Four party leaders are facing a Question Time BBC debate special.
Rishi Sunak, Sir Keir Starmer, Sir Ed Davey and John Swinney will face the BBC Question Time audience at York University, with Fiona Bruce acting as moderator.
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform, has complained about being “shut out” of the debate.
It comes as the pressure mounts on Sunak over the Gambling Commission looking into alleged election-date betting deep inside Tory HQ.
The Conservative Party confirmed this morning that its director of campaigns Tony Lee is now on a leave of absence, as the BBC reported that he too is being looked into for allegedly placing bets, along with his candidate wife and another Tory Commons hopeful.
Both Bristol North West candidate Laura Saunders and outgoing MP Craig Williams, who is the Tory candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, remain officially endorsed by CCHQ despite the probe.
On Thursday evening a statement by Ms Saunders’ solicitors said she would be co-operating with the Gambling Commission.
Met police have arrested and suspended an officer who was serving in the Prime Minister’s personal security unit after he also allegedly bet on the timing of the election, before Mr Sunak made his shock announcement on May 22.
Meanwhile YouGov forecast disastrous results for the Conservatives in London, with the party expected to hold on to only a handful of constituencies on the fringe of the capital.
