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General election: Nicola Sturgeon launches campaign for 'most important election in our lifetimes' – live news General election: Nicola Sturgeon launches campaign for 'most important election in our lifetimes' – live news
(32 minutes later)
SNP leader speaks in Edinburgh as parties’ promises take shapeSNP leader speaks in Edinburgh as parties’ promises take shape
A good point made by the Sun’s Kate Ferguson:
This from my colleague Kate Proctor, reporting from Nigel Farage’s rally in Pontypool, south Wales. Pontypool is in the Torfaen constituency, which has been held by Labour MP Nick Thomas-Symonds since 2015.
As predicted by some, the official Twitter account of the Conservative party just shared a meme featuring Nicola Sturgeon with a miniature Jeremy Corbyn in her pocket.
Many of you, dear readers, will remember the original, a billboard showing Ed Miliband stuffed into the pocket of Alex Salmond, with some believing it was this poster that forced Miliband to rule out an SNP coalition during the 2015 general election campaign.
While Nicola Sturgeon used her election campaign launch speech to declare war on Boris Johnson, he was given a tour of a school and tried to make a clay figure inspired by British sculptor Sir Antony Gormley, the Press Association reports:
Speaking at the George Spencer Academy, near Nottingham, the PM remarked he had “gunk” on him before declaring the task would be “a piece of cake”. But seconds later Mr Johnson paused before joking “it’s all going horribly wrong” as he had not followed the guide and noted he was creating a figure similar to “Terminator”. He also told pupils: “He’s an interesting chap Antony Gormley - all his sculptures are modelled on himself and then he persuades people to pay colossal sums for his own image around the world. It’s amazing success he’s had.”
Political commentators widely consider Sturgeon’s hints that Labour might support a second Scottish referendum a boost for the Tory campaign.Political commentators widely consider Sturgeon’s hints that Labour might support a second Scottish referendum a boost for the Tory campaign.
This from ITV’s Paul Brand:This from ITV’s Paul Brand:
And this from PoliticsHome’s Kevin Schofield:And this from PoliticsHome’s Kevin Schofield:
This from Sky’s Lewis Goodall on Sturgeon’s speech, making a point others have previously made about the Catalonia independence referendum:This from Sky’s Lewis Goodall on Sturgeon’s speech, making a point others have previously made about the Catalonia independence referendum:
Here Sturgeon’s comments on the possibility of a hung parliament, courtesy of the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg:Here Sturgeon’s comments on the possibility of a hung parliament, courtesy of the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg:
Will Nicola Sturgeon also demand that the Trident missile system be moved from Scottish waters before she will support a Corbyn government?Will Nicola Sturgeon also demand that the Trident missile system be moved from Scottish waters before she will support a Corbyn government?
This from the BBC’s Norman Smith:This from the BBC’s Norman Smith:
Sturgeon said her party would not lend support to any party that would stand in the way of a new Scottish independence referendum. It will be interesting to see how this pledge will be compatible with her statement that the SNP MPs “would seek to form a progressive alliance to lock the Tories out of government”.Sturgeon said her party would not lend support to any party that would stand in the way of a new Scottish independence referendum. It will be interesting to see how this pledge will be compatible with her statement that the SNP MPs “would seek to form a progressive alliance to lock the Tories out of government”.
This is the take of Sky’s Beth Rigby:This is the take of Sky’s Beth Rigby:
This from Sky’s Tamara Cohen:This from Sky’s Tamara Cohen:
Sturgeon wraps up and says she looks forward to the campaign trail.Sturgeon wraps up and says she looks forward to the campaign trail.
My colleague Severin Carrell asks: One of the key challenges for Corbyn would be getting a budget passed. Would the SNP not pass that budget if Labour wouldn’t support another Scottish referendum? Sturgeon says it can’t be expected of the SNP to support anybody who doesn’t recognise the Scottish right to self-determination.My colleague Severin Carrell asks: One of the key challenges for Corbyn would be getting a budget passed. Would the SNP not pass that budget if Labour wouldn’t support another Scottish referendum? Sturgeon says it can’t be expected of the SNP to support anybody who doesn’t recognise the Scottish right to self-determination.
