Election. The uk will go to the polls onjuly the 4th. There was a lot of rain and a lot of noise from the Prime Minister yesterday, but those leaders of the parties have wasted no time setting out their campaigns. Six weeks today the uk will go to the polls to decide who enters that building behind me and who will form the next government. The Prime Minister has been speaking this morning and has been talking to bbc breakfast, and it is fair to say that announcement yesterday really did come as some surprise, catching many in westminster by surprise. That Snap Election just six weeks from now. The Prime Minister has been detailing some of his reason why the election will happen when it will. It why the election will happen when it will. , why the election will happen when it will. , ,. , why the election will happen when it will. ,. , f. Will. It has been a difficult few ears for will. It has been a difficult few years for the will. It has been a difficult few years for the country will. It has been a difficult few years for the country and will. It has been a difficult few years for the country and in i will. It has been a difficult few| years for the country and in the last few weeks we have restored economic stability, inflation now back to normal, the economy growing at a healthy pace, wages have been rising sustainably for months, energy bills coming down, and now is think about our future and where we want to build on the progress we have made or we go back to square one with more uncertainty with the labour party. When it comes to the economy, of course i know there is more work to do. I know people are onlyjust more work to do. I know people are only just starting to feel the benefits of the changes we brought and when some people look at their bank balance at the end of the month it will still be difficult. But we have made progress and stability has returned, inflation has returned back to normal, wages have been rising for months, we are now growing faster than our major competitors, energy bills are coming down, so that really is progress. There is stability and that is why we cannot think about the future and in an uncertain world i believe i am the one prepared to take bold action and we have a clear plan and that is how we deliver a secure future for everyone. You mention migration and there is a clear choice on this. I think illegal migration is unfair, it undermines the sense of fairness thatis it undermines the sense of fairness that is so essential to the character of our country. People come here and putting pressure on services and endangering lives. I have got a clear plan to fix that, the rwanda scheme, so that we can return people to save on a third country. The other week 15 other European Countries all signed a statement saying they agree, you need initiatives like that in order to solve this problem. But keir starmer does not believe that. So there we heard from the Prime Minister, giving us details about what exactly will happen next. As we said, the real work now begins as far as that said, the real work now begins as faras that campaign said, the real work now begins as far as that campaign is concerned. They will be laying out their stalls for how they intend to win your votes. Lets talk a little more about what we have heard. We can speak to the labour mp for wolverhampton south east. He is the Labour Campaign coordinator. He spoke to us this morning about how a vote for labour is a Vote For Change. It vote for labour is a vote for chance. ,. , vote for labour is a vote for chance. ,. Vote for labour is a vote for chance. Y. ,. ,. , vote for labour is a Vote For Change vote for labour is a vote for chance. ,. , change. If you are a young person waitin to change. If you are a young person waiting to buy change. If you are a young person waiting to buy your change. If you are a young person waiting to buy your first change. If you are a young person waiting to buy your first home, i change. If you are a young person l waiting to buy your first home, you want to know that the government is going to put stability first. That is not what we saw from the conservatives, that is a massive change. What we saw from them was huge, reckless, ideological irresponsibility. If you are waiting in pain on an nhs waiting list and we say we will have 2 million more operations per year, 40,000 more per week, that will make a difference to your life. If you are living in a town that is blighted by Anti Social Behaviour and we say we want to bring back Neighbourhood Policing with new powers to crack down on Anti Social Behaviour, that will make a difference to your life. If you have children at school who too often are taught by Supply Teachers and temporary teachers and we say we will have thousands more qualified, permanent teachers in the schools to make sure your child gets the best start in life, that is change worth having. These are changes worth having. These are changes worth having and changes worth voting for. They sound like changes that could be very expensive, so when do we see the clear figures. Where do we see the clear figures. Where do we see the breakdown . People will want to know whether what you are pledging can be paid for. When do we see those numbers . Can be paid for. When do we see those numbers . When we published these first steps those numbers . When we published these first steps last those numbers . When we published these first steps last week those numbers . When we published these first steps last week we those numbers . When we published these first steps last week we met l these first steps last week we met that test and we said not only will we say what we will do, we will say how we will do it and how it will be funded. In