What to expect on the General Election campaign trail on Thursday

Four of the party leaders, including Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, will feature in a BBC Question Time special.

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer during a previous appearance on a Sky News election event (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Wire)

Here is your guide to the main developments in the General Election campaign on Thursday:

– Follow the leaders

York is the latest stop on the televised General Election debate tour for four of the party leaders.

The BBC Question Time special will run between 8pm and 10pm and see each leader appear one by one to face questions from the audience.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will appear for the Conservatives, Sir Keir Starmer for Labour, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney for the SNP and Sir Ed Davey for the Liberal Democrats.

But there is no spot for Reform UK’s Nigel Farage, who previously demanded a place given his party’s strong showing in the opinion polls.

The BBC responded by insisting Mr Farage and Reform have received coverage across BBC outlets, adding: “The Ofcom guidance gives ‘greater weight on the actual performance of a political party in elections over opinion poll data’ taking into account the ‘greater uncertainty associated with support in opinion polls’.”

The BBC later confirmed an additional Question Time Leaders’ Special, featuring representatives from Reform UK and the Green Party, will be broadcast on June 28.

Mr Farage is expected to hit the campaign trail elsewhere on Thursday.

– Home is where the heart is

Ahead of the BBC leaders’ special, housing policy is the focus of the day for the Conservatives and Labour.

Outgoing Communities Secretary Michael Gove, who is not standing for re-election, is leading the attack on Labour’s approach to the issue.

The Tories claim that Labour not matching their commitments will amount to a “first-time buyer tax” for those trying to get on the property ladder.

Labour countered by saying: “This reeks of desperation from the Tories.”

The party added that it intends to “get Britain building” and help working families onto the housing ladder.

Separately, Labour pledged that renters will be “better off” as they intend to ban so-called no-fault evictions, seek to end rental bidding wars and put in place other protections.

The Renters Reform Bill was making its way through Parliament but then someone – Mr Sunak – called a General Election and it failed to progress. The Tories want to revive the Bill if they continue in government.

– It’s all gone to pot

Some might suggest elements of the Lib Dems’ campaigning efforts have been a little bit potty given the number of stunts undertaken by leader Sir Ed.

But the party switches its attention to the “pothole postcode lottery”, as they insist £300 million should be spent over the next parliament to fill 1.2 million potholes a year.

Will Sir Ed be seen wearing an astronaut outfit as he pretends a pothole is akin to a crater on the moon? It is not possible to rule anything out at this stage given wheelbarrow racing and rollercoasters are among the things to already feature on the campaign trail.

– A green future?

The Scottish Greens will propose a “transformative vision” to deliver a green economy when they launch their 54-page manifesto in Edinburgh.

Co-leader Lorna Slater said she plans to send “shockwaves” through politics by securing a record Scottish Green vote at the General Election.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Conservatives will tell farmers that they will be “on their side”, as the party sets out its rural General Election manifesto at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh.

Rachael Hamilton, the party’s rural affairs spokeswoman, said the sector has been “shamefully neglected” by the Scottish Government.