In Pictures: Sunak puts his best foot forward as polls favour Labour

The General Election campaign saw Rishi Sunak facing grim poll figures, a photobomb from the Lib Dems and a fresh challenge from Nigel Farage.

The Prime Minister showed off his football skills at Wantage Town and visited rowers at Henley-on-Thames, while Sir Keir Starmer put defence issues to the fore as he visited the Fusilier Museum in Bury.

Mr Farage formally entered the fray after trailing a big announcement in the afternoon, while Scottish leaders geared up for a TV clash on Monday evening.

With polls showing Labour could pull off a huge victory, things were not made any easier for the Prime Minister by Mr Farage’s decisions to stand for Clacton and take the leadership of his Reform party from Richard Tice.

General Election campaign 2024
Sir Keir Starmer and shadow defence secretary John Healey during a visit to the Fusilier Museum in Bury, Greater Manchester (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
General Election campaign 2024
Sir Keir and Mr Healey underline their defence credentials (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Farage then threw down a new gauntlet to Mr Sunak, as he decided to contest a seat in the seaside resort which his former party Ukip once won.

General Election campaign 2024
Nigel Farage during a press conference to announce he will become the new leader of Reform UK and will stand as the parliamentary candidate for Clacton (Yui Mok/PA)
General Election campaign 2024
Holly Valance at the Reform UK press conference (Yui Mok/PA)

The Prime Minister was pranked by Lib Dems at Henley-on-Thames as he pushed the Tory message but still managed to take his message to voters.

General Election campaign 2024
Rishi Sunak and the parliamentary candidate for Henley, Caroline Newton (far right), speaking to rowing club members while Liberal Democrat supporters pass on a boat during a visit to the Leander Club in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire (Jonathan Brady/PA)
General Election campaign 2024
Mr Sunak exchanges high fives with footballers (Jonathan Brady/PA)
General Election campaign 2024
Mr Sunak scrubs down a boat during a visit to the Leander Club in Henley-on-Thames (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Sir Keir’s military visit and Mr Sunak’s footballing foray were the prelude to the first debate between the two men which will be staged by ITV on Tuesday.

Presenter Julie Etchingham gave a glimpse of the set.

General Election campaign 2024
Julie Etchingham at MediaCity in Salford amid preparations for ITV’s hosting of the first head-to-head debate between Mr Sunak and Sir Keir (Jonathan Hordle/ITV/PA)