Reform reports Channel 4 to election watchdog claiming race row canvasser was ‘plant’

Rishi Sunak expected to spend the day talking about how he was fighting but fighting for every vote, with less than a week to go before the election.

The normally cerebral prime minister was clearly emotional as he talked about the hurt and anger he felt after a Reform activist used racial slurs against him.

Reform UK has said it has reported Channel 4 to the Electoral Commission, after the broadcaster released footage of an activist campaigning for Nigel Farage using a racial slur to describe Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Campaigner Andrew Parker also suggested migrants should be used as “target practice” in the recording by an undercover journalist.

In a letter to the Electoral Commission, the party’s secretary Adam Richardson claimed that it was “entirely evident that Mr Parker was a plant within the Channel 4 news piece”.

He added: “The Channel 4 broadcast has clearly been made to harm Reform UK during an election period and this cannot be described as anything short of election interference.”

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Sir Keir Starmer said he shared Rishi Sunak’s disgust after a Reform UK campaigner used a racial slur to describe the prime minister.

The Labour leader accused Reform UK leader Nigel Farage of not doing enough following the incident, and added that it is the leader who sets the “tone, the culture and the standards” of a political party.

Speaking to reporters in the South East of England, he said: “I don’t think (Nigel Farage) has shown the leadership he should’ve shown. There’s no good condemning remarks after the event.

“If you lead a party you set the tone, and the culture, and the standards of your party, and I don’t think he’s done enough in terms of leadership.”

Asked if he sympathises with the Prime Minister following the racial slur, Sir Keir said: “I do, and I thought what he said about his daughters in particular was very powerful.

“And I’m glad he said it and I share his disgust at the comments that were made.”

Rishi Sunak told former soldiers of his plans for a veterans’ bill, if the Tories are re-elected, during a campaign visit in his North Yorkshire constituency.

Mr Sunak had tea and munched on a cake at the Ellerton Lakeside Cafe, near Northallerton, as he chatted with about a dozen veterans who had gathered for Armed Forces Day, joking that: “You need a lot of sugar to get through my day.”

Listening to the men, he said: “That’s why we now have, like they do in the US, we have a dedicated office for veteran’s affairs, a minister in the Cabinet, funding. So, we’re at the start of that journey.”

He said: “If we’re re-elected, we’re actually going to have a veteran’s bill, we’re going to pass our first ever veteran’s bill in Parliament. That will bring together all the things that we need to do – put some things in law that will improve the service that we’ve providing. That hasn’t happened before – a flagship veteran’s bill that (veterans’ minister) Johnny Mercer’s been working on which will just continue to improve the support.”

Mr Sunak listened as he was told about initiatives to tackle veterans’ homelessness, mental health problems and issues facing service families at the nearby Catterick Garrison.

He said: “We want to make sure all of you get the support you are entitled to.”

The Prime Minister did not take questions from reporters during the 20 minute-long visit.

The Archbishop of Canterbury urged people to avoid “personalised abuse” in the closing stages of the election campaign as he encouraged voters to go to the ballot box.

The Most Reverend Justin Welby said: “In these last few days before the election, let us pray for all candidates taking part in this most essential act of democracy.

“Let us encourage courteous and kind debate and not use personalised abuse.

“Let us carefully consider issues and the common good, and above all vote.”

Rishi Sunak’s Labour opponent in his Richmond and Northallerton seat in Yorkshire has accused him of “panicking” as the prime minister campaigned to save his own seat in the last weekend before polling day.

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