Campaigning marathon has started in earnest with Rishi Sunak Clocking up the miles in england, wales and scotland and sir keir starmer heading to labour target territory in kent. Amid the handshakes, placards and babies, the economy and immigration emerged as the main early battle lines, with mr sunak confirming that flights to rwanda to remove people who arrive on small boats wont set off before polling day. Meanwhile, nigel farage confirmed he wont stand in the election, but he will help the reform uk campaign. With our first report tonight, heres our Political Editor chris mason. Cheering placards and cheers and babies getting attention from politicians. Keir starmer is quite the fan of visiting Lower League Football grounds in places he hopes labour can win. He was in gillingham in kent this morning. His deputy with him, too. Thank you. Whatever Service People try and access these days, they find its like wading through treacle. Red cards arent usually welcome for folk on a footbal
You are watching the context. Now its time for europe votes 202a. Elections in the uk, elections in the European Union. Two weeks today, 400 Million People across europe will vote to elect their representatives to the European Parliament. They will choose 720 politicians from 27 countries in what many people consider the most pivotal vote the European Union has staged since members were first elected in 1979. And by the end ofjuly, there will be new parliaments in both the eu and uk, with implications for both sides, for those negotiations post brexit, and in a whole range of areas. Most notably security, migration and trade. Now, for those who dont follow politics in brussels, you should know there are the institutions involved in the legislative process. There is the european commission, that shapes policy, the parliament, directly elected, that debates and vote on those bills, and the council of european leaders, that have an equal say in what is adopted. And at the top of the commi