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Sunday saw the first round of political programmes since MPs triggered a December 12 general election, which meant senior party figures, including Boris Johnson, were out in force.
The looming snap poll is starting to widen political debate away from the Brexit crisis, however there was still plenty of discuss about the UK’s withdrawal from the EU – which the prime minister is attempting to make the defining issue of the election.
So what happened?
Brexit
The prime minister expressed “deep regret” over his failure to deliver Brexit on October 31, which he had previously promised to “do or die”.
Johnson replied “of course, of course” when asked if he would apologise to Tory members who backed him to be PM on the understanding he would get the UK out of the EU on Halloween.
In his first long-form TV interview since the election was called, Sky News’s Sophy Ridge said he needed to take responsibility and could not just blame other people.
Johnson replied: “Well, I do. I do and I’m deeply, deeply disappointed.”
Asked if he was sorry, the PM said: “Yes, absolutely.”
Pushed on whether he would apologise to Tory members who supported him, Mr Johnson replied: “Of course, of course.
“It’s a matter of... it’s a matter of deep regret.
Johnson also failed to rule out extending the post-Brexit transition period, during which the UK will follow EU rules, beyond the end of 2020 if he has not agreed a comprehensive trade deal with Brussels in time.
He said only: “I see no reason whatsoever why we should extend the transition period.”
Treasury Chief Secretary Rishi Sunak meanwhile failed to deny suggestions the Tories would drop their no-deal Brexit threat from the party’s election manifesto.
Sunak repeatedly stressed that leaving with Johnson’s deal was the goal should the Tories secure a majority.
“I’m not going to comment on the manifesto specifically,” he told BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show.
“But what I would say is the prime minister has spent all this time and energy negotiating a deal ... and that’s the deal we will put in place and deliver if we’re elected with a majority.”
Nigel Farage not standing
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage revealed he would not be standing to be an MP in the election, perhaps discouraged by slipping poll ratings.
Farage, who has failed in seven attempts to get elected to parliament, told Marr: “I’ve thought very hard about this, how do I serve the cause of Brexit best? Because that’s what I’m doing this for, not for a career because I don’t want to be in politics for the rest of my life.
“Do I find a seat, try to get myself into parliament or do I serve the cause better traversing the length and breadth of the United Kingdom, supporting 600 candidates, and I’ve decided that the latter course is the right one.
“It’s very difficult to do but it’s very difficult to be the constituency every day and at the same time be out across the United Kingdom.”
Remain alliance
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson confirmed talks are ongoing about a Remain alliance between her party, the Greens and Plaid Cymru in scores of seats across the country.
The pact would see two of the three parties stand aside to favour the one with the best chance of victory, replicating the success seen in the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election.
Some local pacts have already been struck, including a move to give the Greens a free run at Tory Bob Seely on the Isle of Wight.
Swinson did not rule out reports she could join an alliance across up to 60 seats.
“The specifics of announcements will be made in due course but it’s well understood that these discussions have been taking place,” she told Ridge.
“I wouldn’t necessarily assume that the numbers are accurate.
“I think it’s fair to say that in the vast majority of constituencies the party of Remain that is going to be best-placed to win that seat will be the Liberal Democrats.”
Swinson meanwhile criticised ITV again for excluding her from a live debate between Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn, suggesting it could be sexist.
“In that election we had Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg - spot the difference,” she said.
Heathrow expansion
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell reiterated Labour’s position that the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport does not meet the party’s required tests to go ahead.
McDonnell, whose Hayes and Harlington seat contains Heathrow, has long opposed expansion to protect the quality of life of his constituents.
He told Marr: “We set ourselves criteria, one of which was environmental impact, the other was also economic impact and social impact.
“On the current criteria, we’ve said very clearly, Heathrow expansion doesn’t qualify.”
Pressed on whether Labour would cancel the extension, he said: “At the moment it does not qualify based on the criteria we set out.”
Other expansions across the country including in Manchester would also be considered under the criteria, he said.
Scottish independence
Johnson ruled out granting permission for a second Scottish independence referendum while he is PM, despite Nicola Sturgeon’s insistence that “things have changed” since the country voted to stay in the UK five years ago.
Asked if he would ever grant permission for such a ballot, Johnson told Ridge: “No, I don’t want to have one.”
He added: “We had one in 2014, the British people, the people of Scotland, were told in 2014 that that was a once-in-a-generation event. I don’t see any reason to go back on that, on that assurance.”
But Scottish First Minister Sturgeon insisted the PM had “omitted to recognise the fact that many things have changed since Scotland had an independence referendum in 2014, not least we face being taken out of the EU against our will”.
The SNP leader said the issue was “one of the central questions” of the election.
“Our future is on the line and it’s a choice of what kind of future we want,” she told Ridge.
Naughty?
Johnson refused to reveal the naughtiest thing he has ever done, perhaps discouraged by the relentless mocking of his predecessor Theresa May’s 2017 election confession about running through fields of wheat.
The PM said he had not cleared an answer with his “handlers”, but promised to come back to Ridge with a response if he thought of something “that is both interesting and not terminally politically damaging”.