we're in scotland, where the first tv election debate takes place tonight. sir keir starmer says he'd use nuclear weapons to defend the uk, while rishi sunak wants to make biological sex a legally—protected characteristic. and coming up later this hour on bbc news, you'll be able to see the episode of newscast we've just recorded, wrapping up all the drama from the campaign trail today. hello, i'm kylie pentelow. nigel farage has announced he's standing as a reform uk candidate at next month's general election, and will take over as party leader. it's a significant u—turn from mr farage, who had previously ruled—out standing. it marks the eighth time that the former mep — and long—time brexit campaigner — has attempted to win a westminster seat. he'll campaign in the essex seat of clacton, currently held by the conservatives.

he also predicted labour would win the election, and that as a member of parliament, he could provide more of an opposition to sir keir starmer, than the conservatives. lucy manning has all the details. mr farage, are you standing? we will find out in the moment, won't we? why have you changed your mind? who says i have? iyou said ten days ago you are notl going to stand, so why the change? do you ever change your mind about anything ever? he said he wouldn't, but now he will. a major u—turn, a change of heart thrust nigel farage into the heart of the general election campaign. i can't let down those millions of people. i simply can't do it! it would be wrong. so i have decided... i've changed my mind. it's allowed, you know! it's not always a sign of weakness. it could potentially be a sign of strength. so i am going to stand

in this election. margaret thatcher famously said she wasn't for turning. you are obviously for turning. why the massive u—turn all of a sudden? this is the old thing about hearts and heads, isn't it? i rationally thought this was too difficult. i have change my mind because i can't let down millions of people who would feel let down by me unless i was at the front and led this charge over the course of the next five and a half years. a reform uk source says mr farag loves the theatre of it all and says he put himself centre stage at this election, but the worry for the conservatives is that he will divert votes away from them. mr farage, who had been called a chicken for not running, was also announced as the new reform uk leader. unlike other parties, without any sort of vote. when the election was called, he had said it was too soon and he was also too busy

with us politics. six weeks in such a short period of time to fight a parliamentary constituency and promote the cause around the country. and i think rishi sunak has wrong—footed an awful lot of people, myself included. nigel paul farage. he's tried seven times before to be an mp, so will it be eighth time lucky in clacton, in essex? the seaside town, big brexit voters, and previously had a ukip mp. today's announcement making waves. no, i wouldn't want him running the country, but it is funny, some of the things he says and does. it is like a good old british style, really. but no, i wouldn't want him running the country. you know, i think if he ran for clacton, he will win it. i think he's marvellous. i think he's a perfect gentleman. he is very well educated.

and i think he's very good for the job. - the conservatives say, as he won't be prime minister, it is a wasted vote, a blank check for labour. but nigel farage says he will surprise everyone again. lucy manning, bbc news. well, our correspondent laura foster is in clacton, and sent this update. well, if i had to describe the reaction of people here in one word, it would be surprised. as news began to ping around people's phones, there were some cries of "you must be joking," there were some cries of "you must bejoking," but there were some cries of "you must be joking," but also some nodding and smiling. everyone we spoke today seem to who nigel farage is — but they did have a lot of different opinions on him and reform uk. but this is an area where that party could perform very well. in the brexit referendum, it had one of the highest percentage of leave voters in the country. now nigel farage will be officially launching his candidacy here tomorrow at midday — but he is by no means the only

person competing to be mp of clacton. let's speak to politics professor tim bale, from queen mary university — he's in east sussex. thank you forjoining us on bbc news. just start by telling us what you think of this move and whether it could potentially split the conservative vote there. i it could potentially split the conservative vote there. i think it could. a polling _ conservative vote there. i think it could. a polling company - conservative vote there. i think it could. a polling company did - conservative vote there. i think it could. a polling company did a i conservative vote there. i think it i could. a polling company did a poll backin could. a polling company did a poll back injanuary in clacton, a constituency pole, and these are quite unusual — it showed without nigel farage, reform uk would finish quite a poor second behind the conservatives. however, indeed possibly even third. but with nigel farage standing, they stand a good chance of actually winning that seat. so i think for the conservatives in clacton, it's a problem, but it's also a wider problem, but it's also a wider problem for the tories because, with nigel farage there, reform uk will have a much larger profile, potentially eating into the conservatives's vote in many places