every case we will do that, we know that this test of trust with public money is one that people want to see from anyone who wants to form a government. That is why we have not done the irresponsible think that the conservatives have done, which is to promise £46 billion a year of unfunded tax cuts if they win the election. We are not in the business of making unfunded promises. Where we talk about more teachers and reducing nhs waiting list, we do say how we will pay for it and that is a test we will meet. How we will pay for it and that is a test we will meet. Patrick mcfadden sueakin to test we will meet. Patrick mcfadden speaking to charlie test we will meet. Patrick mcfadden speaking to charlie earlier. Test we will meet. Patrick mcfadden speaking to charlie earlier. As test we will meet. Patrick mcfadden speaking to charlie earlier. As we i speaking to charlie earlier. As we said, the campaign now begins in earnest. They have got six weeks to convince you to vote for them, whatever the party. Lets take you to nick eardley who is with rishi sunak. Next, the work really begins now. We saw yesterday firing the starting gun and now they have got to convince voters they are the person to enter the building behind you. Person to enter the building behind ou. ,. ,. ,. , person to enter the building behind ou. ,. ,. , person to enter the building behind ou. ,. ,. , you. Good morning, it is one of the advantages you. Good morning, it is one of the advantages you you. Good morning, it is one of the advantages you have you. Good morning, it is one of the advantages you have as you. Good morning, it is one of the advantages you have as prime advantages you have as Prime Minister, that you set the date and you can hit the ground running. We are in derbyshire where the Prime Minister is about to do a 0 a are in derbyshire where the Prime Minister is about to do a q a with some staff here you can see behind me, and somejournalists some staff here you can see behind me, and some journalists as well. He has got a packed day. We expect him to hit the four nations of the uk before the weekend. And he is trying to set out what he thinks the battle lines were the election are, trying to get on the front foot and persuade us all these are the things that really matter. The interview you are playing and in the other interviews this morning it is pretty clear what he wants voters to think about. Firstly, the economy, the argument that rishi sunak will batter over the next six weeks is, yes, the economy has been tough and, yes, the economy has been tough and, yes, people are only starting to feel changes a wee bit at the moment, but ultimately he argues things are on the right path and he can continue with that. He will argue that labour dont have a plan although we are about to hear from keir starmer the exact opposite. He thinks the economy is in really bad place and labour can fix it. One thing that struck me this morning that i think rishi sunak will face more questions about today was what he said about the flights to rwanda. There was pretty much an admission from the Prime Minister that his plans to send some Asylum Seekers to rwanda will not happen before the General Election. We have been talking about it for more than two years now, but rishi sunak was saying he will do that if he is re elected as Prime Minister. Those flights will not go untiljuly. It feels to me that is something that although the government was saying it would get it done in the first few months of this year, it is now going to be something that rishi sunak was at the front of his Election Campaign. It is another Dividing Line with labour and allows the Prime Minister to say here is something we would do that labour would not and whether voters buy it or not is up to them. A, would not and whether voters buy it or not is up to them. Or not is up to them. A word on the timin of or not is up to them. A word on the timing of all or not is up to them. A word on the timing of all this, or not is up to them. A word on the timing of all this, if or not is up to them. A word on the timing of all this, if you or not is up to them. A word on the timing of all this, if you will. Or not is up to them. A word on the timing of all this, if you will. As timing of all this, if you will. As you say, the rwanda flights are not expected to take off until after the election. Then we got the inflation figures yesterday, suggesting the economy is heading in the right direction. Some suggestions he might have waited a bit longer until we start to feel we have got more cash in our pockets, that the cost of living crisis is easing. Is it your assessment that the number ten yesterday things are Getting Better but it will not be significantly different by the autumn . I think that is right different by the autumn . I think that is right. It different by the autumn . I think that is right. It is different by the autumn . I think that is right. It is hard different by the autumn . I think that is right. It is hard to different by the autumn . I think that is right. It is hard to see. Different by the autumn . I think. That is right. It is hard to see why else rishi sunak would have decided to go now. When i woke up yesterday morning i did not expect to be on a tour of the uk with the Prime Minister this morning. Yes, there are a couple of things that work in the Prime Ministers favour if he goes now. Firstly, he gets out the traps are nice and early and he can come and do events like this before labour can. It is also a chance for him to say look at what happen to inflation yesterday, it is a lot closer to the 2 target, so it is something we have delivered on that we promised we would do. But there is nervousness in conservative circles about