Election latest: Chancellor deletes pic of wife's ballot after people pointed out he'd broken election rules (2024)

Its 5pm - here's your teatime general election bulletin.

We're into the last full week of the election campaign, with just 10 days left until polling day - and things are heating up.

Here's a run down of everything you may have missed:

• Rishi Sunaktoday said he is not being investigated by the Gambling Commission over the betting scandal;
• He confirmed the Conservative Party is carrying out its own investigation - and will pass its findings on to the Gambling Commission;
• But the Liberal Democrats want the government ethics advisor to see if ministers placed bets.
• Back with the Conservatives, and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has deleted an image of his wife's postal ballot that he uploaded to social media over the weekend after some pointed out he'd broken electoral rules;
• In response, the Electoral Commission said: "Every voter has the right to vote in private.The secrecy of the ballot is fundamental to our voting process and is protected in law".
• Meanwhile, economists have lambasted a "conspiracy of silence" from the main parties over their tax and spending plans - read more below:

• Over to Labour,which has offered to meet Harry Potter author JK Rowling to provide her with "assurances" over the protection of women-only spaces;
• AndLord Richard Dannatt, the former head of the army, has said Nigel Farage is "not worth listening to about anything" - particularly relating to the war in Ukraine;
• The Reform leader said last week the West had contributed to the invasion of Ukraine;
• He has launched a blistering attack aimed at his one-time ally Boris Johnson - highlighting a front page showing Mr Johnson holding a similar stance on Russia back in 2016.

Still to come, from around 5.30pm we'll have updates from a voter Q&A event featuring Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, hosted by The Sun.

And our weeknight politics showPolitics Hub With Sophy Ridgewill be live on Sky News from 7pm…

The Democratic Unionists Party has today launched its Speaking Up For Northern Ireland manifesto.

Here is an outline of what the party has pledged in its 50-page policy document:

• The DUP decries being left to "pick up the pieces" following the Northern Ireland Protocol treaty in the aftermath of Brexit;
• The party said it did not agree with Rishi Sunak's Windsor Framework, and spent another year in negotiations with the government before taking the decision on balance to return to the Stormont Assembly;
• The DUP said in the next parliament its representatives will press the government to ensure funding does not drop below the definition of assessed need in Northern Ireland, £124 for every £100 spent in England;
• It will also campaign for baseline funding for the region to be increased proportionately by the same amount above need as the government applied to Wales with a new needs-based factor and 5% uplift;
• The party reiterates its long-term call for the rate of corporation tax to be lowered in Northern Ireland to compete with the Republic of Ireland;
• The manifesto calls for a "more agile and response migration system", to help staff areas where there are labour shortages, particularly in the agri-food and hospitality sectors;
• It pledges more defence spending in Northern Ireland as well as an increased RAF and Royal Navy presence in the region to "fortify the north-western naval and air patrol presence", arguing it would deter Russia's "attempts to target undersea infrastructure around the UK".

Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, has said Labour would meet Harry Potter author JK Rowling to provide her with "assurances" over the protection of women-only spaces.

The frontbencher made the offer after Rowling said Labour had "abandoned" her and others campaigning for women's rights.

The author, a former member of the Labour Party who has made donations in the past, said she would "struggle to support them" in next week's general election.

Rowling has been outspoken about the rights of biological women after condemning Scottish government proposals to introduce self-identification for transgender people.

Labour insist single-sex spaces will 'absolutely stay'

While gender recognition reforms were passed by Holyrood, the legislation was never implemented after being blocked by the UK government.

Now reports suggest a Labour government could make it easier for people to legally transition by removing the need for them to prove they have lived as their preferred gender for two years.

Ms Reeves, however, has insisted protection for single-sex spaces for women would "absolutely stay".

She said: "We're not going to be changing anything around biological sex. So the Equality Act stands and the protection of single sex spaces, based on biological sex will absolutely stay.

"Labour introduced the Equality Act it is very important to us and that protection for single sex spaces."

Regarding Rowling's comments, the shadow chancellor added: "We're really happy to talk to JK Rowling to give her assurances about that."

