Today . Continues, where are you off to toda . ,. ,. , continues, where are you off to toda . ,. ,. ,. , continues, where are you off to toda . ,. , today . Good morning. Northern ireland is a today . Good morning. Northern ireland is a bit today . Good morning. Northern ireland is a bit of today . Good morning. Northern ireland is a bit of a today . Good morning. Northern ireland is a bit of a strange ireland is a bit of a strange choice, some might think that the Prime Minister, given that conservatives dont have any mps he and they normally dont stand in some seats. But he is trying to get round the country as quickly as possible to set out his agenda and try and grab the narrative. I think there is a question about how the campaign is going for rishi sunak so far. Apart from the wet weather we saw in Downing Street on thursday, wednesday, sorry when he called the general election. There have been a few things that have been a bit awkward for the Prime Minister over the last couple of days. The fact he has had to admit there are wanda scheme will not take off before the general election. The smoking ban, the thing he keeps talking about is a potential legacy shelled. Naked might be back with us. I can see you, but you were cut off in your prime, so continue if see you, but you were cut off in your prime, so continue if you see you, but you were cut off in your prime, so continue if you can hear me . It your prime, so continue if you can hear me . , my your prime, so continue if you can hear me . Your prime, so continue if you can hearme . , ,. , hear me . It is tricky because we are on a bus through hear me . It is tricky because we are on a bus through northern hear me . It is tricky because we are on a bus through Northern Ireland. | on a bus through Northern Ireland. The reception is a bit dodgy. Let me try and persevere. The question i think some conservatives will be asking themselves this morning is also rishi sunak is out and about making the most of his head start in this campaign, is he doing enough to make up the massive gap in the polls . There has been bad news, there are wanda scheme, no fault evictions will not be banned, the smoking ban is nice and until after the general election. That was supposed to be one of his big legacies. But, the question will be is he getting out . Is he speaking to enough normal people . Quite often, general Election Campaigns are pretty choreographed, trying to look good, trying to meet people that will make you look good. But rishi sunak has to get out and meet some voters, it has been about getting around the country, being seen to be on the front foot. The question is, will it be enough over the next six weeks to make up the massive gap in the polls . For weeks to make up the massive gap in the olls . ,. ,. , ~ , weeks to make up the massive gap in the olls . ,. ,. , ~ i. The polls . For now, thank you. Good to have you the polls . For now, thank you. Good to have you there. The polls . For now, thank you. Good to have you there. We the polls . For now, thank you. Good to have you there. We will the polls . For now, thank you. Good to have you there. We will be to have you there. We will be checking in with you throughout the day. That is nick eardley out and about with the Prime Minister. As we said, he is visiting all four corners of the uk to drum up votes ahead of the election. This talk about some of the issues in Northern Ireland. We can speak to our political reporter, Brendan Hughes in belfast. Nick outlining some of the challenges for the Prime Minister but up to me but the issues that will affect voters in Northern Ireland festival and what may be rishi sunak can do when he continues the tour later today . I rishi sunak can do when he continues the tour later today . The tour later today . I think it is worth reflecting the tour later today . I think it is worth reflecting that the tour later today . I think it is worth reflecting that in the tour later today . I think it is i worth reflecting that in Northern Ireland the Prime Minister and the conservative party dont have much skin in the game. That is because the conservative party doesnt run many candidates in Northern Ireland and when it has, it hasnt had much success in that respect either. Because if we look back at the Last Westminster election in 2019, the track to lee mack with his every party ran for candidates and they managed to secure a grand total of less than 1 of the overall vote share in Northern Ireland. As for the other major parties within the uk, the likes of the labour party, they have a policy of not running candidates in Northern Ireland and the lib dems dont run any candidates here either. In terms of a Six Week Campaign while the Prime Minister may be interested in some of the issues in Northern Ireland and he is making his way to Northern Ireland as we speak. In terms of the campaign, there isnt much reason for rishi sunak to spend much time in Northern Ireland because there is simply not any seats in it for him. You talk about why he may be there, but looking at some of the responses from the other parties in Northern Ireland saying, this is the opportunity to send a different balance of representation to westminster. That will be the key, about the representation of the nation to westminster to strike the right balance, better balance in their view . Right balance, better balance in their view . ,. ,. , their view . Yes, in Northern Ireland we have a devolved their view . Yes, in Northern Ireland we have a devolved executive their view . Yes, in Northern Ireland we have a devolved executive and i we have a devolved executive and assembly, so many of the issues the likes of sir keir starmer and rishi sunak will be discussing on the Campaign Trailand hmi, the sunak will be discussing on the Campaign Trail and hmi, the likes of education, health and schools and infrastructure, though sorts of things are dealt with on a devolved level in Northern Ireland because we have a Legislative Assembly and executive here. In terms of the Westminster Campaign in Northern Ireland, we have a different set of parties than the ones you will see on the national picture. For them it is about representation of issues relating to Northern IrelandIn Westminster. We have, if you look back at the results from the 2019 westminster election, if you look at how the parties fed here, the Democratic Unionist Party or dup, came out on top with eight seats, followed closely by sinn fein, an irish republican party, they want to see Northern Ireland break away from the union and join up with the irish republic. They received seven seats in the Last Westminster election. The other seats of the 18 constituencies in Northern Ireland were taken up by the Social Democratic And Labour Party and they achieved two seats and then the Cross CommunityAlliance Party, which doesnt have a position on the constitutional future of Northern Ireland, they achieved one seat in the Last Westminster election. So for them it is about holding the seats they have and they want to try and increase that representation at westminster. 