why this decision has been made. Does it suggest, and some believe, that actually Rishi Sunak Ran Out of road for more good news . This is as good as it is going to get for the Prime Minister. Maybe nervousness about the legal challenges on the rwanda scheme. Maybe nervousness about the tax rises that the chancellor was telling me ten days ago, sorry tax cuts, telling me ten days ag0, sorry tax cuts, that he telling me ten days ago, sorry tax cuts, that he was going to try and implement in an Autumn Statement in october or september. Maybe the room for that is disappearing. Maybe there is not enough cash in the treasury to introduce more tax cuts like they had hoped to do. It does feel that rishi sunak has decided this is his best moment to go. But be under no illusions, rishi sunak has a mountain to climb. He is going to run around the country for the next six weeks at events like this, trying to persuade us all that he does have a vision of the country, trying to persuade voters to give him more time. But the conservatives are miles behind in the polls, we saw the local elections at the start of the month which added weight to the evidence that the conservatives were struggling in certain parts of the country and labour were making real gains. All of that means that rishi sunak goes into this with, as i say, a rishi sunak goes into this with, as isay, a Mountain Rishi Sunak goes into this with, as i say, a mountain to climb. It is a big, big gamble for the Prime Minister. That is why he will be spending the next six weeks to persuade us all it is worth it. Yes. Persuade us all it is worth it. Yes, and a busy persuade us all it is worth it. Yes, and a busy few persuade us all it is worth it. Yes, and a busy few weeks persuade us all it is worth it. Yes, and a busy few weeks ahead for you, nick. Pace yourself. We will talk to you a little later. Our political correspondent. Lets assess where we are here on day one of this six week campaign. With me alicia fitzgerald, politicaljournalist. Nick was telling us there that all the work begins now. A word first of all about what the choice may be at this election. We know rishi sunak is saying stick with us, the plan is working, give us more time. And yet that one word slogan we are getting from keir starmer of the labour party is changed, now is the time for change. It will come down to those very key messages, wont it . It well. And it is clear since last night rishi sunak is fighting this election as the sole candidate. He is not fighting on the conservative record, he is saying that he is the Prime Minister who will lead us to stability. It is easy for the labour party to say it is the opposite of stability for the last few years with a number of leaders and a lot of blows to the conservative government. It is very easy for Keir Starmer Tojump government. It is very easy for Keir Starmertojump In and government. It is very easy for Keir Starmer Tojump in and say he is the candidate for change, rather than what rishi sunak is trying to pitch himself as. We what rishi sunak is trying to pitch himself as. ~. , what rishi sunak is trying to pitch himself as. ~ ,. ,. , himself as. We can see pictures of rishi sunak himself as. We can see pictures of Rishi Sunak In himself as. We can see pictures of Rishi Sunak In ilkeston, himself as. We can see pictures of Rishi Sunak In ilkeston, the himself as. We can see pictures of Rishi Sunak In ilkeston, the real. Rishi sunak in ilkeston, the real work beginning today. A word if you will on timing. With the conservatives being so far behind in the polls this is a huge gamble for the polls this is a huge gamble for the Prime Minister. Does he genuinely think he can pull it back and he can turn around those poll ratings in the next six weeks . It was widely assumed the General Election would be in the autumn. Various reasons, lots of the top team saying it would be the best time to go. Team saying it would be the best time to 90 team saying it would be the best time to no,. ,. , time to go. Just going to interrupt ou, we time to go. Just going to interrupt you. We are time to go. Just going to interrupt you. We are going time to go. Just going to interrupt you, we are going straight time to go. Just going to interrupt you, we are going straight to you, we are going straight to ilkeston where the Prime Minister is speaking. You ilkeston where the Prime Minister is sueakin. ,. , speaking. You are very lucky with her as your speaking. You are very lucky with her as your mp. Speaking. You are very lucky with her as your mp, she speaking. You are very lucky with her as your mp, she works speaking. You are very lucky with her as your mp, she works her. Speaking. You are very lucky with i her as your mp, she works her socks off. It has been tough for the last few years, you know that, i know that, we were dealing with the pandemic and all the drama that that brought to everyones lives. Just as we were recovering from that we got hit by a war in ukraine and Higher Energy bills. But i hope you know during those times i was there to do what i could to help you. The first time you got to know me it was during covid and the Furlough Scheme that help to protect people because � s jobs, that help to protect people because � sjobs, there that help to protect people because � s jobs, there were energy bills and the government stepped in to try and alleviate some of the increase in those bills as well. But now what has happened, collectively to all your hard work and sacrifice and resilience, we have made progress. We just got the news yesterday inflation is down from 11 when i got Thejob Down Inflation is down from 11 when i got the job down back to normal to just over 2 . Energy bills are now followed by h