Starmer rejects 'no-go areas' suggestion as parties ramp up General Election campaigning
ITV News' Political Editor Robert Peston caught up with Sir Keir Starmer on the campaign trail, as the General Election looms closer.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said that there is no such thing as "no-go areas" for his party, as he ramped up campaigning in traditional Tory seats days ahead of the General Election.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak responded to Starmer's comments by insisting he will not "surrender" to Labour.
As July 4 rolls around, each party has escalated its election campaigning with increasingly bitter attacks on their rivals.
Labour are still around 20 points ahead in the polls and with just four days to go, the prime minister has warned that Starmer's party is heading for a "supermajority".
Despite languishing in the polls, Sunak is hoping to replicate England's extra time Euros comeback, insisting the Tories can still win the General Election.
In a speech on Monday, Sunak said: "I'm fighting hard for every vote. I don’t take a single place or person for granted, but I don’t want Britain to sleepwalk into the danger of what an unchecked Labour government with a supermajority would mean.
Despite his party being behind in the polls, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak continues to fight for votes as ITV News' Political Correspondent Romilly Weeks reports.
He repeated his attacks on Labour saying they would increase everyone's taxes and would make the UK a "soft touch of Europe when it comes to migration".
He also suggested the UK’s support for Ukraine could be at risk under Labour.
"Putin would like nothing more than for Britain to step back, to appease his aggression rather than face it down and that is what will happen with another party in power," he told the Telegraph.
Starmer has previously criticised “desperate” Tory suggestions that Labour is a threat to national security, saying that his party has united with government on defence matters, such as support for Ukraine.
Labour hit back at the Tories attacks pointing out the challenges an incoming administration would face after "14 years of failure under this government."
Starmer acknowledged he would face a series of domestic challenges if he becomes prime minister on Friday.
“If we do get over the line and come in to serve as a Labour government, it’s going to be really difficult because there’s going to be a very difficult inheritance after 14 years of failure under this government, and we’re going to have to do really tough things in order to move the country forward,” he said.
After a stump speech at Hitchin Town Football Club, the Labour leader was asked whether he was concerned he could be the least popular opposition leader ever to enter No 10.
He said: “In five years’ time, we will be able to look back and say: ‘You are truly better off, your public services are working properly and the economy is working for everyone.’
“I’ll be very, very happy to be judged on that record.”
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Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey took part in a bungee jump as he urged voters to take a “leap of faith” and back the Liberal Democrats on Thursday.
“Do something you’ve never done before – vote Liberal Democrat!” he shouted as he flew through the air.
A bungee jump was the latest move in the Liberal Democrats' stunt-filled campaign ahead of July 4
Elsewhere, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is battling an ongoing fallout over allegations of racism within his party.
The latest flare-up came on Sunday when the Reform candidate for Erewash, Liam Booth-Isherwood, dropped out of the race to back Tory contender Maggie Throup, after becoming “disillusioned” with what he described as a “significant moral issue” within party ranks.
Farage has faced accusations from across the political divide of failing to tackle allegations of racism within Reform which have engulfed the party in recent days.
Scottish First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney has warned that the election was on a "knife edge", and urged Scots to support his party to avoid “more austerity cuts from Westminster”.
Swinney will be out in the Scottish highlands as the election nears, with opinion polls showing the SNP and Labour fighting to be the largest Scottish party north of the English border.
Have you heard our new podcast Talking Politics? Every day in the run-up to the election Tom, Robert and Anushka dig into the biggest issues dominating the political agenda…