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Can I go to Germany? Rules for travelling from the UK

By Sarah James and Becky Lucas

In England , international travel for leisure has been permitted since Monday 17 May 2021. Germany was previously on the UK 's green list – but what are the rules for travelling there now? 

What are the entry requirements for Germany?

Fully vaccinated travellers – those who received their final dose at least 14 days before travelling – may enter Germany from the UK for any purpose. Anyone aged 12 or over must possess either proof of vaccination (find out the acceptable forms on the German government website ), proof of recovery from Covid for at least 28 days and no more than 90 days, or a negative Covid test prior to arrival. 

Those who are not considered fully vaccinated can only enter Germany if they are a resident or citizen, a spouse or other family member of a resident, serve in an important role or have ‘an urgent need to travel’, and they must have proof of a negative Covid test taken before entry (within 48 hours before departure for Germany if it's a PCR test, or 48 hours before the time of arrival if it's a rapid antigen test). Unvaccinated children up to the age of 11 are allowed to enter Germany from the UK, as long as they travel with at least one fully vaccinated parent. Children aged 12 to 17 can only enter if they are fully vaccinated, a resident (or the child of a resident), or have an urgent need to travel.

If you are fully vaccinated and have spent any of the previous 10 days in a country designated high-risk by the German government, you must complete pre-departure digital registration . If you have done so and are not fully vaccinated, you must quarantine for 10 days – with test and release available after five days. For more details, go to the UK government website . 

Can I travel to the UK from Germany?

As of 18 March 2022, there are no Covid travel rules in the UK, which means that anyone returning to the country does not need to test, quarantine or fill in a passenger locator form , regardless of their vaccination status. The government is also no longer managing any quarantine hotels in the UK, as of the end of March.

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Germany Business Travel

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Business Travel

COVID-19 Travel Regulations Please review the latest updates  published by the Federal Ministry of Interior and Community (BMI) before you travel. 

U.S. citizens do not require a visa to enter Germany. Without a visa, however, they may not stay longer than three months every half-year or take up gainful employment requiring a work permit. If required, citizens may obtain a residence and/or work permit after entry.

For more information, visit the  German Embassy  website.

Welcome to Germany, the meeting, convention, and tourism destination for successful business representatives from around the world. What defines success in business also defines Germany: technology, innovation, flexibility, expertise, efficiency, organization, and mobility. Add the allure of Germany’s brilliant natural beauty, majestic castles and regal palaces, world-class culture and cities steeped in history, and you will come to see why no other destination for business travel even begins to compare. Visit the  German National Tourist Board  website and discover what attracts two-thirds of the world’s top international trade fairs to one place: Germany.

Getting around in Germany

Domestic flights are well developed. Frankfurt and Munich are hubs to Lufthansa, Germany’s national airline. Flying within Germany is quick, taking about 1 hour to get anywhere domestically.

International Airports in Germany (IATA-Code):

BER - Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg

DUS - Flughafen Düsseldorf (Rhein-Ruhr)

FRA - Flughafen Frankfurt am Main (Rhein-Main)

HAM - Flughafen Hamburg (Fuhlsbüttel)

HAJ - Flughafen Hannover (Langenhagen)

CGN - Flughafen Köln/Bonn (Konrad Adenauer)

MUC - Flughafen München (Franz-Josef-Strauß)

NUE - Flughafen Nürnberg

STR - Flughafen Stuttgart

National Airports in Germany (IATA-Code):

ZCC - Flugplatz Baden-Baden

BFE - Flugplatz Bielefeld

DTM - Flughafen Dortmund (Wickede)

DRS - Flughafen Dresden

FDH - Flughafen Friedrichshafen (Löwenthal)

HHN - Flughafen Hahn (Rheinland)

HOQ - Flughafen Hof

KEL - Flughafen Kiel

LHA - Flughafen Lahr (Schwarzwald)

LEJ - Flughafen Leipzig/Halle (Schkeuditz)

LBC - Flughafen Lübeck

MGL - Flughafen Mönchengladbach

FMO - Flughafen Münster/Osnabrück (Greven)

PAD - Flughafen Paderborn-Lippstadt

SCN - Flughafen Saarbrücken (Ensheim)

SGE - Flughafen Siegerland (Burbach)

The  Deutsche Bahn AG  offers a network that will get you almost anywhere in Germany. Rail travel is of no comparison to that in the United States. High-speed trains operate between major cities, making it an efficient alternative to flying, as rail stations are always located in the city center.

Germany’s highway - the Autobahn - is famous. They are in excellent condition and very well developed. However, to keep such quality, maintenance is necessary and construction sites are common.

From several seaports on the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, you may find your desired  ferry connection .

There is a growing network of affordable long-distance bus routes in Germany. The following website identifies connections of various bus companies including booking (German only):  http://www.busliniensuche.de

Additional Information

The German time zone is located within the Central European Time Zone.

To convert U.S. time to German time:

Eastern Standard (EST): +6 hours

Central Standard Time (CST): +7 hours

Mountain Standard Time (MST): +8 hours

Pacific Standard Time (PST): +9 hours

Alaska Standard Time (AST): +10 hours

Hawaii Standard Time (HST): +11 hours

Click  here  to receive more information about Germany’s currency and economy.

International Calls from the USA

To Germany: 011 + 49 + Area Code (disregard 0) + number

Example - German number 030 83051900: Dial 011 49 30 83051900 from the US.

To U.S.: 001 + Area Code + number

Mobile Phones

In Germany, cell phone coverage is almost 100% - you will always have service! However, frequencies throughout Europe differ from those used in North America. Your service provider can tell you if your phone is compatible with the German / European system and offer you alternatives if it is not. Network frequencies: EGSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900

Computers & Internet

Bringing a laptop to Germany is simple: most run on both 110 volts, as in North America, or 230 volts, as found throughout Europe. Although the voltage is universal, you will still need an adapter to plug your computer into an electrical outlet.

While in Germany, the Internet is easily accessible. You can often log on at your hotel, either right from your room or in computer rooms, and at business centers, which offer internet access to guests. If neither is available, ask your hotel about an Internet café – chances are an excellent one is right around the corner!

Electric Current

Germany uses 230V. Therefore, a converter will be needed in order to use American 110V devices.

The climate is similar to that of the North Eastern U.S. More current weather information can be found  here .

ATMs/ Banks:  ATMs are as easily found in Germany as they are in North America. They are located at bank branches and in shopping, tourist and other busy areas. Major credit and debit cards, along with all other bank cards carrying the PLUS and NYCE symbols, are universally accepted. When located indoors, use your card to gain access if the door is locked.

Credit Cards:  Credit cards are not commonly accepted in Germany, and they are not typically used for everyday expenses. Although, restaurants, hotels, stores, train stations, and other places regularly frequented by tourists will almost always accept them.

Tipping:  The bill you receive at a hotel, restaurant, café, or bar often includes a service charge already. A tip is an indication of your satisfaction – 10% is average, whereas more than 10% indicates exceptional service. Tip taxi drivers about 10% and porters and others who assist you with baggage one euro per item.

Hours of Business

Stores in Germany generally open between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m, and most close between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The regulations vary slightly between the federal states. On Sunday almost all stores are closed, the exceptions being gas stations and convenience stores, which carry some food items, snacks and beverages, newspapers, and journals as well as a basic supply of toiletry articles.

Banks and post offices are generally open from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday; some banks have extended hours on Thursday. Pharmacies open at 8 a.m.

Museums are generally closed on Mondays. Throughout the year, many cities have a “Long Night of the Museums,” where all the city’s museums are open throughout the night.

VAT Refunds & Tax-Free Shopping

Prices for goods and services in Germany always include a 19% value-added tax (VAT). Some or all of the VAT may be refundable for goods purchased at stores displaying the “Tax-Free for Tourists” sign. You will receive a tax-free form upon making a purchase. Before leaving the country and before checking any luggage, present the purchased goods, the tax-free form, and your receipt to German customs officials. They will certify the form as proof of legal export.

You may then obtain a cash refund at one of the Tax-Free Shopping Service counters located at all major border crossings, airports, ferry ports, and train stations.

Links to interesting pages:

• Webpage of the  German Federal Government
• Information about  Germany
• Get impressions of German travel destinations and  German places

Germany Travel Restrictions

Traveller's COVID-19 vaccination status

Travelling from the United Kingdom to Germany

Open for vaccinated visitors

COVID-19 testing

Not required

Not required for vaccinated visitors

Restaurants

Not required in public spaces.

Ready to travel?

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Can I travel to Germany from the United Kingdom?

Most visitors from the United Kingdom, regardless of vaccination status, can enter Germany.

Can I travel to Germany if I am vaccinated?

Fully vaccinated visitors from the United Kingdom can enter Germany without restrictions.

Can I travel to Germany without being vaccinated?

Unvaccinated visitors from the United Kingdom can enter Germany without restrictions.

