morning with football. everyone might want a break from politics! and the countdown is on to kick—off of the first match at the euro 2024 football championships this evening, when hosts germany take on scotland at 8pm. the scottish side have been taking part infinaltraining preparations ahead of the game in munich, where they've been joined by tens of thousands of fans. here's jane dougall. all ages, all walks of life. one common passion. # we are the famous tartan army and we're here in germany.# the tartan army has taken over munich, some calling it scotoberfest. # no scotland, no party.# most don't have tickets for the match against germany, but the party is for the whole family. if we are going to get germany in any game, you want them in the first game. they are going to be nervous. it's their home tournament and we are the underdogs, we've got nothing to lose. unfortunately, i've not got a ticket. i've got a few of my mates here. but, you know, it's one of those things, i'm happy to be here. 0ne fan, craig ferguson, walked all the way from glasgow to munich for a men's mental health charity and had high hopes scotland would also take great strides in the tournament. if we win, i did promise i would walk back. more than 200,000 scotland fans are expected at the tournament, planning to be the 12th man. like the support, we couldn't do it without them. they have pushed us over the line at times, and we hope they enjoy themselves over the next 10—11 days, because, you know, if we can perform, we'll give them plenty to shout about. and if we can do that, then, hopefully, they can stay in germany that little bit longer. and they have all travelled for this. the euros begin here at the allianz arena. scotland couldn't have asked for a higher profile match, taking on the hosts germany in their back yard and in the opening game. commentator: scotland go two in front. _ a win over spain en route to qualify for their second consecutive euros has given scotland the confidence to defeat anyone. i think we should all be proud that we are here. hopefully, at the end of this tournament, we are proud that we have achieved something a little bit more — something a little bit more special in regards to scottish football. a win or even a draw may be a pipe dream, but it's not the dog in the fight, it's the fight in the dog. jane dougall, bbc news, munich. we canjoin we can join another band we canjoin another band of we can join another band of scottish fans now. steve snedker is a scotland fan who's made the journey to munich. he has gone with his family, his partner lauren and three children including six—year—old callum, looking very smart! including six-year-old callum, looking very smart!— including six-year-old callum, looking very smart! good morning. callum, you _ looking very smart! good morning. callum, you look _ looking very smart! good morning. callum, you look very _ looking very smart! good morning. callum, you look very excited - looking very smart! good morning. callum, you look very excited to i looking very smart! good morning. | callum, you look very excited to be on television and very excited to be in germany for the game. how excited are you on a scale of one to ten? how excited on a scale of one to ten? , ~ how excited on a scale of one to ten?_ thanks - how excited on a scale of one to ten?_ thanks for i ten? very excited. thanks for talkin: ten? very excited. thanks for talking to _ ten? very excited. thanks for talking to us _ ten? very excited. thanks for talking to us this _ ten? very excited. thanks for talking to us this morning. i ten? very excited. thanks for. talking to us this morning. how ten? very excited. thanks for- talking to us this morning. how are you feeling?— talking to us this morning. how are you feeling? feeling good, excited. it's aood you feeling? feeling good, excited. it's good to — you feeling? feeling good, excited. it's good to be _ you feeling? feeling good, excited. it's good to be here, _ you feeling? feeling good, excited. it's good to be here, we've - you feeling? feeling good, excited. it's good to be here, we've been i it's good to be here, we've been here a few days and it's been building up nicely. really excited to get this going, hopefully. henge to get this going, hopefully. have ou been to get this going, hopefully. have you been to _ to get this going, hopefully. have you been to germany _ to get this going, hopefully. have you been to germany before? to get this going, hopefully. have l you been to germany before? many ears auo. you been to germany before? many years ago- i — you been to germany before? many years ago- i was _ you been to germany before? many years ago- i was a _ you been to germany before? many years ago. i was a lot _ you been to germany before? many years ago. i was a lot younger. i years ago. i was a lot younger. first time in quite a while. it's been brilliant, the people of germany, the hospitality has been fantastic. didn't expect to see so many scottish fans here as well. we were in munich yesterday. what many scottish fans here as well. we were in munich yesterday.— were in munich yesterday. what did callum 'ust were in munich yesterday. what did callum just say? — were in munich yesterday. what did callum just say? can _ were in munich yesterday. what did callum just say? can your _ were in munich yesterday. what did callum just say? can your daddy i were in munich yesterday. what did | callum just say? can your daddy tell us. callum 'ust say? can your daddy tell us. , callum 'ust say? can your daddy tell us, , callum 'ust say? can your daddy tell us. , , , ., callum 'ust say? can your daddy tell us. , _., callum 'ust say? can your daddy tell us. he 'ust said, my shoe has fallen off! a us. he just said, my shoe has fallen off! a great — us. he just said, my shoe has fallen off! a great reception _ us. he just said, my shoe has fallen off! a great reception from - us. he just said, my shoe has fallen off! a great reception from the i off! a great reception from the german people. _ off! a great reception from the german people. tell _ off! a great reception from the german people. tell our i off! a great reception from the i german people. tell our viewers about how you got to germany because you have been part of a convoy of people. you have been part of a convoy of --eole. ., ., ., ., , cam er people. yeah, in motorhomes. camper vans. two motorhomes _ people. yeah, in motorhomes. camper vans. two motorhomes left _ people. yeah, in motorhomes. camper vans. two motorhomes left last - vans. two motorhomes left last sunda . vans. two motorhomes left last sunday- it _ vans. two motorhomes left last sunday. it was _ vans. two motorhomes left last sunday. it was ourselves i vans. two motorhomes left last sunday. it was ourselves and i sunday. it was ourselves and lauren's mum and her partner keith. it has been eventful! we had smoke coming out of one of the motorhomes within 20 minutes of leaving dunfermline. we carried on and made it to germany. keith's motorhome lost fifth gear. it has all been worth it to get here. but lost fifth gear. it has all been worth it to get here.- lost fifth gear. it has all been worth it to get here. but you have not there worth it to get here. but you have got there and _ worth it to get here. but you have got there and we _ worth it to get here. but you have got there and we are _ worth it to get here. but you have got there and we are showing i worth it to get here. but you have i got there and we are showing viewers some pictures from the trip. what an adventure and what a memory to create, especially for the children. yeah, that was the main thing, it was about the children and the memories. the last time scotland were in a european championships i was 16. i didn't go. i have waited pretty much my whole life to go. we wanted to give this opportunity to our kids to soak it up. we have had so many comments from scotland fans are saying to enjoy it, you don't know how lucky you are and we are grateful to be here. find know how lucky you are and we are grateful to be here.— grateful to be here. and what have the children _ grateful to be here. and what have the children been _ grateful to be here. and what have the children been saying _ grateful to be here. and what have the children been saying about i grateful to be here. and what have the children been saying about alll the children been saying about all of this? , ., , , the children been saying about all of this? , . , , ., of this? they are buzzing, they are soakin: it of this? they are buzzing, they are soaking it in. _ of this? they are buzzing, they are soaking it in, soaking _ of this? they are buzzing, they are soaking it in, soaking it _ of this? they are buzzing, they are soaking it in, soaking it all- of this? they are buzzing, they are soaking it in, soaking it all up. i soaking it in, soaking it all up. just really excited. we are big football fans so to see the scotland fans singing yesterday in munich, thousands of them singing in the street, it was brilliant, absolutely spine tingling, amazing. do street, it was brilliant, absolutely spine tingling, amazing.— street, it was brilliant, absolutely spine tingling, amazing. do you have tickets for the _ spine tingling, amazing. do you have tickets for the game _ spine tingling, amazing. do you have tickets for the game tonight? - spine tingling, amazing. do you have tickets for the game tonight? not i tickets for the game tonight? not not tickets tickets for the game tonight? inrii got tickets for tonight but we have tickets for the next two games so we will be going to cologne after this and then stuttgart. we have tickets for those two, but not for tonight. we'll try to get into the olympic park today. i’m we'll try to get into the olympic park today-— park today. i'm sure that will be amazinu. park today. i'm sure that will be amazing- how — park today. i'm sure that will be amazing. how are _ park today. i'm sure that will be amazing. how are you _ park today. i'm sure that will be amazing. how are you feeling i park today. i'm sure that will be i amazing. how are you feeling about scotland boss �*s chances tonight? always optimistic! 0bviously germany are germany, a fantastic football team with amazing players. but scotland, on their day, we showed it on the qualifiers against spain, we can match anyone. hopefully we can get something, a draw, anything we would take. but against germany, we don't expect to win but you have to be hope. full of hopejust don't expect to win but you have to be hope. full of hope just now. don't expect to win but you have to be hope. full of hopejust now. i be hope. full of hope just now. i hope the rest of the trip is amazing for you and the family. thank you to callum as well and enjoy it tonight. i hope the motorhomes work. the gears are ok, there is no smoke coming from the exhaust etc. steve, a scotland fan in munich, thank you. no worries, thank you. and a reminder that as the games get under way — including england's first match against serbia on sunday — you can follow live developments on the bbc sport app and website. let's turn to the general election campaign — and with less than three weeks until polling day the prime minister rishi sunak has said he's "still fighting for every vote". last night senior figures from the seven biggest parties took part in the latest live debate, hosted by itv. among them was nigel farage, who's been buoyed by a yougov opinion poll, which puts his reform uk party in second place — ahead of the conservatives for the first time. mr farage told the bbc he believed that reform would win seats at the election but he couldn't say how many. here's our political correspondent helen catt. familiar faces with familiar pitches. hi, i'm angela rayner, labour's deputy leader, and we have a real chance to turn the page and have change in britain. good evening, i'm penny mordaunt. i'm going to be talking to you about which of your taxes the conservatives will cut. labour will be trying not to talk about the ones they're going to put up. but reform's nigel farage had a new claim. just before we came on air, we overtook the conservatives in the national opinion polls. we are now the opposition to labour. his claim was based on a poll for yougov, which put them one percentage point ahead of the tories for the first time. psychologically, that is significant, but it is within the margin of error and more polls would be needed to suggest a definite trend. what is clear, though, is that labour is still polling far ahead of both. and in this debate, it was noticeable that angela rayner faced more attacks than previously. angela, which of your party's i u—turns are you most proud of — the ditching of the 28 billion- climate investment plan, keeping the cruel two—child benefit cap, or one of the others? _ what i'm not proud of is that we've had 1a years of the tories and the crashing of the economy. plaid cymru pushed back on labour's choice not to lift the cap, too. and labour is refusing to. again, i ask what's happened to labour? well, again, we've said that we'd have action on child poverty, but we will not... but you won't lift the two—child limit — a conservative policy that you are determined to press ahead with, even though it damages some of our poorest families. we will not...we will not do unfunded spending commitments. the snp questioned the future of spending under labour, while criticising the tories' handling of the economy. we've had 1a years of austerity, then we've had the damage of brexit and what that's done to the economy, the shrinking of the economy, the £40 billion worth of tax receipts which have disappeared out of the economy. and while the conservatives' penny mordaunt had one consistent accusation she wanted to level at her opponents... a vote for any other party will increase your taxes. higher taxes, higher taxes, higher taxes, higher taxes, higher taxes. what are you on about? the lib dems' daisy cooper said it was the tories that had put them up and added more costs. but the fact is that the cost—of—living crisis has been made so much worse by the mini—budget, which blew a hole in the public finances and made people's rent and mortgages go absolutely sky high. and people have felt that hit and they are still trying to recover now. no post—show handshakes, this time. with less than three weeks to go, the gloves are off. helen catt, bbc news. 5 live has invited the leaders of the seven main parties to answer your questions directly before polling day. right now, the leader of reform uk, nigel farage, is taking your calls on nicky campbell's programme. we'lljoin them later this hour but you can watch the whole thing live on the bbc iplayer and the bbc news website, or listen on bbc sounds. if you've got a question to ask, you can join the conversation by texting 85058 or call or whatsapp 08085 909 693. live now to our deputy political editor, vicky young, who's in puglia at the g7 summit — which the prime minister is attending. i know rishi sunak has responded off—camera to the latest opinion poll. what has he had to say? off-camera to the latest opinion poll. what has he had to say? that's riaht, the poll. what has he had to say? that's right, the prime _ poll. what has he had to say? that's right, the prime minister— poll. what has he had to say? that's right, the prime minister spoke i poll. what has he had to say? “trust�*s right, the prime minister spoke to journalists this morning, and off—camera briefing, which he often does at these kind of summits. we asked him about that opinion poll. he said if it was replicated onjuly the 4th it he said if it was replicated onjuly the 11th it would mean that sir keir starmer would be in downing street. and he said it would mean a blank check for labour. he said of course he hasn't given up on the election, he hasn't given up on the election, he is fighting for every single vote, you would expect him to say that. he was pressed on whether he needed to change his election strategy because he has come up with policies, on immigration for example, on pensions, all the kinds of things he would have hoped that those thinking of voting for reform, it might have appealed to them, but it might have appealed to them, but it doesn't appear, if the opinion polls are right, that that is the case. he says only two people could be prime minister, he or sir keir starmer, and he is trying to say to those people thinking of voting for reform, if you vote for them, it means labour goes into government. and the defence secretary has warned of a super majority for labour. that is not a phrase rishi sunak has decided to repeat. he says he is focused on the election and carrying on to win every vote and is saying we are only halfway through and there is a long way to go. he has had a bit of respite from the campaign trail here at the g7, mixing with other world leaders. they have been talking a lot about ukraine, they have signed off a $50 billion loan to ukraine for its military and for reconstruction. they also announced new sanctions on russia. it's interesting looking at all the photos of the world leaders, rishi sunak is not the only one struggling with popularity. a lot of them face some real electoral challenges and may be something they have been speaking about when they have been speaking about when they have those private moments over dinner. w' have those private moments over dinner. w ., have those private moments over dinner. a ., ., have those private moments over dinner. ., ., ., ~ dinner. vicki young in puglia, thank ou. most of the major politial parties have now published their manifesto priorities for the next five years, if they win the election. the prime minister rishi sunak says the public deserves the security of a government with a clear plan, whereas labour leader sir keir starmer, says his party would deliver plan for growth. bbc verify�*s nick eardley has been taking a closer look at what the parties are offering. yes, hello. we have the labour and conservative manifestos now. so let me talk you through some of the similarities and some of the differences in their pledges to win you over. let's start with the conservatives — a manifesto that revolved around tax cuts, £17 billion of them. cuts to national insurance, tax breaks for pensioners, tax breaks for first—time homebuyers. but other big spending commitments in there too. a pledge to spend more cash on defence and to fund that national service for 18—year—olds plan. there's a lot more in there, but these are some of the big spending pledges and overall it comes to £17.7 billion. to raise the money, the conservatives are promising a big cut to welfare spending. some experts are sceptical that they can achieve this 12 billion. and they are promising to crack down on tax avoidance. again, that 6 billion figure is a bit uncertain. but the key thing you need to know about the conservatives is they are promising tax cuts and to reduce the welfare bill to fund them. so how does that compare with labour? well, the short answer is labour are making fewer pledges. here are some of the key promises — cash to fund more nhs appointments, a green prosperity plan, more teachers and teacher training. again, there are other pledges in there, these are just some of the most expensive ones. but the spending is a lot less than the conservatives. it's 9.5 billion, about 8 billion less. nevertheless, labour need to find a way to pay for it. and here's their plan. like the tories, clamping down on tax avoidance, they also say they're going to raise some taxes like vat on private schools and they'll borrow some money to invest in green energy. by the way, both parties are planning to move some cash around to fund some of th