."

By Connor Gillies, Scotland correspondent

SNP leader John Swinney has admitted to Sky News there is a "limit" to income tax rises - but he refused to rule out further hikes.

Anyone in Scotland earning over £29,000 pays more tax than they would elsewhere in the UK.

Although the issue is devolved, the first minister was asked about it on the campaign trail, given it is a discussion point for voters at this election.

The SNP has attacked Labour and Conservative approaches to tax.

Mr Swinney told Sky News: "My view is that obviously taxes have increased in Scotland already. There's a limit to how much you can increase taxation."

Asked a number of times if he had reached that limit, he said: "That's a judgement we've got to make on a year by year basis, but I think we've taken some pretty big steps and there are limits to which you can follow to increase taxation."

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer faced a grilling from Sky's Beth Rigby and our audience in Grimsby, and we asked Labour's shadow health secretary how thought his boss performed.

Wes Streeting said Sir Keir "gave a really strong performance", nothing that he was able "to talk about his own motivations in terms of public service", and "demonstrate that Labour has the answers to the challenges facing our country".

He said that was "a contrast with Rishi Sunak", and claimed that today's Labour manifesto launch will be as well, saying the Tories "had tens of billions of pounds of unfunded spending commitments", Labour will offer a "fully costed, fully funded plan that has promises that we can keep and that has promises that the country can afford".

Mr Streeting was asked about Sir Keir's silence last night on potential tax rises, and he insisted Labour has been "really specific" about the taxes it will and will not raise.

"Even though there are lots of things that we want to do in terms of investing in our public services - and we've made some commitments in our manifesto on that today - what we're not going to do is repeat the mistakes of the Conservatives, who've picked the pockets of working people."

Pushed on the question, Mr Streeting said the party has been clear that the tax burden is "far too high", and that Labour will invest, in partnership with business, to grow the economy.

Asked a third time if he would rule out tax hikes, he again refused to do so, repeating his previous arguments.

Sky News' deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politico's Jack Blanchard are in your podcast feed with their guide to the election day ahead.

This is day 22 of the campaign. Jack and Sam discuss the fallout of last night's Sky News leaders' special event.

They also talk about the Labour manifesto launch, Rishi Sunak in Italy for the G7, and Plaid Cymru's manifesto launch too.

Email Jack and Sam: jackandsam@sky.uk

👉Tap here to follow Politics at Jack at Sam's wherever you get your podcasts👈

By Tom Parmenter, national correspondent

The prime minister seemed "defeated" to audience members in Grimsby after Sky's Battle For Number Ten.

Some also questioned whether Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer had fully answered the questions they asked.

The 90-minute TV grilling left the audience asking how the prime minister could fight back and win the election.

Amy Green had travelled from Leeds to ask a question and said he seemed beaten.

"Sunak needs to drop the act, speak to us like an electorate as humans," she said.

"I think he was quite defeatist - if I was fighting for my job, I would be out there socking it to people… he has given up and lost the will."

Retired teacher Ian Miles from Grimsby said the longer format really helped understand the two men better.

Read more here:

By Laura Bundock, Sky correspondent

The majority of the Sky News YouGov voters panel thought Keir Starmer performed better than Rishi Sunak in the Grimsby Leaders' Event.

But a large number of our panel, made up of undecided voters, were also unimpressed with both leaders.

When asked whether the leaders' performances had impacted their voting intentions, our panel was split.

One voter said Keir Starmer had "energy" and was "more relatable", while another likened him to the former Conservative Prime Minister John Major, "boring, but probably the man we need right now".

When considering Rishi Sunak, one panellist said he sounded "defeated", but another said: " I didn't really agree with everything Rishi Sunak said, but he did seem to answer more questions."

Our unique voters panel, produced by pollster YouGov, represents over 40 different seats, and a range of different political views.

Giving rapid reaction to the Leaders' Event, we asked people which moments stood out.

Read their views in full here:

Sir Keir Starmer performed best overall in the Sky News leaders' event, a snap YouGov poll suggests.

Almost two thirds - 64% - of those questioned said the Labour leader came out on top, compared to 36% who thought Prime Minister Rishi Sunak did better.

The question was: leaving aside your own party preference, who do you think performed best overall in tonight's televised leaders' event?

During the Battle For Number 10 programme, broadcast live from Grimsby Town Hall, the leaders each faced a 20-minute interview from Sky News political editor Beth Rigby followed by 25 minutes of questions from audience members.

Afterwards, when the voters in the poll were asked who came across as more trustworthy, 58% said Sir Keir, while 28% stated Mr Sunak.

Also, 56% said Sir Keir was more likeable, compared to 29% for his rival.

According to 71%, the Labour leader came across as more in touch with ordinary people, while 13% opted for the prime minister.

And when the voters were asked who came across as more prime ministerial, 50% said it was Sir Keir, with 35% saying Mr Sunak.

Read more from the polling here: