We are now hearing from our panel for the evening.
Sir Ben Bradshaw, who was the Labour MP for Exeter until parliament was dissolved last week, says this election campaign is “a bit more restful than usual” for him as he is not standing for re-election.
On serious matters, we turn to Nigel Farage having had a milkshake poured over him while campaigning in Clacton today.
Baroness Kate Fall, Conservative peer and former deputy chief of staff to David Cameron, gives her view first, saying: “I don’t think people should be abused or attacked in a campaign, full stop.”
On the broader issue of Mr Farage becoming a candidate and leading Reform UK, she says it is “a bit of a blow for the Tories”, especially “against a background of pretty difficult polls”.
The Conservative campaign, she says, has been running a “core vote strategy” and Rishi Sunak is not doing “nation building speaking”.
“So I hope we see a bit of him tonight reaching out beyond that, a bit more national messaging,” she adds.
Asked for his view on Labour’s strategy, Sir Ben agrees that they have an ultra-cautious “Ming vase strategy” to avoid throwing away their lead, saying: “We’re used to losing.”
He goes on to say that Mr Farage standing “may help us in the short term”, but he does worry about the long term, accusing the Reform leader of being responsible for the toxicity of the debate right now.
He says the UK needs a “sensible centre-right” party to hold Labour to account.
Baroness Fall says she also worries some people in the Tory party are “already fighting the next battle”, which is the leadership race to succeed Mr Sunak.
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