General election live: Reform UK campaigners caught making racist slurs

There’s more than one election story in town today, with the US presidential debate taking centre stage for many this morning.

But with less than a week to go, political parties in the UK are running out of time to get their message out to the electorate on this side of the pond.

Reform UK is waking up to negative headlines, after an undercover team at Channel 4 recorded party campaigners apparently making racist, homophobic and Islamophobic comments.

Nigel Farage called the comments “reprehensible”, and his party said those making “unacceptable comments” will no longer be part of his campaign. But expect further questions, and likely criticism from other parties, as the day progresses.

Elsewhere, the fallout from the election betting scandal continues. Rishi Sunak’s chief of staff, Liam Booth-Smith, has been interviewed as a witness by the Gambling Commission. Sources stress he is not a suspect in the investigation and had not placed a bet himself.

As you’d expect, the parties are out and about today and on the airwaves – we’ll bringing you updates and analysis throughout.