United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer faced off in a high-stakes debate on tax, immigration, gender, and Brexit, their final showdown before the general election set for next Thursday.
The debate took place at Nottingham Trent University and was aired by the BBC, lasting 75 minutes.
Rishi Sunak, the leader of the Conservative Party, focused on attacking Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour Party leader, over his alleged plans for tax increases and his lack of a strategy to address illegal immigration. In response, Sir Keir accused Sunak of making unfunded tax promises and being disconnected from the concerns of ordinary voters. He also admonished Sunak for frequent interruptions during the debate.
The questions posed to the candidates came from members of the public, who were not pre-informed about the specific topics. One memorable question from an audience member asked, “Are you two really the best we have got?”
From the outset, Sir Keir was on the offensive, accusing Sunak of being “bullied” into addressing allegations that Tory candidates had been betting on the timing of the general election. Sunak defended his actions, stating, “It was important to me that given the seriousness and the sensitivity of the matters at hand that they were dealt with properly, and that’s what I’ve done.”
With opinion polls indicating a likely Labour victory, the debate was crucial for Sunak to sway voters. He aimed to criticize Starmer’s tax policies, referencing a report from the Daily Telegraph that claimed Labour’s Darren Jones said decarbonizing the economy would cost hundreds of billions of pounds. Starmer countered, emphasizing the need for government investment to attract private investors.
Sunak also asserted that under a Labour government, “the state pension will be subject to a retirement tax,” a claim scrutinized by BBC Verify.
Another pointed question about Brexit came from a small business owner concerned with improving trade with the EU. Sunak suggested that another trade deal would require “free movement by the back doors.” Starmer firmly responded, “We are not going back into the EU, we’re not rejoining the single market or customs union, and we’re not accepting freedom of movement.” He added confidently, “I know we can get a better deal than the botched deal that we’ve got and I’m going to go out and fight for it,” which was met with applause.
Sunak took a strong stance on illegal immigration, repeatedly pressing Starmer on his approach to stopping small boat crossings and deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda. In contrast, Starmer criticized Sunak’s plan but was often interrupted by Sunak’s persistent questioning, “What would you do with them?” At one point, Sunak provocatively asked if Starmer intended to make a deal with the Taliban to deport asylum seekers rejected by the UK.
Both leaders pledged to protect women’s rights to single-sex spaces, irrespective of gender recognition certificates. Starmer received applause when he acknowledged, “a small number of people who are born into a gender that they don’t identify with,” and promised to treat all individuals with “dignity and respect.”
Throughout the debate, Starmer highlighted his tenure as the chief prosecutor in England and Wales and his working-class roots, aiming to portray Sunak as out of touch with the everyday issues facing the public. He garnered applause by criticizing Sunak’s approach to welfare benefits and urging him to listen more to the people, stating, “If you listen to the people in the audience, across the country, more often, you might not be quite so out of touch.”
