In Pictures: Acting and Japanese royalty centre stage alongside party leaders

The election campaign trail with nine days to go before the July 4 poll.

Published Jun 25, 2024

Actor Idris Elba and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was joined by actor Idris Elba on Tuesday when he spoke to families of knife crime victims.

Sir Keir has pledged to ban the online sale of zombie knives “straight away” if he becomes prime minister.

Pastor Lorraine Jones speaking to actor Idris Elba and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer while sitting at a table — Pastor Lorraine Jones, who lost her son, Dwayne Simpson, to knife crime, speaks to actor Idris Elba and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, as they meet families of knife crime victims at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith, London (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer rests his hand on the shoulder of actor Idris Elba — Sir Keir rests his hand on Idris Elba’s shoulder at the meeting in Hammersmith (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Home Secretary James Cleverly and shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper take part in a live immigration debate on LBC’s Nick Ferrari at Breakfast — Earlier on Tuesday, Home Secretary James Cleverly and shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper took part in a live immigration debate on LBC’s Nick Ferrari at Breakfast (Jonathan Brady/PA

LBC presenter Nick Ferrari, James Cleverly and Yvette Cooper in an LBC studio — LBC presenter Nick Ferrari, James Cleverly and Yvette Cooper at Global Studios on Tuesday morning (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took a step back from the election campaign trail on Tuesday to join the ceremonial welcome for Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako at the start of their state visit to the UK.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with Home Secretary James Cleverly and Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron at Horse Guards Parade for the state visit of Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako (Jeff Moore/PA)

Rishi Sunak during the ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade (Kin Cheung/PA)

Rishi Sunak, Lord Cameron and James Cleverly stand together dressed in morning dress — Rishi Sunak, Lord Cameron and James Cleverly chat ahead of the ceremonial welcome for the Japanese emperor (Chris Jackson/PA)

Elsewhere, voters in Wiltshire were given the chance of voting for a more unusual candidate when a senior druid threw his hat in the ring, and in Scotland the SNP put green energy in the spotlight.

Druid dressed in traditional robe standing outside the entrance of Salisbury Cathedral — Senior druid and parliamentary candidate King Arthur Pendragon has called on the public in Salisbury, Wiltshire, to choose him as their ‘champion’ in Westminster (Sarah Ping/PA)

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes (lef) and SNP candidate for Lothian East Lyn Jardine (right) during a visit to Aikengall Community Wind Farm in East Lothian — Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes (left) and SNP candidate for Lothian East Lyn Jardine (right) during a visit to Aikengall Community Wind Farm in East Lothian (Neil Pooran/PA)