Do I need a COVID test to enter Germany?

Visitors from the United Kingdom are not required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test or antigen result upon entering Germany.

Can I travel to Germany without quarantine?

Travellers from the United Kingdom are not required to quarantine.

Do I need to wear a mask in Germany?

Mask usage in Germany is not required in public spaces.

Are the restaurants and bars open in Germany?

Restaurants in Germany are open. Bars in Germany are .

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• Parents & Professionals

Travel to Germany

Post-Brexit travel advice for schools and groups

The rules for travelling to Germany changed on 1 January 2021:

• Travellers visiting Germany will not need a visa for visits shorter than 90 days within any 180-day period. This applies to travel as a tourist, to visit family or friends, to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events, or for short-term studies or training.
• If you are planning to stay in Germany for longer than 90 days , e.g to study, you will need to meet the German government’s entry requirements. Please refer to the UK government’s  Living in Germany guide  and contact the  German Embassy London  if you have any questions.
• As of 1 October 2021 schools and groups are no longer able to use the list of travellers scheme.
• Further details on visa regulations for young people from Germany wishing to stay in the UK, including information on exchanges and educational visits, can be found in the Home Office’s Visit guidance .

Check how the new rules affect you .

For general advice on how to prepare for  visits to Germany planned from 2021 and beyond , you can find out more on the  gov.uk  website.

• For travellers with current EHIC cards, they will remain valid until they expire.
• As of 1 January 2021, European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) held by UK residents will be gradually phased out and replaced by Global Health Insurance Cards (GHICs). 
• If you are travelling to the EU, you can apply for a free GHIC, which gives you the right to access emergency state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in Germany.

Further information on travel insurance can be found on the relevant  gov.uk  webpages.

UK border advice

If you are travelling with a group of young people, take a look at the advice on faster travel through the UK border from the  Home Office .

Safe travels!

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Visas and entry requirements in europe and the schengen area.

This page is for Australians travelling to Europe.

Read this page to learn about:

• the Schengen Area
• entry and exit to the Schengen Area
• other European countries with visa waivers
• non-Schengen European countries

The Australian Government doesn't issue visas for other countries. We can't provide final information on border rules. Ask your destination's high commission, embassy or consulate for details before you travel.

The Schengen Area

The Schengen Area is made up of 27 European countries with common border rules. It lets travellers move freely between member countries without

• going through border controls
• getting a visa for each country.

The members of the Schengen Area are:

• Czech Republic
• Liechtenstein
• The Netherlands
• Switzerland

Bulgaria  and  Romania  partially joined the Schengen area on 31 March.  Border checks should have ceased for air or sea travel  between Bulgaria, Romania, and other Schengen Area countries. Checks are still undertaken for land-based travel. Stays in Bulgaria and Romania now count towards your total visa-free stay in the Schengen Area (see below).

Entry and exit in the Schengen Area

Australians can travel visa-free in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. Your travel must be for:

• business purposes
• visiting friends and family
• tourism and holidays
• cultural and sports events
• official visit
• medical reasons
• short-term study

Apply at the embassy, high commission or consulate of the country where you'll stay the longest. If you're staying for the same length of time in each country, apply at the embassy of the country you'll visit first.

You'll need to apply for a visa if:

• you're planning to stay for more than 90 days
• your reason for travel changes, and you no longer qualify for visa-free travel.

You'll need to apply outside the country you want a visa for.

Calculating your 90/180 days

Calculating your visa-free days can be complicated. The European Commission provides a calculator to help you track your visa-free days .

• The 180 days isn't fixed in time. It's calculated backwards from today.
• Your 90 days are calculated from your first day in the Schengen Area within the 180 days.
• If you leave and return within 180 days, your last stay will count towards the 90-day maximum.
• If you use up your visa-free days, you must leave until you accumulate more or apply for a visa.
• You may be fined or banned from the Schengen Area if you overstay your 90 days.

Example You arrive in Spain on 18 March. You fly to the UK on 21 April and stay there until the 29th. On 30 April, you travel to Greece and stay until 23 June. Your trip was 97 days, but only 90 were in the Schengen Area. You can't re-enter the Area until at least 14 September, when the Spanish leg of your trip falls outside your 180 days. If you re-enter on 14 September, you can only stay another 35 days as your time in Greece still counts towards your current 90 days. If you re-enter on 22 September, you can stay another 90 days, as you haven't been in the Area in the past 180 days .

Entering and exiting the Schengen Area

You must show a valid passport when entering the Schengen Area.

Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the date you intend to leave.

