As it happened: Tory launch and Watson resignation

Colleagues of Tom Watson have been tweeting about his decision to step down. Liam Byrne, the party's candidate for Birmingham Hodge Hill, said his resignation is "a giant loss to the Commons".

While Gloria De Piero, who also decided to step down as a Labour MP ahead of the election, tweeted:

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Many people on social media have shown interest in one particular phrase in Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's letter in reply to Tom Watson's letter of resignation.

In between a line about their future work together, and a final paragraph praising Mr Watson's "two lovely children", the Labour leader writes:

"I've always enjoyed our very convivial chats about many things, including cycling, exercise and horticulture. I hope the horseradish plants I gave you thrive."

Some on Twitter are clamouring for more of the juicy details - while others say the invasive nature of horseradishes suggests it's not such a nice gift after all.

If you weren't able to watch Mr Johnson's speech a short time ago, you can get a flavour of it here.

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Here's some more from Tom Watson's resignation letter.

He describes his decision to stand down as an MP and Labour deputy leader as "difficult" adding that serving the party has been "the privilege of a lifetime".

"But now is the right time for me to stand down from the House of Commons and start a different kind of life," he writes.

"The decision is personal, not political."

However, he says he "won't be leaving politics altogether" and will take an active part in the election campaign, doing "everything I can to return a team of Labour MPs who will transform our country".

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The Tories hope their "get Brexit done" pitch will win over Leave voters - but will it be enough? Read more from our political editor.

Labour's deputy leader, Tom Watson, announced a few minutes ago that he was stepping down. Here's Jeremy Corbyn's letter to him, thanking him for his contribution.

Mr Johnson accuses the Labour party of "always running out of other people's money"

Despite making a raft of his own spending promises, the PM says Labour "know themselves that their policies for the economy are ruinous".

Instead, he says voters should "come with us" and support Tory measures on education, the police and immigration.

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As big Labour news breaks, Mr Johnson continues, saying the thing he is "most proud of" during his 100 days in office is his Brexit deal.

He calls the critics "candle sellers at the dawn of the age of electric light bulb", saying they have a "terrible sense they are about to lose their market".

The PM adds: "This deal delivers everything I campaigned for for Brexit."

Once the deal has been taken through Parliament, he says, a Conservative government can get on with "better education, better infrastructure and better technology".

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Boris Johnson is now speaking at the Conservative Party's general election campaign launch in Birmingham.

The PM reiterates Mr Cleverly's point that he doesn't want an election, but says: "We have no choice [due to the] paralysis of Parliament."

He says the deadlock over Brexit has been like a "bendy bus jack-knifed on a yellow box junction [which] no-one can get round it and it is blocking in every direction".

He adds: "We can't go on like this."

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All the build up to Boris Johnson's speech has focused on attacking Labour's Brexit policy.

But where does the party stand on leaving the EU?

Read our piece from the BBC Reality Check team to learn more.

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The final support act for the prime minister is Tory Party Chairman James Cleverly.

He tells the audience: "We didn't want this election. Our hand was forced. But we do need this election.

"We need to break the Brexit deadlock and get on with delivering on voters priorities - something the last parliament proved incapable of doing."

Mr Cleverly accuses Jeremy Corbyn of having "run scared" from an election rather than "try to explain where his party stands" on Brexit.

And, despite Jo Swinson categorically ruling out a coalition with Labour, Mr Cleverly says the Lib Dem leader's "only role" would be to "prop up a Marxist government".

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Next up is Home Secretary Priti Patel who calls the Conservatives "the greatest political party in the world".

In her speech, she "salutes" the activists who make it a success.

And she praises the work of Boris Johnson, saying he "has been getting on delivering on the people's priorities".

Mrs Patel adds: "This election is a choice between real change or simply more uncertainty, more dither and more delay.

"Voters must choose between the certainty and hope we know a functioning Conservative majority brings to our country [or a] coalition of chaos" between the other parties.

Away from the hall in Birmingham, Business Minister Nahim Zahawi has defended Boris Johnson for likening Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to Stalin, over the Soviet leader's persecution of Russian landowners in the 1930s.

Mr Zahawi accuses Mr Corbyn of "attacking business and attacking property rights".

He tells the BBC's Andrew Neil Show: “When you begin to demonise the wealth creators, the entrepeneurs, it is in my view an incredibly difficult road to go down.”

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The Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, opens proceedings at the Conservative Party's general election campaign launch.

Mr Street, who became mayor in 2017, says the party's success in the area shows "when Conservatives work together at all levels we can do tremendous things".

He says, "using a European word," that it is "perhaps the start of the renaissance of our region".

But he warns of the "harm that could be done" under a Labour government.

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Confused? Got a question for us?

Send it to BBC News via the form on this page and we'll do our best to give you the answers.

We've answered this one from Pete Jinks in Runcorn:

Q - What restrictions are there on candidates standing for election?

A - According to the Electoral Commission, all candidates must be at least 18 years old on the day they are nominated, and must be a British, Irish or eligible Commonwealth citizen.

A wide range of people are not allowed to stand because their job or role is seen as being incompatible with being an MP. These include members of the House of Lords, civil servants, military personnel and judges. Members of the European Parliament cannot stand for the Westminster Parliament and no-one can stand in more than one constituency.

Prisoners serving a custodial sentence after conviction and some people who are subject to bankruptcy orders or proceedings cannot vote in any elections, although bankruptcy in itself is not a disqualification.

You can read answers to more of your questions here.