BBC Leaders’ Special LIVE: Latest updates from Question Time

First question of the night is put to Sir Ed Davey by Alison who asks him if his spending plans, which are five times higher than Labour’s will bankrupt the country.

Sir Ed insists it won’t because the manifesto is detailed and costed.

He then lists several ways on how the money will be raised by taxing oil and gas giants and reversing tax cuts for the banks.

No desk tonight… just centre stage.

Host Fiona Bruce explains each leader will have 30 minutes to answer questions from the audience.

First up is Sir Ed Davey.

The BBC’s Question Time Leaders’ Special is now just 10 minutes away.

Stick with us for live coverage from throughout the event with Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey expected to answer questions first.

If the polls are to be believed, the Prime Minister will need a miracle performance in York tonight, but is it too little too late?

His campaign has been dogged by debacles, this week chiefly a Gambling Commission probe that has so far investigated two Tory candidates over allegedly betting on the date of the general election.

Mr Sunak will need to show resilience with the audience expecting to pepper him on immigration, the NHS and cost-of-living questions.

Expect him to warn about tax rises under a Labour government.

The Labour leader will aim to look Prime Ministerial as he hopes to convince voters he is the right man to replace Rishi Sunak.

Mr Starmer has long enjoyed a dominant lead in the polls and though criticised by some for playing it too safe, he will want to ensure he has a steady night without any gaffes.

Expect him to be pushed once again on tax with Labour repeatedly asked what taxes they can and cannot rule out in the event they win an election.

It’s also likely he will emphasise his message of change, namely the country is crying out for it and that he is different to his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn.

Much like the Conservatives are warning against a Labour landslide in England, Mr Swinney will no doubt urge voters to make sure the SNP can provide staunch opposition in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon’s former deputy will be keen to show he has proved capable of moving on from scandals that have engulfed the party.

Launching the SNP manifesto on Wednesday, Mr Swinney said the election would allow voters a chance to ‘intensify the pressure’ to secure Scottish independence.

If asked about Brexit, Mr Swinney is likely to say an independent Scotland would re-join the European Union.

The Liberal Democrat leader will be answering questions first and will be directly appealing to Conservative voters to choose his party at the ballot box.

His campaign has been noticeable for a number of election stunts or photo ops including a waterslide, bicycle riding and paddleboarding in the Lake District.

But he won’t mind if it adds to extra publicity and a video showing him caring for his disabled son was particularly welcomed by some as showing the human side of politicians.

Will be keen to discuss his plans for NHS and social care and clearing sewage from rivers.

Let’s take a look at each of the candidates in order of speaking and examine what they will be hoping for from tonight’s event.

Thiis is the moment Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney arrived in York for a four party leadership election special.

The SNP leader will speak second on the night following Sir Ed Davey.

The Labour and Lib Dem leaders both visited seats in Yorkshire today, ahead of their appearance in the evening on BBC1’s Question Time in York, while Prime Minister Rishi Sunak chose to stay off the campaign trail.

Sir Ed Davey went to what is plausibly the only constituency in the country the Liberal Democrats might gain from Labour on polling day: Sheffield Hallam.

It is a seat with a notable Lib Dem history, having been held by the party’s former leader, Sir Nick Clegg, from 2005 up to 2017, when he was beaten by Labour.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer spent Thursday morning in York Outer: the only constituency in the country with the word “outer” in its name, and which always appears last on any alphabetical list of UK parliamentary seats.

York Outer has been in existence as a constituency since 2010 and has been won by the Conservatives at every general election up to and including 2019, with the party defending a notional majority at this election of 10,782.

Before we look ahead to tonight’s debate, let’s take a look at some of the political stories we have published on the MailOnline website today with polling day now just two weeks away.

Here are just some of the stories we have reported today:

Our political reporter James Tapsfield reports Rishi Sunak will mount another bid to turn the tide in the election tonight as he and Keir Starmer face a BBC Question Time grilling.

With just a fortnight to go until July 4, the PM and the Labour leader will take turns being interrogated by a studio audience.

Read James’s report here:

Hello and welcome to MailOnline’s live coverage of the Question Time Leaders’ Special.

We will provide live updates as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Sir Keir Starmer, Sir Ed Davey and John Swinney face 30 minutes of questioning from a live audience in York.

Sir Ed Davey will face questions first before he is followed by John Swinney, Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak in an order agreed by the BBC and by the political parties.

It is one of the last televised leaders event before Britain heads to the polls on July 4. To watch the leaders special live tune in to BBC One at 8pm.