General Election 2024: Keir Starmer refuses to bow to Tory calls for six TV debates with Rishi Sunak

Sir Keir Starmer refused to bow to Tory calls for six TV showdown general election debates with Rishi Sunak.

The Conservatives sought to ramp up the pressure on the Labour leader to do the television events as they trail his party by more than 20 points in the polls.

Net Zero Secretary Claire Coutinho urged him to “commit to weekly debates” before the July 4 polling day.

She argued that Sir Keir should do this large number of TV head-to-heads as “we have never been in times like this before, we have never faced so much uncertainty around the world going into a general election”.

Rejecting suggestions that the Tories were calling for the six debates out of desperation, she added: “I have got no idea what he thinks about some of the biggest issues of the day.”

Sir Keir told Times Radio: “So I think debates are always a part of an election campaign and no doubt will be a big part of what’s going to happen over the next five or six weeks. I’ll debate with voters any day of the week.”

Labour sources indicated Sir Keir would be willing to take part in the two debates with the largest audiences – BBC and ITV.

But the sources said they would not agree to “tearing up” the format established in previous elections “just to suit this week’s whims of the Tory Party”.

Earlier, Mr Sunak has accused Sir Keir of ducking TV debates because he lacked courage and “doesn’t have a plan” for the country.

Televised leaders’ debates first featured in the 2010 campaign, when there were three, but the Tories are reportedly pushing for a record six this time round.

The row comes as Mr Sunak suffered a fresh setback as Deputy Commons Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing, rail minister Huw Merriman and employment minister Jo Churchill announced they would not seek re-election. That makes 69 Tory MPs who have so far announced they are standing down.

Mr Sunak and Sir Keir earlier traded blows over immigration and the economy as the first full day of campaigning for the July 4 General Election got under way.

The Prime Minister started in Derbyshire by hammering his message that the Tories have a “clear plan” for financial stability while Labour would go “back to square one.”

Meanwhile, Sir Keir kicked off Labour’s campaign in traditional Conservative heartlands at Gillingham Football Club, saying it was time to “turn the page” on Tory “chaos.”

Mr Sunak’s economy-focused pitch to voters, in which he highlighted his record as pandemic-era chancellor, was overshadowed by an admission that deportation planes to Rwanda will not take off before the election.

Sir Keir accused him of calling an early vote to avoid the scheme, which has been grounded over a series of legal challenges, being tested.

The PM urged voters to back him at the polls if they want to see the policy succeed, which he insisted in an interview with LBC would provide an effective deterrent to Channel crossings.

With Parliament due to be prorogued on Friday, Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt laid out legislation that could be rushed through by MPs during a period known as “wash-up.”

But one notable omission was Mr Sunak’s flagship Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the fate of which had been widely seen as a test of his personal legacy. It was not mentioned among final business, meaning its future is uncertain.

However, victims of the infected blood scandal will receive compensation despite the upcoming General Election, the Government confirmed.

Mr Sunak scored an own goal with a footballing gaffe as he met brewery staff in South Wales later in the day.

The Prime Minister asked the workers whether they were looking forward to the football later this summer, despite Wales not qualifying for the Euro 2024 tournament.

After being told the country is “not in it”, he insisted that nonetheless “it’ll be a good summer of sport”.