Here is your guide to the main developments in the General Election campaign on Friday:
– Less than one week to go
When voters wake up on Friday July 5 (if they didn’t stay up all night for the long haul), they will know whether Rishi Sunak still has the keys to Number 10 Downing Street, or whether one of his opponents is in.
– Education, education, education
Rishi Sunak will turn his attention to education on the Conservative Party campaign trail in the North East.
The Prime Minister has launched an attack on Labour’s plan to expand VAT so it covers private school fees, warning teachers and pupils could “see class sizes soar” under a Labour government.
Among the Conservative Party’s education pledges is a ban on mobile phones during the school day and an end to what Mr Sunak calls “rip-off” university courses to create 100,000 more apprenticeships.
Labour’s shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said the plans amounted to “desperate nonsense”.
– Knock, knock
Homeowners are on Labour’s agenda on Friday, as shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves claims people remortgaging their homes face paying £4,800 more under the Conservative Party’s fiscal plans.
Monthly mortgage repayments increased by £221 on average in 2023, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.
Ms Reeves has pledged to “keeping mortgages as low as possible” but Conservative Treasury minister Bim Afolami launched a tax attack, claiming his challengers will “impose a retirement tax on your state pension, hike your council tax and impose a pay-per-mile road tax on your car”.
– Money where the mouth is
While Rishi Sunak turns his attention to Labour’s proposed VAT extension to cover private schools fees, the Liberal Democrats will get their teeth into dentistry with a pledge to scrap tax on children’s toothpaste and toothbrushes.
“It is appalling that so many children are ending up in hospital with rotting teeth,” party leader Sir Ed Davey said.
The pledge comes with a £30 million-a-year price tag.
The Liberal Democrats have called for a wider £750 million-a-year boost to dentistry, claiming their overall plan could guarantee NHS dental appointments for children and new mothers.
– A political party
D:Ream who soundtracked New Labour’s 1997 election victory – and Rishi Sunak’s wet-weather election announcement last month, after activist Steve Bray brought his portable speaker to the gates of Downing Street – play Glastonbury Festival’s The Glade Area at 5.05pm.
Things Can Only Get Better bandmate Al Mackenzie told LBC early on the campaign trail: “There’s no way – our songs and politics, never again.”
Musician and activist Billy Bragg, whose repertoire has included There Is Power In A Union”, plays Left Field from 9pm.
– Question Time continues
After the leaders of the UK’s four largest political parties took questions on Question Time last week, Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage will appear on the BBC’s Friday night show.
Fiona Bruce will host the special broadcast from 8pm.
– Chair on air
Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden is due to take part in a hustings in the Essex constituency he is contesting.
Formerly the MP for North West Durham, his selection to contest the Basildon and Billericay constituency was controversial and Basildon Council’s Conservative Group leader once labelled the decision-makers “morally bankrupt”.
Local radio station Gateway 97.8 will host the hustings live from its studio between 3pm and 4pm, with Mr Holden up against confirmed panellists from the British Democrats (Christopher Bateman), Reform UK (Stephen Conlay), Labour (Alex Harrison), The Green Party (Eugene McCarthy) and the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (Dave Murray).