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Highlights

Nigel Farage will try to win votes with cheap stunts – don’t let him

Head shot of David Blunkett

Did you think the Tory policy announcements in recent days were ill-thought-through gimmicks? It’ll be nothing compared to what Farage has to offer, writes David Blunkett – but he’ll still pull in potential Conservative voters

<p>As he launched his campaign in Clacton, Farage promised to be ‘a bloody nuisance’ – before having a milkshake thrown over him</p>

<p>‘Me? Out of fashion? I don’t believe it!’: Richard Wilson as Victor Meldrew in ‘One Foot in the Grave’</p>

You won’t be ‘chuffed’ to hear it... These words are showing your age

<p>Pupils run across the historic cobbled yard at Eton College </p>

In Focus

When it comes to parents being snooty about state schools, I’ve won

<p>Kevin Sinfield carries Rob Burrow across the finish line of the Leeds marathon in 2023 </p>

In Focus

What Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield taught men like me about ‘bromance’

Voices

<p>The Labour Party has tried to ‘silence a female Black voice who has the courage to stand up for a better world – but they have failed’, says Jeremy Corbyn </p>

Jeremy Corbyn: Labour should show Diane Abbott some respect

<p>‘If their exchanges at PMQs are anything to go by then by the end, the audience might have found something more enthralling to do, like filling up the dishwasher’ </p>

For Starmer, agreeing to debate Sunak on TV could be seismic

<p>Happily ever after? Rupert Murdoch and his fifth wife, Elena Zukhova, pictured at their California wedding last weekend </p>

Is it fifth time lucky for Rupert Murdoch? Don’t bet on it...

The Longer Read

<p>Shein could be London’s biggest ever IPO </p>

Why Shein’s £50bn stock market deal is mired in controversy

Caught up in tensions between Washington and Beijing, fast fashion giant Shein looks to be heading for London in what could be the City’s biggest ever stock market float. It may make uncomfortable reading but, in a post-Brexit world, beggars can’t be choosers, writes James Moore

<p>Khrystyna Drahomaretska has been infected with rabies and been hit by a rocket in her pursuit to save stray animals and stop the spread of the disease in Ukraine and further afield </p>

The Longer Read

The war against rabies in Ukraine and the race against time to stop it

<p>Born to run: Georgia Gould has been selected as the parliamentary candidate in the <a href="https://nekopoi.vihentai.com/nekopoi/gjMrVnLvNmL05WZk5WZwVGZulmL3d3d6MHc0/topic/labour">Labour</a> safe seat of Queen’s Park </p>

Inside Story

Meet Georgia Gould – the ‘red princess’ who could one day lead Labour

Politics Explained

<p>Nigel Farage’s ability to grab media attention will probably propel the issue higher up the agenda</p>

Politics Explained

Has Nigel Farage turned this into the ‘immigration election’?

<p>Rishi Sunak’s Tories trail Labour and Keir Starmer by more than 20 points in the latest polls </p>

Politics Explained

How are Starmer and Sunak preparing for election TV debates?

<p>Favourable climate: the Green Party’s prospects are looking brighter than ever </p>

Politics Explained

Is the Green Party a serious contender in the forthcoming election?

<p>The latest polling indicates a big jump in support – good news for Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, left, and Keir Starmer </p>

Politics Explained

Does Keir Starmer need a majority in Scotland – and will he get it?

Most Commented

Nigel Farage live: Two arrested after milkshake thrown at Reform leader in Clacton

308 comments

Nigel Farage appears to ditch key Reform UK immigration policy during live interview

239 comments

Blocked Faiza Shaheen quits Labour accusing party of a ‘hierarchy of racism’

164 comments

Trump faces primary voters for the first time as a convicted felon: Live updates

430 comments

Editorials

<p>In different times, Rishi Sunak’s pledge on immigration might have been a vote winner – but the public have heard it all before</p>

The Independent View

To turn hard right now, Mr Sunak, would guarantee electoral disaster

<p>Since Rishi Sunak declared an election with his ’Drowning Street’ appearance, public opinion has studiously failed to shift an inch in his favour</p>

The Independent View

Rishi Sunak faces the nation... and a potential wipeout

<p>Sir Keir Starmer holds a card detailing his policy priorities at the launch of the Labour Party election campaign battlebus in Uxbridge</p>

