RISHI Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer were pummeled by disgruntled voters last night as feisty exchanges dominated the race for Number 10.
The two party leaders received blow after blow with up-for-the-fight audience members left unconvinced they were the right man to be Prime Minister.
GettyTory Prime Minister Rishi Sunak[/caption]
GettyLabour leader Sir Keir Starmer[/caption]
PASky News host Beth Rigby grilled Rishi[/caption]
GettyRigby also questioned Sir Keir[/caption]
PAThe two politicians were grilled by voters in Grimsby[/caption]
The Labour leader was left momentarily speechless when he was labelled a “political robot” which was met with brutal laughter.
The Prime Minister was left feeling the heat as he was grilled over his promises of tax cuts, leaving D-Day commemorations early and failing to control migration into the UK.
The Sky News telly debate came at the half way stage of the election campaign with Sir Keir leading by 20-points in the polls – with Nigel Farage’s Reform party on the heels of the Tories.
Also on tonight’s clash:
Keir was asked ‘how can anyone trust you’ by Beth Rigby
Rishi admitted net migration is higher than before the Brexit vote
Sir Keir was branded a “political robot” – which left him speechless
Both were hammered on trust issues; Rishi on covid parties & Keir on Corbyn.
Keir insisted there would be no tax rises for working people
YouGov poll said 64% of viewers thought Keir came out on top
Sir Keir Starmer even alarmed hard-pressed motorists on notice that fuel duty could be hiked under a Labour government.
The Labour chief told drivers a decision on the levy would be judged every year costing drivers more in the pocket when the fill up at the pumps.
The warning comes as The Sun’s Keep It Down campaign has poured pressure on every Chancellor – keeping the duty frozen since 2011.
He said he was not going to “write the next five years of budgets” during last night’s Sky News ‘Battle for Number 10’ debate.
Speaking in Grimsby in front of a live audience, he added that measures such as fuel duty would be decided “budget by budget”.
He said: “That has to be decided budget-by-budget, but my track record is we’ve supported the cap on fuel duty every single time it has come up, but I want to do things differently.
“If we just do things in the same way that we’ve done for the last 14 years, we’ll end up in the same mess. I’m not prepared to do that.”
A decision for shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves, if Labour form the next government, would also decide on the temporary 5p duty cut that expires in March next year.
No knockout blows… but plenty punches landed
Analysis by Harry Cole:
No knock out blows for either leader, but plenty of punches landed by the crowd and the presenter.
Starmer did better than BBC outing, but Sunak desperately needs to perk up despite his rough few days.
Easily the TV event of the campaign, so far… But not the last time these two will be grilled.
Want to see these two interrogated by Sun readers… or even ask the questions yourself on June 24?
Our Election Showdown – held just ten days before polling day – is your chance.
Register interest HERE: http://thesun.co.uk/showdown
He was also pressed by Sky News’ interrogator Beth Rigby whether there would be no tax rises in the next Parliament.
He said: “No tax rises needed in the plans in our manifesto, no tax rises for working people, no rises in income tax, National Insurance or VAT.”
Asked whether he would put taxes up, Sir Keir said to the first applause of the night: “The Tories are in no position to lecture anyone about tax rises.
“We’ve got the highest tax burden in 70 years… We’ve got to get the economy going.”
During the 45-minute grilling, Sir Keir was left momentarily speechless when an audience member accused him of being a “political robot”.
The man added that he had “formed into more of a politician” compared to when he was the director of public prosecutions.
Sir Keir said: “I think it probably is a result of coming into politics late, because I am not tribally political, I actually do believe there are good people who vote other than Labour who want their family, their community, and their country to go forward.”
Sir Keir Starmer hit back at claims he was suffering from a “trust” issue in his first exchange in the Sky News debate.
He was quizzed over why he backed Jeremy Corbyn in the 2019 election but said he knew the left-wing leader wouldn’t become Prime Minister.
Sir Keir said: “I was certain that we would lose the 2019 election. I did campaign for Labour, of course I did.
“I wanted good colleagues returned into the Labour Party.” Probed once again if he meant it when he said he would support Corbyn, he said: “I was certain we would lose”.
In an emotional moment, he hoped moving into Number 10 if elected would affect his family – referencing both his teenage son and daughter. He said: “The only real fear I suppose I have is for my family.
He added: “I’ve got a boy who is just turning 16, he’s 15-and-three-quarters, and a girl who is 13, these are really difficult ages for my children… My only fear is the impact it’s going to have on them.
“I want them to be able to walk to school and be unaffected as much as I can.”
The Prime Minister insisted he would “keep fighting hard until the last day of the election” despite being 20-points behind in the polls – and the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform party.
He said: “Well, I’ve got to say it hasn’t been an easy 18 months in general but what I’ve done though is just keep going to try and do my best for people and that’s what I’m doing in this campaign.”
Mr Sunak said he believes the economy has “turned a corner”, adding: “We’ve got a clear plan for the future to make a difference to people – to cut their taxes, bring down immigration, to protect pensions.”
He also said that net migration levels over the past three years have been “too high”.
When probed on how many people will be deported under the Rwanda removal scheme, he said: “We have already started detaining people, airfields on standby, planes are booked, the date for the first flight is out on July 24, I think it is.
“We haven’t given more details beyond that to not compromise the operational security, but there will be a regular rhythm of flights, not just one.”