Keir Starmer 'beats' Rishi Sunak in Sky leaders' election debate

Rishi Sunak was forced to defend his immigration policies, while Sir Keir Starmer faced uncomfortable questions about Labour's tax plans in live TV interviews on Wednesday evening.

The leaders were grilled on their plans for the country in the “Battle for Number 10” Sky News election special in Grimsby.

The Prime Minster floundered when voters questioned him about record immigration levels and NHS waiting lists. He was also forced to apologise again for the "hurt and upset" he caused by leaving a D-Day anniversary event early last week.

Read the full story from the Evening Standard.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said following the debate that there was an overwhelming sense that "everything is broken".

"There are millions of people who still haven't made up their minds," she said. "The impression we’re getting speaking to people on the doorstep is there’s a lot of people who feel like they’ve been taken for granted for a very long time."

A snap poll after the Sky News Battle For No 10 programme found Sir Keir Starmer came out on top among viewers.

In the YouGov poll commissioned by the channel, 64% of respondents thought the Labour leader won the night, while 36% thought Rishi Sunak had been stronger.

Sky said 1,864 respondents took part in the poll.

Asked whether hearing the leaders this evening had changed anyone's mind, several members of the audience said their minds had been changed.

One man said he had come to the event preferring Starmer, but after hearing the debate, decided he would vote for neither of them.

Post-Brexit migration numbers shocked the audience at Wednesday’s general election debate.

With Rishi Sunak sat on stage, host Beth Rigby noted that the total net migration figure into the UK in the past three years was 1.9 million, compared to 836,000 people in the three years running up to the 2016 referendum.

Read the full story from The Independent.

Rishi Sunak was asked about his plans for national service after he said he would be pleased if his daughters took part.

He was asked if he was prepared to hand out criminal records to those who refused to take part, which he ruled out.

"We will set up a royal commission.," he said. "There’s a lot of models from across Europe to look at. That's how other countries do it. When you talk to other countries the amount of young people that recommend it and love it is extremely high."

Asking a question about rebuilding trust and the debacle at the D-Day memorial, an audience member told Sunak: "I just think that picture of the queen left to bury her husband on her own during covid following guidance we all followed. knowing what happened in downing street, that’s where trust broke down.

"I appreciate the apology tonight but there’s a long way to go to rebuild that."

Asked about systemic racism, sexism and misogyny in public institutions like the police, Sunak said there was now a focus on violence against women and girls, and added that police numbers were at a record high.

"In the Met in particular there are a range of issues," he said, adding that the system was being reformed.

Rishi Sunak is taking questions from the audience. He was asked by Ian, a retired teacher, from Grimsby, about mortgages.

In said: "Mortgages are less affordable particularly for people such as my daughter. Why has your government spoiled their hopes and dreams?"

Sunak replied: "Hopefully we’re on the right path and you will see that reflected in mortgage rates." He added that he had pledged to abolish stamp duty for first-time buyers purchasing homes under £425,000.

Social media users discussed Rishi Sunak getting 'tetchy'.

Sunak was asked about Brexit and immigration.

"Immigration is too high," Sunak said, agreeing that people voted for Brexit to "take back control of our borders".

The total net migration figure to 2016 was 836,000 people, Beth Rigby told Sunak, adding that net migration had more than doubled since the UK left the EU.

"I’m sure people, feel frustrated," he said. "The numbers are too high. I’m not making any bones about that. But i can tell you I’ve started to bring them down. Last year numbers were down by 10%. This year the number of visas is down by a quarter and the forecasts show we’re on track to halve net migration in just over a year."

Rishi Sunak was booed from the back of the room after he suggested that the NHS had such high waiting lists as a result of the junior doctors' strikes.

Sunak was asked, "How do we know you’ll still be prime minister in a year’s time?"

He replied: "Of course we haven't got everything right but what I can do is work as hard as I can to deliver the stability we said we would. The economy’s growing wages are rising and that’s why we’re having this election, to talk about the future."

Sunak has said he was 'incredibly sad' to have caused people hurt by leaving the D-Day commemoration early and wanted to assure veterans the UK would look after them.

"The last thing I wanted to do was cause any hurt. I apologise unreservedly for that. I was privileged to participate in the commemoration events, but also demonstrate my commitment to making this the best country in the world to be a veteran," he said.

"I was incredibly sad to have caused people hurt and upset and i hope people can find it in their hearts to forgive me.

Beth Rigby has asked Rishi Sunak "what is going so wrong?".

Sunak said it had not been an easy 18 months in general but was excited to talk to people about the future.

"We've got a clear plan for the future," he said.

An audience member said Starmer had previously seemed relatable but had turned into a "political robot" - he was asked how people could be persuaded to vote for him.

Starmer replied that he went into politics late in life because he wanted to serve people.

"Do you think you've changed," the audience member interjected.

"I'm much clearer in my mind that the country should come first and the party second," he said.

Starmer was asked whether he would reconsider taxing private schools amid fears working people would be forced out of the system.

"I have nothing against private schools," Starmer said, adding that he recognised that people worked hard to send their children there.

"In our state secondary schools we have thousands of teachers missing in the subjects they need. For those children state secondary schools that’s not a one-year problem or a two-year problem, that’s a lifetime problem."

Starmer said he was "frustrated" that junior doctor strikes had gone on for so long and that they were bad for patients.

"Instead of arguing about who gets in the room first to negotiate, we would roll up our sleeves... get in the room and negotiate," he said.

Beth Rigby asked if he would pay them more.