The Independent View

The truth of Labour’s plan to cut net migration will come with action

Culture

<p>Our guide to the best books in June</p>

The best new books to read this June

<p>James Hogg (1770 – 1835) was a Scottish poet, novelist and essayist</p>

Book of a lifetime: Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg

<p>Lucian Freud photographed with his children Rose and Ali Boyt</p>

Rose Boyt on father Lucian Freud: ‘Reading my diary was horrifying’

Travel

<p>Isle of wonder: just off the coast of Sicily is an archipelago steeped in myths </p>

A real-life journey through the mythical lands of the ‘Odyssey’

<p>A couple’s tour to Japan was paid for at a much higher exchange rate than experienced in the country on their trip </p>

Can we claim rate rebate after the yen dropped while we were in Japan?

John RentoulThe Independent’s chief political commentator

<p>Starmer got off to a slow start but then made up for it later while Sunak showed none of his past tetchiness </p>

Sunak or Starmer: who won the first general election TV debate?

<p>After the election, Nigel Farage is likely to be Reform UK’s sole MP </p>

Nigel Farage’s wild plans for the Conservative Party are doomed

<p>A balloon believed to have been sent by North Korea to South Korea, carrying various objects including what appeared to be excrement</p>

Mea culpa: ‘By land, by sea, by dirigible’

Andrew GricePolitical columnist who keeps his ear to the ground inside Westminster

<p>Knights of the long knives: Sir Keir Starmer and Sir Ed Davey have agreed an unofficial pact</p>

Could Keir Starmer and Ed Davey’s bromance give Labour its landslide?

<p>Keir Starmer has already ruled out rejoining the EU – but in office he would ‘lead from the front in transforming the post-Brexit relationship’ </p>

The secret EU agenda Starmer’s keeping quiet to avoid upsetting voters

<p>Keir Starmer at the launch in Essex of Labour’s general election campaign </p>

Starmer’s ‘six steps’ are not a final offer. He has more up his sleeve

Chris Blackhurst

<p>Up to his neck in... the water crisis: Ed Davey in Lake Windermere this week </p>

Business Comment

How our water crisis could be fixed – without costly nationalisation

<p>Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves delivers a speech during a visit to Rolls-Royce in Derby</p>

Will Rachel Reeves’ charm offensive with the City work for Labour?

<p>The business sector faces an exodus of companies if things don’t change </p>

London’s existential crisis is its own doing – boosterism won’t help

News analysis

<p>David Cameron meeting Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Friday</p>

Why the UK should not rule out sending troops to Ukraine

<p>Buyers are reluctant to pay through the nose for houses, and prices have been falling month on month </p>

House prices are falling – but what does it mean for the future?

<p>Rishi Sunak welcomes Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame to Downing Street earlier this month </p>

Is the capital of Rwanda really safer than London?

<p>Demonstrators wave Iran’s flag as they gather in front of the British embassy in Tehran</p>

Could conflict between Israel and Iran trigger a third world war?

Sport

<p>Tyson Fury, left, and Oleksandr Usyk will finally clash in Saudi Arabia months of negotiations </p>

Why Fury and Usyk aren’t just fighting for belts and bragging rights

<p>A sodden Erik ten Hag leaves the pitch after Manchester United’s defeat by Arsenal</p>

Crumbling Old Trafford is perfect theatre for Ten Hag’s broken dreams

Mary DejevskyExpert on foreign affairs, Russian politics and diplomatic relations between the Kremlin and the west

<p>After the jury’s guilty verdict, Donald Trump declared the whole process had been engineered by the Biden administration to keep him out of the White House</p>

Now it’s Donald Trump vs the US justice system – who will win?

<p>Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry Brian Langstaff with victims and campaigners outside Central Hall in Westminster, London</p>

Is the NHS behind the slow response to the infected blood scandal?

<p>Slovakian prime minister Fico was shot in an attempted assassination on Wednesday </p>

Could the Robert Fico shooting lead to a wider conflict in Europe?

America

<p>Joe Biden speaks in Belfast on 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement</p>

Biden says Brexit deal can bring ‘significant’ US investment to NI

<p>Such leaks remind countries like Russia – as well as US allies – of the sheer scale and reach of Washington’s operations</p>

The diplomatic damage done by the Pentagon leak won’t last long

<p>Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley wrote a tweet attacking ‘weak and woke’ ideology the day she declared her candidacy</p>

Republicans are running on ‘wokeism’ – but don’t know what it is