of the country. it may well cost conservatives tens of seats— not to reform uk, but labour and conservatives tens of seats— not to reform uk, but labourand lib conservatives tens of seats— not to reform uk, but labour and lib dem candidates. we reform uk, but labour and lib dem candidates. ~ . ., ., reform uk, but labour and lib dem candidates-— candidates. we have a say no and heard there _ candidates. we have a say no and heard there in _ candidates. we have a say no and heard there in the _ candidates. we have a say no and heard there in the report - candidates. we have a say no and heard there in the report that - heard there in the report that farage hasn't one before — what do you think he's thinking, in terms of this time round? do you think he's got a viable chance of winning? i think he must do, he must've looked at that constituency poll, he looked at that constituency poll, he looked at how weekly the conservatives are performing in the country as a whole, and it makes it worthwhile going for it, to be honest. i think probably, you'd have to say that he found that actually, there wasn't as much work for him in the us as perhaps he thought would be, and that may have factored into his decision. he that may have factored into his decision. , decision. he says he thinks the election is _ decision. he says he thinks the election is boring, _ decision. he says he thinks the election is boring, he - decision. he says he thinks the election is boring, he wants - decision. he says he thinks the election is boring, he wants to | election is boring, he wants to liven it up — do you think this election is boring? i’m liven it up - do you think this election is boring?— liven it up - do you think this election is boring? i'm a political scientist, election is boring? i'm a political scientist. so _ election is boring? i'm a political scientist, so i _ election is boring? i'm a political scientist, so i love _ election is boring? i'm a political scientist, so i love elections. - election is boring? i'm a political scientist, so i love elections. i. scientist, so i love elections. i think there's a degree of

consciousness particularly on the part of the labour party, which perhaps means this election hasn't caught fire yet. we have the debate tomorrow, so that might excite some people. but of course, it's in farage's best interest, his usp, his brand to suggest that somehow, he's the life and soul of the party and he'll liven up any event.- he'll liven up any event. what did ou make he'll liven up any event. what did you make of _ he'll liven up any event. what did you make of his _ he'll liven up any event. what did you make of his speech _ he'll liven up any event. what did you make of his speech to - he'll liven up any event. what did i you make of his speech to announce his running and his tone within that? �* , his running and his tone within that? �*, . . his running and his tone within that? , ., .,,, that? it's classic showmanship, reall . that? it's classic showmanship, really- nigel— that? it's classic showmanship, really. nigel farage _ that? it's classic showmanship, really. nigel farage always - that? it's classic showmanship, | really. nigel farage always likes that? it's classic showmanship, - really. nigel farage always likes to leave people guessing until the last moment — and of course, he did that by saying he wouldn't stand, now he's done that again by saying he would stand. he's an attention grabber, and whatever you think of his politics — and he's a real marmite politician, some love him, some hate him — he's a superb communicator. he's able, in a way i think few politicians and few party leaders, to communicate to voters.

thank you for your time. here is the list of candidates we know about so far standing in the clacton constituency. the bbc news website will have a complete list, once they're all confirmed. and as we cover this election, we want you to be more involved than ever. that's why we have your voice, your vote. what issues really matter to you, what do you really care about, and where do you want us to report from and why? you can scan the qr code on your screen for more details, and there's more on the bbc news website and app. scotland's first minister, john swinney, will face the leaders of scotland's other main parties in a tv debate this evening all members of the scottish parliament will take part in the debate — but westminster mps are not taking part. recent polling has indicated

that the snp could lose a swathe of seats in the election, mostly to labour. let's speak to our political correspondent in glasgow, georgia roberts. we are an hour and a half away from this debate, what are we expecting? as you say, the leaders of scotland's biggest party, in terms of westminster representation, will be going head—to—head, taking the arguments of the campaign trail to the tv studios for the first time —— biggest parties. john swinney for the msp, anas sarwarfor biggest parties. john swinney for the msp, anas sarwar for scottish labour, douglas ross for the scottish conservatives, and alex cole—hamilton for the scottish liberal democrats. be chaired by the political editor, there will be a 0&a political editor, there will be a q&a and also the leaders will be able to cross—examine, if you like, and each other in some part of the programme as well. a bit of controversy here, the fact that the scottish greens have not been included in tonight's debate. they

