Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer kick off election campaigns

PM will set off on two-day trip of four UK nations and Labour leader will go to Tory areas in south-east England

• Why is Sunak calling an election now?

Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will kick off their election campaigns on Thursday, six weeks before the country goes to the polls.

The prime minister will tour broadcast studios before embarking on a two-day whistle-stop trip taking in all four nations of the UK. Starmer will head to south-east England in a sign he wants to make inroads in Tory areas.