0ne and increase that representation at westminster. One of the issues we will be looking out for is whether sinn fein can complete the hat trick and become the Largest Party at westminster as well as at Assembly Level and that local government level. Back in the Assembly Elections in 2022, sinn fein, for the first time, became the Largest Party at stormont. And last year in Council Elections it overtook the dup again to become the Largest Party a local council level. They will be looking to do the treble in relation to westminster this time round and the dup will be coming under some pressure because at the moment they are still reeling from the Shock Resignation of their now former leader, Sirjeffrey Donaldson. He is currently facing charges of serious Sexual Misconduct which are being tried through the courts now. He will not be standing in his seat of lagan valley, which he held for 27 years. He strenuously contest those charges against him and he will be focusing on that through the court. The dup have to regroup following that Shock Resignation of Sirjeffrey Donaldson in march and for the now Interim Leader of the dup, Gavin Robinson, while trying to steady the ship in relation to his party only weeks into the job as Interim Leader, relation to his party only weeks into thejob as Interim Leader, he is now facing a battle on his hands to try and maintain his seat as east belfast mp. To try and maintain his seat as east belfast me belfast mp. You are right, of those 18 seats, belfast mp. You are right, of those 18 seats. The belfast mp. You are right, of those 18 seats, the dup belfast mp. You are right, of those 18 seats, the dup with belfast mp. You are right, of those 18 seats, the dup with the belfast mp. You are right, of those 18 seats, the dup with the most, l 18 seats, the dup with the most, eight, but with the departure of sir jeffrey donaldson, now seven. There is a question he will run in his place and the deadline to nominate candidates is four oclock on the 7th ofjune, they have not got much time to do so . Yes 7th ofjune, they have not got much time to do so . 7th ofjune, they have not got much time to do so . Yes and very much the a is time to do so . Yes and very much the party is remaining time to do so . Yes and very much the party is remaining tightlipped time to do so . Yes and very much the party is remaining tightlipped as party is remaining tight lipped as to who their candidate could be. The two front runners in the race to be the candidate would be a little pengelly. She is currently the Deputy First Minister in the Power SharingNorthern Ireland executive. The other candidate that is being considered is poll given, the Education Minister in the stormont executive. If any of them were to step into the role in lagan valley in the selection, that could potentially, if they manage to retain that seat, that could potentially lead to another problem for the dup because they have to find another minister for that executive, for the ministerial role within the executive as well as a new mla in lagan valley. Those are the sorts of challenges the party will be facing. We have the likes of the Alliance Party that is a Cross Community that doesnt have a position on the constitutional question. They are challenging the dup in some constituencies, not least east belfast, where Interim Leader of the dup, Gavin Robinson, hold that seat. The Alliance Party naomi long, took Gavin Robinson close to the wire in the 2019 westminster election. It was around 1800 votes in it whenever the votes were counted on 2019. It is whether naomi wants to run again and if she wins the seat she would have to give up wins the seat she would have to give up her position in the Power Sharing executive as justice up her position in the Power Sharing executive asjustice minister. It is a position she wants to hold onto so it is a conundrum for both parties as to who their candidate will be. All to play for, thank you very much. Now, Jeremy Corbyn, a former Labour Leader has announced he will stand as an independent candidate at the general election. It is a move that is likely to cause division. He was blocked from standing for the labour party after complaints of his partys handling of anti semitism. What does sir keir starmer make of his predecessors trish to stand . That is a matter forjeremy, his predecessors trish to stand . That is a matterforjeremy, he has made his mind up about that. We will have an excellent Labour Candidate in Islington North, as we have excellent Labour Candidates across the country. In the end, this election is about a choice, choice of, you know, five more years of the chaos and division that we have seen over the last 11t years or turning the page and rebuilding our country with labour. That is what is on the ballot paper, whether it is in Islington North or anywhere else across the country. Irate Islington North or anywhere else across the country. We understand ou want across the country. We understand you want to across the country. We understand you want to turn across the country. We understand you want to turn a across the country. We understand you want to turn a page across the country. We understand you want to turn a page and across the country. We understand you want to turn a page and make | across the country. We understand l you want to turn a page and make a change you want to turn a page and make a change but you want to turn a page and make a change but one of the criticisms of Labour Change but one of the criticisms of Labour Over Change but one of the criticisms of labour over the past three years, you are labour over the past three years, you are a labour over the past three years, you are a party which is divided. Is that a you are a party which is divided. Is that a world you are a party which is divided. Is that a world in which you can contact that a world in which you can contactJeremy Corbyn that a world in which you can contact Jeremy Corbyn and say, please contact Jeremy Corbyn and say, please stand out because the Liberal Democrats please stand out because the Liberal Democrats could win this seat . This is a change democrats could win this seat . This is a change labour democrats could win this seat . Try 3 is a change labour party. We are united in understanding that only parties which are strong on the economy, on our defence, on security and borders are trusted by the british public. 0nly parties that have an absolute clarity about the missions they want to achieve in government. In my case, ensuring weve got Economic Growth that is felt across the whole country, that we have an nhs, notjust back on its feet but fit for the future. But we have clean power by 2030, Great British energy. Just have clean power by 2030, Great British energy. British energy. Just briefly. Grove it is british energy. Just briefly. Grove it is a british energy. Just briefly. Grove it is a change british energy. Just briefly. Grove it is a change labour british energy. Just briefly. I grove it is a change labour party. What grove it is a change labour party. What is grove it is a change labour party. What is important as part of the change. What is important as part of the change. Is what is important as part of the change, is the unity within the party change, is the unity within the party and change, is the unity within the party and we know there are some senior party and we know there are some senior members, Angela Rayner and harriet senior members, Angela Rayner and Harriet Harman who would like to see diane Harriet Harman who would l