are angry about that, but the suv has said that actually, they are comfortable that they are complying with guidelines and it comes to this. the scottish greens have been arguing that they are a big pot and they stand to win more seats than ever before. but the scottish greens of the taking part in bbc�*s debate night programme on 11 of the taking part in bbc�*s debate night programme on "june, so they'll be receptive to represented in that debate. also there is the alba party led by alex salmond, but will be hearing more from them throughout this campaign. but they're also not in the stv debate tonight. so what can we expect, in terms of the arguments? leaders have been setting out their stall beforehand in the run up to tonight's debate, we've been hearing more from them in terms about what we can expect than to say and set out there stall, make their case to

voters on the programme. john swinney says he's hoping for a respectful contest based on ideas to improve the lives of the people of scotland, and he'll be setting out the snp as a genuine alternative to what he calls the broken westminster status quo. the scottish conservatives say the debate would mean the first minister would face scrutiny from douglas ross on his fixation, the scottish conservatives say, with breaking up the uk. the scottish conservatives switching, they say, the focus from independence to the issues that really matter to the scottish people. anas sarwar, for scottish labour, saying this is an election where scotland has an opportunity to vote for change, and he says this is an opportunity that scotland cannot miss. in the scottish liberal democrat leader said he's intending to pitch a message of hope and change to the people of scotland. so we will be hearing a lot of arguments tonight on stv in this

debate, and we will have to see as well in terms of what the snp say on many issues. of course they are the government in scotland, but a lot of this is interesting because a lot of the debate in scotland has been playing out in this campaign about issues that are actually devolved to the scottish government, not under the scottish government, not under the power of westminster. but scottish voters in this election won't be making that distinction, and certainly for the opposition parties here, they'll be using the debate tonight as an opportunity to put the snp on the spot. they'll be using that as the record and government.— using that as the record and government. using that as the record and covernment. , ., ., , government. georgia roberts in glas . ow, government. georgia roberts in glasgow. thank— government. georgia roberts in glasgow, thank you. _ the labour leader, sir keir starmer, says if he becomes prime minister, he would be prepared to use nuclear weapons to defend the uk. at a campaign event in bury, he said his party would increase defence spending and update the country's nuclear arsenal. both the tories and labour are keen to make national security a prominent issue in this election — as chris mason reports.

the fusilier museum, in bury, in greater manchester is a shrine to military service. today, the man who wants to be prime minister wants to convince you the country would be safe in his hands. look at those around him — they have each served in the forces. they are now labour candidates. national security is the most important issue of our times. something which, of course, is always true. and which, for us, if we are privileged to serve our country, will become our solemn responsibility. and labour is promising to keep the uk's nuclear weapons if it wins. keir starmer, you could be prime minister next month. if circumstances necessitated it, would you authorise the firing of nuclear weapons, yes or no? it's a vital part of our defence, and of course, that means we have to be prepared to use it. how things have changed.

i can't imagine being invited to a place like this for a speech by his predecessorjeremy corbyn. i want to be here because of my belief in a nuclear—free future! here addressing a campaign for nuclear disarmament rally in 2016. in that same year, half a dozen members of the current shadow cabinet voted against renewing the uk's nuclear weapons. has the labour leopard really changed its spots on defence? i lead this party. i have changed this party. if we are privileged to come in to serve, i will be the prime minister of the united kingdom. and i have got my whole shadow cabinet behind me. one of those opponents eight years ago, labour's now deputy leader — but she backs the current policy, but chose to mention something today her boss did not. globally, we should be looking at disarmament of nuclear weapons, but that has to be done in combination with other countries.

the scottish national party are opposed to nuclear weapons. the liberal democrats criticise conservative cuts to the army, and the tories are having a go at labour. you have got keir starmer promising everything on defence, 2.5%, - when conditions allow. i would love to do everything i when conditions allow, it's just, you can't believe a word this guy says _ let's talk about money. you've talked about labour spending 2.5% of national income on defence, but you've not put a timeframe on it. isn't it meaningless without a time frame? we must increase defence spending to deal with the increasing threats we face. but by when? we'll undertake a defence review within the first year. we'll look at the threats we face, the capabilities we need, and we will set the plan to hit 2.5% as part of that review. labour look and sound very different on defence than they did. the question for you is how that might change your view of them, or not. chris mason, bbc news, in bury.