Make sure you get a clear entry stamp in your passport when you enter the Schengen Area for the first time. Without a stamp, you could be fined or detained.

Some countries need you to register within 3 days of arrival.

See our destination-specific travel advice for entry and exit details for each country. Check the European Commission for information on temporary border controls .

These visa rules only apply when travelling on your Australian passport . If you're a dual national travelling on your other passport, check the rules for that nationality.

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is an electronic security system. It will do a security check before you can enter participating European countries . ETIAS is expected to start in mid-2025 if the new system is working.

You won't need an ETIAS for EU countries who aren't taking part in the program.

Other European countries with visa waivers

There are other European countries where you can travel visa-free. Travel to these countries does not count towards your 90 days for Schengen Area travel.

Countries can change their border rules at short notice. Before you travel, ask your destination's nearest embassy or consulate for the latest rules.

Visa waiver agreements with Australia

Australia has visa waiver agreements with several countries in the Schengen Area. These agreements may allow you to spend 60 to 90 days in the country for tourism.

Visa waiver agreement countries include:

Using visa waiver agreements with Schengen visa-free arrangements is complex. Each country operates the visa waiver in its own way.

Most countries need you to use the visa waiver at the end of your Schengen Area travel.

Visa-free tourism programs in non-Schengen countries

Some European countries outside the Schengen Area allow you to enter visa-free for tourism. Most let you stay up to 90 days. Some are for longer. See our country advisories for details on border rules.

• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• North Macedonia (Republic of North Macedonia)
• United Kingdom

Non-Schengen European countries

Many European countries are not part of the Schengen Area. Non-Schengen countries have their own border rules. These countries include:

Ask these countries' high commission, embassy or consulate for visa information.

• General advice on  visas .
• Before you go, get the right travel insurance .
• Read about Australia's 11 reciprocal health care agreements .
• The Schengen Area explained

Related content

Many Australians hold two or more nationalities. If you're travelling to the country of your other nationality, find out how your citizenship can impact you.

Foreign governments often require you to get a visa before they let you enter. This page provides general advice and information about visas overseas.

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Step 1 : Check if you’re eligible

Find out what activities you can do and how to prove your eligibility if you’re:

• being paid by a UK company to visit as an expert in your profession
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Election latest: Climate protester heckles Sir Keir Starmer at start of manifesto launch; more bad news for PM in latest NHS figures

Fallout continues after Sky's Battle for Number 10 leaders' event last night; Labour and Plaid Cymru launch their manifestos, making their pitches to the electorate ahead of polling day in three weeks.

Thursday 13 June 2024 11:52, UK

• General Election 2024

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Manifesto week

• Labour launching manifesto - watch and follow live
• The key pledges at a glance
• 'Same old Tory policies': Watch Starmer interrupted by heckler
• Labour leader makes dig at Farage in attack on 'panto politics'
• Plaid Cymru vow to 'fight for fairness' at manifesto launch
• Waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England rises
• Politics At Jack And Sam's: The Day... Labour launches manifesto
• Check parties' manifesto pledges: Conservatives | Greens | Lib Dems
• Live reporting by Ben Bloch , Ollie Cooper  and Bhvishya Patel

Battle For No 10 - Sky News leaders' event

• Catch-up: What you need to know from PM and Starmer's grilling
• Almost two-thirds of voters think Starmer did better
• Cameron admits Sunak faced 'tough crowd'
• View from the spin room: How parties thought their men got on
• Beth Rigby: There is a change in dynamic here
• Sam Coates: Starmer mute on key tax issues - as Sunak bruised

Election essentials

• Campaign Heritage: Memorable moments from elections gone by
• Trackers: Who's leading polls? | Is PM keeping promises?
• Follow Sky's politics podcasts: Electoral Dysfunction | Politics At Jack And Sam's
• Read more: Who is standing down? | Key seats to watch | How to register to vote | What counts as voter ID? | Check if your constituency is changing | Your essential guide to election lingo | Sky's election night plans

Labour's manifesto has been published on its website.

Our team is pouring over its contents, and we'll bullet point the key pledges below in this post - which will update as we work through it. 

