Ukip to launch manifesto before minute’s silence for bomb victims

THE UK Independence Party will attempt to steal a march on their rivals by unveiling the party’s manifesto in central London this morning.

Paul Nuttall, the party’s leader, said he wanted to publish his policies for government today to return to normality and ensure “the terrorists do not win”. The decision is likely to prove controversial because the press conference is scheduled to start half an hour before a one-minute silence to remember the victims of the terror attack.

The General Election is expected to restart in earnest tomorrow when the Tories and Labour relaunch their national campaigns. All political parties suspended national campaigning following the attack.

The timing of the earlier restart could suit Ukip if quarterly migration statistics from the Office for National Statistics this morning show a rise in migrants coming to settle in the UK.

Mr Nuttall said Britain should not be “cowed” by those who wish to “do us harm”. He added: “The best response we can make is to ensure that the democratic process continues. These people hate the way we live, hate our freedom and hate our democracy.”

Jeremy Corbyn, Labour’s leader, said: “Resuming democratic debate and campaigning is an essential mark of the country’s determination to defend our democracy and the unity that the terrorists have sought to attack.”

Theresa May has cut short her visit by 24 hours to the G7 conference in Italy to return to the UK.

A spokesman said yesterday: “The Conservative Party will resume local campaigning for the General Election at noon tomorrow, after the minute’s silence to remember all those who lost their lives and others who were affected by the callous attack on innocent life in Manchester. National campaigning will resume on Friday.”

A Liberal Democrat spokesman said last night: “In line with Labour and the Conservatives, we intend to resume national campaigning on Friday.”

The bombing has raised questions about whether polling day could be moved from June 8.

Bhai Narinderjit Singh, the General Secretary of the Sikh Federation (UK) who made the proposal, said: “Although it is not straightforward party leaders should come together, suspend campaigning for a week and agree to postpone the General Election by two weeks.”

A Conservative source said any delay to the date of the election “is not happening”.