"Pay, progression, conditions and all of that can be negotiated," he said adding that a 35% pay rise was not affordable."

"I don’t think doctors want to be on strike. I know the pressure NHS staff are under. It’s been unrelenting. We will roll up our sleeves, get in the room and settle this dispute so the country can move forward. The sooner we can get some grown ups in the room the better."

Starmer said he had first steps for things he wanted to do as soon as he got into power and said he could bring about the change "the country so desperately need".

Sharon from Grimsby has asked Starmer about social housing, foodbank use and inequality across the UK.

Starmer said he was aware of the social problems in Grimsby and beyond, and said the government must work with local communities to build a growth plan for areas that need help.

Asked about his biggest fears should he become prime minister, Starmer said fears for his children kept him up at night.

"The only real fear I have is for my family," he said. "I have a boy just turning 16, a girl who is 13. These are difficult ages for children. My only fear is the impact it will have on them.

"That’s why we’ve never had a photoshoot with them. I don’t fear big decisions. My only fear and the only thing which keeps me up at night is worrying about my children."

Keir Starmer said he would not scrap the two-child benefit cap, which would lift 1 million children out of poverty, suggesting Labour would not be able to manage the cut.

"Huge damage has been done to the economy under this government," Starmer said.

"If we come into government we’re going to inherit broken everything. I’m not going to make promises i can’t keep. I know the benefits. We will have a strategy for child poverty but people are fed up with politicians who before an election promise everything and then after the election they don’t."

Keir Starmer, acknowledging that he earns a lot of money in his current role, once again stressed that his father was a toolmaker - prompting a laugh from the audience (who have not doubt heard this line repeated on numerous occasions).

"My dad was a toolmaker, my mum was a nurse. We couldn’t make ends meet. I know what it's like to feel anxious about the next bill you can’t pay and a lot of people are in the same position I was in," he said.

Keir Starmer wrote the 10 pledges which he made during the 2020 Labour leadership election himself, he has told Sky News’s The Battle For Number 10 programme.

The Labour leader said: “I put them before the membership of our party. Most of them are still in place.”

Starmer added: “Have I changed my position on those pledges? Yes, I have, because I’ve asked myself honestly are these country-first party-second, and if the answer to that question is no, then I’ve changed them, because I think this party should always put the country first.”

The reaction on social media suggests Beth Rigby has some fans - but others want her to interrupt less.

Starmer has been asked why he ditched the idea of raising taxes on people earning over £80,000.

"All of our plans are fully costed, we will not raise taxes on working people," he said, adding that "nothing requires us to raise tax".

"I accept that previous Labour leaders have pulled the tax lever every time," he said, adding that he would not do that.

"Nothing requires us to raise tax. I want to do things differently. I want to grow our economy. Previous labour leaders have pulled the taps and driven up spending. Our manifesto tomorrow will be a plan for wealth creation."

Asked whether he agreed with a previous statement that Jeremy Corbyn would make a great prime minister, Keir Starmer said he :"honestly didn't think" Labour had a chance of winning in 2019 but wanted to "campaign for colleagues".

He added: "I honestly didn't think we would have a chance of winning. I wanted to campaign for our colleagues and once we got the result we did get I decided to step up to lead the party and to change it and put it back in the service of working people."

The evening has kicked off with a question from Beth Rigby to Keir Starmer - she has asked whether his leadership has been a litany of failed policies.

Starmer has said he changed the Labour Party to "put it back in the service of working people".

The Labour Party ruled out any new tax rises should they win the July 4 general election, with several of the party’s leaders promising to never “play fast and loose” with the country’s finances.

Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, pledged no further hikes beyond what Labour has already announced, which include extending the windfall tax on energy companies’ profits, imposing VAT on private school fees and ensuring that private equity bonuses are “taxed appropriately”.

Read the full story from The Telegraph.

The Conservatives have set out their pitch to the public in one of Rishi Sunak’s last chances to trigger a comeback in the polls as the country counts down to the general election.

The Prime Minister and his Cabinet have spent the past few weeks laying the groundwork for their manifesto announcement and hinting at the policies likely to make the cut in their pledge to the nation.

Read the full story from The Telegraph.

Four nationwide opinion polls have been published in the past 24 hours, along with a separate survey of voting intention in Scotland.

A poll by Savanta, carried out online from June 7-9 among 2,219 UK adults, gives Labour a lead of 19 percentage points over the Conservatives.

The figures are Labour 44%, Conservative 25%, Reform 10%, Liberal Democrats 9%, Green 4%, SNP 3% and other parties 4%.

Read the full story from PA.

Rishi Sunak said he is “always pumped” when asked how he was feeling ahead of facing a grilling alongside Keir Starmer on Wednesday evening.

The prime minister told journalists on the campaign trail: “I’m always pumped – I’m fuelled by an enormous amount of sugar.”

Rishi Sunak insisted he has not accepted defeat in the election after a senior cabinet minister appeared to concede the Conservatives have lost.

A defiant prime minister said he had “absolutely not” given up on winning just a day after launching the Tory manifesto.

His denial followed comments by the defence secretary Grant Shapps, who urged voters not to give Labour a “supermajority”.

Read the full story from The Independent.

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer are gearing up for their second TV debate of the general election campaign.

The prime minister and the Labour leader will be under the microscope again during a live broadcast on Sky News on Wednesday 12 June.

Their first on-screen battle, shown on ITV1 on Tuesday 4 June, was an often ill-tempered affair, characterised by regular interrupting, constant accusations and evasive responses.

Read the full story from Yahoo News.

What's going on ahead of the debate?