You can read the full manifesto here , but here are the key promises: 

• 40,000 more NHS appointments each week
• Double the number of cancer scanners
• New dentistry rescue plan
• Recruit 8,500 additional mental health staff
• Bring back the "family doctor" 
• Two fiscal rules - that the current budget moves into balance, so that day-to-day costs are met by revenues and that debt must be falling as a share of the economy by the fifth year of the forecast
• £1.8bn to upgrade ports and build supply chains across the UK
• £1.5bn to new gigafactories "so our automotive industry leads the world"
• £2.5bn to rebuild the steel industry

Foreign policy and defence 

• Keep Britain steadfast in its financial, military and diplomatic support of Ukraine
• Maintain UK's "unshakeable" commitment to NATO 
• Conduct strategic review of the UK's defence within the first year
• Create a long-term strategy to manage relationship with China
• Commit to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution towards a renewed peace process in the Middle East
• To rebuild and reset relationship with the EU - but crucially remain outside of it
• Pledge to defend Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands

Environmental

• Issue no new licenses to explore new oil and gas fields
• Create a new Clean Power Alliance
• Aim for "clean power" by 2030 by doubling onshore wind, tripling solar power and quadrupling offshore wind by that date
• £1bn to accelerate the deployment of carbon capture
• £500m to support the manufacturing of green hydrogen

Tax and pay

• Raise £7bn in tax revenue by closing non-dom loophole, cracking down on tax avoidance, collecting VAT and business rates on private schools
• A time-limited windfall tax on oil and gas giants - which would raise £1.2bn
• Cap corporation tax at the current level of 25%
• Increase stamp duty on purchases of residential property by non-UK residents by 1%
• Remove all age bands so all adults are entitled to the same minimum wage
• Keep mortgage rates as low as possible
• End the use of offshore trusts to avoid inheritance tax 

Infrastructure 

• Bring railways into public ownership as existing rail contracts expire
• Fix one million potholes each year
• New powers for local leaders to franchise local bus services
• Build 1.5 million homes by the end of the next parliament 
• Invest £6.6bn on improving energy efficiency in homes 
• Put failing water companies under special measures and give regulators new powers to block bonus payments to executives who "pollute our waterways" 

Immigration

• Create a "Border Security Command" - hundreds of new investigators, intelligence officers, and cross-border police officers, funded by ending Rwanda scheme
• Seek a new security agreement with the EU 
• Set up a new returns and enforcement unit, with an additional 1,000 staff, to fast-track removals
• Reform the points-based immigration system

Constitution 

• Give 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote
• Remove right to hereditary peers in the House of Lords
• Enforced House of Lords retirement age of 80
• Consult on how to replace the House of Lords entirely
• Establish new ethics and integrity commission 
• Establish "modernisation committee" for House of Commons

The Labour leader continues by saying voters can "choose to live in a country that believes in and backs its young people - the future of our country".

He then takes an apparent dig at the Tories over the national service plan.

Sir Keir Starmer says: "I am fed up of politicians lecturing young people about their responsibility to our nation when those politicians fail in their responsibility to the future."

The Labour leader goes on to say there may be some people today who says "where's the surprise, where's the rabbit out of the hat?".

"If you want politics as pantomime, I hear Clacton is nice this time of year," he says, in an apparent dig at Nigel Farage, who's standing in the seaside constituency for Reform UK.

"Britain needs stability and not chaos," he adds.

Sir Keir says the party's "long-term plan" will "give a clear direction to businesses, communities, and everyone invested in Britain's future".

He calls for an "end to the desperate era of gestures and gimmicks".

Sir Keir adds: "On that foundation of stability, we start to rebuild."

He also says "the way we create wealth in this country is broken and leaves far too many people insecure".

"So we will reform it," he adds.

Sir Keir Starmer says the challenges facing the UK "don't disappear overnight if Labour wins - we don't have a magic wand".

But he argues the manifesto is "a credible long-term plan - a plan built on stable foundations, with clear first steps".

He reiterates the key pledges - "tough spending rules that will keep taxes and inflation low", cutting NHS waiting times, a new Border Security Command to stop small boat crossings, a new publicly-owned energy company, a crackdown on antisocial behaviour, and 6,500 new teachers.

He declares that the manifesto is "a plan for change, for growth, for giving our children their future back, a chance to refocus politics on the things that matter to your family".

Starmer reiterates tax pledges

He hits out at the Conservative Party, saying: "It doesn't matter how many new policies the Tories throw at the wall, hoping that some of them will stick, none of them face up to the reality of this future."

Sir Keir says all Labour's policies will be "fully funded and fully costed", saying it is "non-negotiable" after the "damage" of the Truss mini-budget.

"I make no apologies for being careful with working people's money, and no apologies for ruling out tax rises on working people."

Addressing an issue that has dogged him during the campaign, he declares: "We will not raise income tax, we will not raise national insurance, we will not raise VAT - that is a manifesto commitment."