Away from the election campaign for a moment, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has sent well wishes to Princess Anne after she sustained "minor injuries and a concussion" after an incident on Sunday evening.

It is understood emergency services were called to the scene of the incident on the Gatcombe Park estate, Gloucestershire, on Sunday, to treat injuries believed to have been caused by impact with a horse's head or leg.

The princess, 73, was then taken to Southmead Hospital for treatment, where the Olympic-medal winning horsewoman is expected to stay until later this week.

Mr Sunak said: "Everyone in the country is immensely fond of Her Royal Highness.

"We're all sending her our best wishes for a swift recovery."

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has deleted an image of his wife's postal ballot that he uploaded to social media over the weekend.

The chancellor posted a picture of his wife with a pen hovering over the box next to his name in the Godalming and Ash constituency he is contesting.

The caption read: "Marriage safe … got the wife's vote."

Social media users later pointed out it is illegal to show how someone has or intends to vote.

A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission said: "Every voter has the right to vote in private.

"The secrecy of the ballot is fundamental to our voting process and is protected in law.

"The law allows a postal voter to take a picture of their own postal ballot paper and publicise it (including via social media).

"It is an offence to pressurise or induce a postal voter, or indeed any voter, to make their information available.

"It can also be an offence to obtain and share information about how someone else has voted.

"These laws are enforced by the police."

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.

Lord Richard Dannatt, the former head of the army, has been asked for his opinion on what Nigel Farage said about the conflict in Ukraine.

Mr Farage claims the West provoked Russia's invasion.

In response, Lord Dannatt told the BBC: "As far as I'm concerned, Nigel Farage doesn't have a point worth listening to about anything."

On the wider point of a potential conclusion to the war, he said it was "entirely a matter" for Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to decide if negotiating with the Russians "would be a better thing to do [...] to save more lives than continue fighting".

The prime minister has said he believes he got the timing of the general election - which will take place on 4 July - right.

During a media huddle in Edinburgh, he was asked if he'd have wanted longer than the 10 days remaining to make his case.

He insisted it's "the right moment" for the country to have its say because the economy has turned a corner.

"The most important job I had when I was prime minister was to restore economic stability after what has been a really difficult few years with COVID and the war in Ukraine," he said.

"My priority was to bring inflation down, because inflation was eating into everyone’s pay packets, their savings, making everyone feel the challenges of the cost of living."

He said the UK economy grew faster than others in the G7 in the first quarter of the year.

Mr Sunak added: "That's why it's the right moment, now that we have that foundation, for the country to consider what future it wants."

Here is your afternoon bulletin.

We're into the last full week of the election campaign, with just 10 days left until polling day.

Here are the main things you need to know for this afternoon:

• Rishi Sunaksays he is not being investigated by the Gambling Commission over the betting scandal;
• He says the Conservative Party is carrying out its own investigation - and will pass its findings on to the Gambling Commission;
• The City of London Police says it has not been contacted by the commission - but will review the case if asked;
• The Liberal Democrats want the government ethics advisor to see if ministers placed bets.
• Meanwhile, economists lambasted a "conspiracy of silence" from the main parties over their tax and spending plans - read more below:

• Nigel Farage held an event in which he sought to repel attacks levelled at him over his stance on Russia;
  
• The Reform leader said last week the West had contributed to the invasion of Ukraine;
• He has launched a blistering attack aimed at his one-time ally Boris Johnson - highlighting a front page showing Mr Johnson holding a similar stance on Russia back in 2016;
• He called Mr Johnson the worst prime minister of "modern times":

Politics At Jack And Sam's discussed the run-in to the election in today's episode of the podcast.

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

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has been touted as potential leader of the Conservative Party in the future.

And she has hinted she may run to replace Rishi Sunak if he loses the vote on 4 July.

She unsuccessfully stood to be leader in 2022 after Boris Johnson was ousted, but won the backing of powerful figures like Michael Gove.

Asked about the leadership of the party in the future, Ms Badenoch said: "We need to focus on this election.

"The choice is going to be between us or between them (Labour).

"Be afraid if it is them, is all I would say.

"And we will talk about leadership things after an election, but not before."

She said her current gig has been "the job of a lifetime".