Five stories the Conservative government has buried thanks to the general election

The announcement of the forthcoming general election triggered the inevitable and seemingly relentless media focus on all things pertaining to the June 8 ballot.

While that may be entirely predictable, the number of potentially awkward stories that have largely been hidden from the public beneath the blanket of election coverage may seem rather convenient for Theresa May's government.

These include a charity accusing the Home Office of “telling continuous lies” about the UK's true capacity to take in refugee children, and revelations that families are being charged 50p a minute to call their sick relatives in hospital.

As the PM repeats her mantra of “strong and stable leadership” up and down the nation, here are five things she might hope to avoid discussing on the campaign trail.

Allegations highlighted by Channel 4 News and the Daily Mirror relate to busloads of Tory activists sent to key seats, whose expenses were reported as part of national campaign spend rather than falling within the lower constituency limits.

Veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner claimed Ms May called the election to distract from the investigation.

The Prime Minister, however, told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: “The Conservative Party did make an administrative error on its national spending, as did other parties. We have paid our fine, I would expect other parties to do so.”

Brexit: Lawyers warn of industry influence over public health laws as EU 'fundamental right' is axed

Cutting “red tape” after Brexit could mean powerful companies gain “more leverage [against] consumers, patients and citizens," a law professor claimed after a warning was sounded in the British Medical Journal.

The claim is based on the fact that the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights will cease to apply when the UK leaves the bloc.

Elderly NHS patients hit by 'rip off' 50p-a-minute charges to call hospitals, warn critics

Relatives of hospital patients are being charged “rip off” fees of 50p a minute or more to call their loved ones – with the elderly most likely to be impacted by the charges, it has been warned.

Hospedia, the private firm that runs bedside TV and phone services in NHS hospitals, said in 2014 it planned to phase out the use of costly 070 numbers following complaints from users and Ofcom recommendations.

But the charges, which vary between hospitals, are still in place. Callers are also forced to listen to a lengthy recorded message of about 70 seconds before they are connected.

UK could have taken 1,300 more child refugees not just 130, says fostering charity

The UK has capacity to take in at least 1,300 more child refugees, 10 times more than the 130 the Home Office has specified, Britain’s largest fostering and adoption charity has said.

Tact Care, which provides foster care for between 30 and 70 refugee children each year as well as hundreds of domestic children, told The Independent the Home Office was adopting a “dog whistle policy” in the transfer of child refugees from Europe, saying it did not consult local authorities properly to establish how many children could be brought to the UK under the Dubs Amendment.

Following an announcement by the immigration minister in which he said 130 places offered by local councils for unaccompanied minors as part of the Dubs scheme were not originally accounted for due to an “administrative error”, the charity accused the Home Office of “telling continuous lies” about the true capacity.

Knobbly carrots and parsnips do not taste or cook any differently from other vegetables and should be saved from supermarket reject bins, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee warned.

It said the Government and supermarkets must do more to avoid waste, which costs the average person some £200 a year.

MPs said the incoming government should continue with a review on food date labelling, looking particularly at whether there is a need for “best before” dates, which can mislead and confuse people.