Sir Keir Starmer is now up on stage and thanks his supporters.

The Labour leader begins speaking but is rather quickly interrupted by a heckler in the crowd.

She's heard shouting: "My generation is being let down by this party and this manifesto."

"Same old Tory policies," she adds.

Sir Keir says "we gave up on being a party of protest five years ago".

The woman, who PA news agency reports is a climate protester, is escorted out by security.

Sir Keir continues by saying "the pursuit of social justice and economic growth must go hand in hand".

He says he has a "plan to change Britain".

"Today we can lay a new foundation of stability," he says.

"There is so much potential in this country, so much possibility if we stand together as four nations."

Next up to speak at the Labour manifesto launch is the Iceland supermarket boss, Richard Walker.

He says the manifesto "really is" a good one, following "14 years of Tory chaos and underachievement".

"Only Labour can change this country's trajectory of dismal economic performance," he says.

"I really like what I see in Labour's plan to ensure that we invest in the people and infrastructure that we need to put our country on the road to recovery."

Mr Walker says Labour will relentlessly pursue economic growth, while the plans to change the planning system "has the potential to genuinely turbocharge our prospects".

Holding up a copy of Labour's manifesto, the supermarket boss concludes: "It gives me real hope that this can be the start of a better future for all of us."

Angela Rayner, Labour's deputy leader, is up on stage and speaking to the crowd in Manchester.

She says she is "so proud to call this city my home" and "to see so many of you here today".

Ms Rayner says the country needs "change after 14 years of chaos".

"We just cannot afford five more years of high tax, low growth and broken Tory promises," she says.

Labour's plan for growth involves "investment and reform", she says.

"We have changed the Labour Party and with this manifesto we can change Britain," she adds.

She says Labour's plan will "turn the page" and "start a new chapter".

"Today we publish our plan for the change we need to meet the challenges ahead," she says.

"Our chance to end the chaos, turn the page and start a new chapter.

"What we now ask is to make that change a reality."

The Labour Party election manifesto launch is under way in Greater Manchester.

We are expecting to hear from the party's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, the boss of Iceland supermarkets, Richard Walker, and Sir Keir Starmer himself.

The party has promised it will have "wealth creation" at its heart, and they will pitch a potential Labour government as both "pro-business and pro-worker".

A party source told Sky News that the manifesto will be a "slim" document - but we will bring you all the details as soon as we have them.

Watch live on Sky News, in the stream above, at the link below - and follow live updates here in the Politics Hub.

In the next few moments, the Labour leadership will take to the stage to unveil the details of their manifesto.

Here are some photos of the Labour leader and his shadow cabinet holding the document that will be published very shortly - and we'll bring you all the details as soon as we have them.

The leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth, is the final speaker at their manifesto launch.

He says they are there to "set out a vision", and this general election "feels different" to previous ones, saying: "It feels as if more people than ever are left utterly uninspired by what either Labour or the Conservatives have to offer."

The key theme of their manifesto, he says, is "fairness" - and he calls for more money for Wales, and the "the abolition of the Barnett Formula" - the funding calculation which, he claims, "has seen Wales lose out to the tune of billions over the years".

Scrapping it would, he argues, allow much more investment in public services in Wales.

He also argues that Wales should be entitled to more money following Rishi Sunak's decision to scrap HS2, saying Scotland and Northern Ireland have been "compensated" for the decision.

"Wales is owed some £4 billion – just imagine what that could do to transform our public transport network nationwide – buses, roads and railways – connecting our communities and giving our economy that desperately-needed boost," he says.

The Plaid Cymru leader calls on the next UK government to "show you're serious about Wales and resolve the long-standing fair funding issues".

He also argues that the UK should rejoin the European Union, citing "the disastrous consequences of severing ties with the world’s largest trading bloc".

He says Plaid Cymru is committed to scrapping the two-child benefit cap, which Labour has ruled out doing, and increasing child benefit by £20 per week.

More broadly, he wants a "fairer tax system", which would include windfall taxes, devolving the Crown Estate, more investment in the green transition, reversing cuts to business rates support, and a Wales-specific COVID inquiry.

Concluding, he says Labour will win the election, but electing Plaid Cymru MPs will allow them to "influence the change ahead of us" and keep a "Labour government in check".

"I am proud to stand on a platform which offers a positive vision for our country, which offers a real alternative to the increasingly joined up thinking of the two main UK parties – and a platform which gives people the opportunity to vote for fairness, for ambition, and for Wales."

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