Sturgeon adds that Corbyn is someone who supports self-determination “for literally every other country in the world”. It would be “mighty strange” if he didn’t support it for Scotland.Sturgeon adds that Corbyn is someone who supports self-determination “for literally every other country in the world”. It would be “mighty strange” if he didn’t support it for Scotland.
We don’t even know whether Jeremy Corbyn would campaign for remain or leave, Sturgeon says. That’s why voting SNP is the best way for the Scottish to avoid Brexit, she adds.We don’t even know whether Jeremy Corbyn would campaign for remain or leave, Sturgeon says. That’s why voting SNP is the best way for the Scottish to avoid Brexit, she adds.
Any party that doesn’t offer another Scottish independence referendum would not be supported, Sturgeon says. But there are many other significant issues facing Scotland, such as devolution and climate change.
Sturgeon says the PM is not a man whose word can be taken seriously. When asked whether she seeks to prevent a Tory government by putting Jeremy Corbyn into No 10, she says she’s no fan of Jeremy Corbyn and that she would never support a Conservative government.
Nicola Sturgeon just delivered her campaign launch speech. She said Scotland had world-class institutions and should be entering a “golden era”. “If you are sick of the chaos ... vote SNP to escape Brexit,” she said. People who despair over Jeremy Corbyn’s lack of leadership should also vote SNP. The SNP would support revoking article 50, she tells a reporter but reiterates that Scotland needs to take its fate into its own hands.
My colleague Kate Proctor will be reporting from a Nigel Farage rally in Wales this morning.
My colleague Severin Carrell, the Guardian’s Scotland editor, will be at the SNP’s election campaign launch with Nicola Sturgeon near Holyrood, and will keep us updated on the campaign of the Scottish Greens, which is set to launch at 11.30. There is no love lost between the two parties, he says. The Greens are refusing to stand down candidates in key marginals, on a pro-indy pro-remain alliance basis.
My colleague Jonathan Freedland is talking about the shambolic start to the general election campaign on the latest episode of the Guardian’s Today in Focus podcast.
Boris Johnson told broadcast reporters today that suggesting the NHS could be up for grabs under his deal was “pure Loch Ness monster” territory, the Press Association reports. Asked whether he would legislate to protect the NHS from US intervention, the PM said:
And back to election fever.
Rumours say the former Labour MP Roger Godsiff, who was axed by the Labour party as its candidate for Birmingham Hall Green over comments on LGBT teaching, is to be replaced with Ibrahim Dogus, the mayor of Lambeth, who is backed by the Labour leadership and trade unions.
Dogus was previously in the running to stand in Labour-held Vauxhall to replace Kate Hoey, but lost to Florence Eshalomi.
In other news: The 30% Club, which campaigns for better gender balance through voluntary action from businesses, has launched its The Missing Millions report at the London Stock Exchange Group this morning.
According to the report, companies that fail to prioritise gender equality are missing out on millions of pounds. The report quotes a US study of 350 start-ups founded and co-founded by women, which reveals they generated 10% more in cumulative revenue over a five-year period and delivered twice as much for every dollar invested as those set up by men.
Neither Labour nor the Conservatives are off to a good start today, with a video of Boris Johnson stating falsehoods about post-Brexit trade with Northern Ireland circulating widely, and the fall of two Labour candidates for the upcoming general election because of anti-Semitism allegations.
There is much anger and scorn on the wires about both situations.
This from Labour’s Keir Starmer:
And this from MailOnline’s Jack Maidment:
And here we have the same point made by the Lib Dem’s Tom Brake:
This from the Mail on Sunday’s Dan Hodges on the two disgraced Labour candidates:
This from PoliticsHome’s Kevin Schofield:
According to LBC, the Labour candidate Ian Byrne, who is running in the safe seat of Liverpool West Derby, is responsible for a number of misogynist social media comments against female politicians. In a post on Facebook in 2015 about Michelle Mone, the founder of underwear brand Ultimo, he called on his supporters to “hit the c**t where it hurts”.
It emerged yesterday that the Tory candidate Nick Conrad will not stand in the Broadland seat in Norfolk, due to controversial comments about rape in 2014.
My colleague Maya Wolfe-Robinson has written a story on how thousands of children in care whose immigration status will be affected by Brexit could face homelessness, immigration detention or deportation.