Election latest: Sunak responds to Starmer's stance on family time - as Johnson returns to Westminster (2024)

Sophy Ridge is now asking the panel about concerns about people who want to vote not being able to and some being disenfranchised.

Harriet Harman, former Labour deputy leader, says Rishi Sunak should have called the election and "he probably didn't think about it".

She says across the country "at least pone in five people are voting by post" so the ones that have already been sent will now be "piling up in the councils".

"The electoral returning officers call in the agents of each candidate and they open them before Thursday.

"The agents are there to make sure it's all proper and everything is in order."

She goes on to say all around the country now there are agents who are seeing the votes and seeing the results right now.

Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker has explained why he wants to have a run at the leadership of the Conservative Party - after the election he believes the Tories will lose.

Mr Baker says he does not want to pre-empt Rishi Sunak standing down, but says he does want to run to replace him.

Asked to explain why, he says: "The reality is that my colleagues have sent for me before the referendum, after the referendum, during COVID and over net zero.

"And on all four occasions, I've led actual MPs to a great degree of success - and I wouldn't mind the chance to do it again."

He adds: "I've got 30 years of leadership experience in the armed forces, in the private sector, in parliament and in government."

Pointing to his time as Northern Ireland minister and Brexit minister, he claims people "can see my record is one of success".

Asked about lessons that will need to be learned for the Tories in the future, Steve Baker says the first thing that that needs to be done is "we need to earn trust".

The cabinet minister says"that's going to require the party to internalise debates which otherwise have spilled out into the public domain".

He says "our party's going to mourn loss" and will need to "earn the right to be heard" again by the public, before setting out a "really coherent programme for government".

Farage 'cannot be welcomed' into Tory party

Asked if there is any space for Nigel Farage in the party after the election, he says he has been "clear" about this.

"A person who has deliberately set out to destroy the Conservative Party cannot subsequently be welcomed into it," he says.

"That is what he set out to do with Richard Tice."

"Unfortunately, his party attracts a number of people who I would absolutely not allow in the Conservative Party," he adds, referring to Reform candidates who've been dropped after making racist comments.

"Nigel can't have it both ways. If he wants to be a Conservative, he should shut down his party and join ours."

Northern Ireland Secretary Steve Baker appears to have conceded the election to the Labour Party.

Speaking to Sophy Ridge, Mr Baker says "we all accept that the danger now is a Labour supermajority".

He says the Tories would "love to win", but people would "guffaw" if he said a Conservative victory was possible with the current state of the polling.

Mr Baker then says what is important is for there to be as many opposition MPs as possible to hold Labour to account.

"If Keir Starmer has a majority of 250 he'll have practically untrammelled power," he says.

Tory campaign has been 'embarrassing'

The minister says Labour has not figured in the difficulty of running a country in an era with WhatsApp.

Mr Baker helped foment backbench rebellions against his own prime minister during Brexit.

He warns Labour will descend into "Kremlinology" around which faction of the party is going where.

But Mr Baker admits "elements" of the Conservative Party's campaign have been "embarrassing".

"Certainly nobody with inside knowledge should be placing a bet," the minister says, and he also points to the D-Day fiasco.

Jonathan Reynolds is asked why Sir Keir Starmer's approval ratings are so low given Labour look on course to win the election, to which he replies: "I think people are cynical."

"I think they too often have seen such poor government," he says.

"They have stopped believing politics can make things any better. I think that reflects on all political leaders.

"But I know from what Sir Keir has achieved as leader of the opposition, that if he's anywhere near as successful, if he becomes prime minister, I think people will recognise that a great deal.

"And I know him personally, and I know he has the skills and attributes required to be a very good prime minister."

He also says Labour changed in response to the 2019 defeat, and it's Sir Keir's leadership "that has directly contributed to Labour being in a position to contest this election".

Labour's shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds is speaking toSophy Ridgetonight.

The first question he is asked about is Sir Keir Starmer's commitment to finishing work at 6pm on Fridays so he can spend time with his teenage children, something he's said he hopes he can continue if he becomes PM.

Mr Reynolds says anyone who has worked with Sir Keir can "testify to his professionalism, to his ferocious work ethic".

He adds Sir Keir is always "on it" and "always prepared".

More Cameron or Brown?

Asked if Sir Keir was going to be more "chillaxing David Cameron" than "Gordon Brown with his red box in the early hours of the morning", Mr Reynolds says the Labour leader has "professionalism and work ethic in everything that he does".

Mr Reynolds says his leader is putting the point across that he will "still be a dad" - something he thinks is important.

We're here: it's election week.

On Thursday you'll have a chance to vote - and on Friday either Rishi Sunak or… let's be honest, almost certainly Keir Starmer… will travel to see the King and ask to form the next government.

It's felt like a long campaign, and at times a very surreal one.

But it's nearly over and really, at this point, the chance to change most voters minds en masse has passed.

The debates are done, the manifestos are out, the postal votes are already pouring in - now it's about who can get their vote out when it really matters on Thursday.

And then, very simply, it's time to let democracy take its course.

It's going to be a historic week.

Our weeknight politics showPolitics Hub With Sophy Ridgeis live now on Sky News.

The fast-paced programme dissects the inner workings of Westminster, with interviews, insights, and analysis - bringing you, the audience, into the corridors of power.

Sophy is joined tonight by the Labour shadow business secretaryJonathan Reynoldsand the Northern Ireland ministerSteve Baker, who's teased a bid to replace Rishi Sunak if the Tories lose the election.

On Sophy's panel tonight are:

• Harriet Harman, former Labour deputy leader;
• Kate Fall, Tory peer and David Cameron's ex-chief of staff.

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

WatchPolitics Hub With Sophy Ridgefrom Monday to Thursday on Sky channel 501, Virgin channel 602, Freeview channel 233, on theSky News websiteandappor onYouTube.

Two leaders who have previously enjoyed great popularity, now under enormous pressure and potentially facing up to losing their jobs by the time summer's over.

The parallels between Rishi Sunak and Gareth Southgate were being made repeatedly on Sunday, as the latter stared down the barrel of a shock defeat for England at the Euros.

But a dramatic comeback saw the Three Lions beat Slovakia to stay in the tournament for the quarter-finals… and Mr Sunak has been channelling that spirit today, declaring: "It's not over until it's over."

Questioned about the similarities between himself and embattled England manager Southgate, Mr Sunak said: "His and I are the jobs everyone thinks they could probably do it better, and has a view.

"But I think when it comes to those things, and the criticism, which of course is par for the course, it's easy to deal with when you have a conviction in what you believe – and I do."

'It's not over til it's over'

They face Switzerland in the last eight this weekend after goals from Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham saw off Slovakia on Sunday, and Southgate has not ruled out staying beyond the tournament.

Asked if he could overturn the odds of a looming defeat with a moment rivalling the stunning overhead kick scored by Bellingham, the PM opted instead for a cricket metaphor.

He told the BBC: "Mine is probably more a kind of flashy, cover drive or off-drive, or something instead, but there we go.

"Look, it is not over till it's over."

Boris Johnson has been spotted back on the streets of Westminster.

The former PM was filmed by Sky News heading into an office block near the Houses of Parliament.

He remained tight-lipped about what he has been up to during the campaign.

Mr Johnson has been sharing videos endorsing some - but not all - Conservative candidates, though he's also been on holiday.