RISHI Sunak apologised over D-Day and admitted migrant numbers are too high tonight – but insisted he’ll deliver for Britain and not Sir Keir Starmer.
The PM took questions on Sky News from Political Editor Beth Rigby and an audience in Grimsby with just three weeks to go until polling day.
PAPM Rishi Sunak took questions on Sky News from Political Editor Beth Rigby[/caption]
ReutersMr Sunak launched into a fiery attack on his opponent[/caption]
GettySir Keir Starmer was left briefly speechless when an audience member accused him of being a ‘political robot’[/caption]
Sir Keir went first, facing questions about trust issues, taxation and how he would tackle public services and inequality.
Meanwhile Mr Sunak was asked about his five pledges from 2023 and tax.
During the feisty TV grilling:
Keir was asked ‘How can anyone trust you?’ by Beth Rigby
Rishi admitted net migration is higher than before Brexit vote
Labour chief branded a ‘political robot’ leaving him speechless
Both hammered on trust issues – Covid parties and Corbyn
Keir insisted there would be no tax rises for working people
YouGov poll said 64% of viewers thought Keir came out on top
Mr Sunak was told net migration over the last three years is more than double compared to the three-year period before the 2016 EU referendum.
He told Sky News: “It’s too high. I have been very clear that it’s too high and I’m sure people feel frustrated and angry about it.”
Mr Sunak, asked why anyone should believe what he says on immigration, replied: “I can completely understand people’s cynicism about this.”
He added: “Since I have been in charge, numbers down 10 per cent and visas issued this year down by a quarter.
“I’ve had this job for 18 months, numbers were down last year, they’re down considerably at the start of this year and they will keep coming down because of the measures I’ve already announced.”
He then launched into a fiery attack on his opponent over Labour’s missing plans for small boat migrants.
Migration
But he was also pushed on his own illegal migration record.
He was asked: “How many flights and people are you going to send in the summer?”
The PM responded: “There will be a regular rhythm of flights, not just one. It needs to be a deterrent.
“If you come here illegally you will not stay, we need to stop the boats, and that is what Rwanda was about.”
He was asked why, if he was so confident of planes taking off, he called an election before he could get it done.
Mr Sunak said: “This was the right moment to call an election and discuss the future of our country.
“I have a plan for illegal migration, Keir Starmer disagrees with that plan and he doesn’t have one. That’s a choice people will have to make.”
Mr Sunak also said he believes the country has “turned a corner”.
He added: “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.”
Mr Sunak said he will continue to “keep fighting hard until the last day of this election”.
D-Day
On his early departure from D-Day commemorations, Mr Sunak reiterated his apology for his “mistake”.
He continued: “I was incredibly sad to have caused people hurt and upset, that was the last thing that I wanted to do.
“I hope people can find it in their hearts to forgive me.”
Mr Sunak said he has spoken to veterans about his party’s work to help them.
Five pledges
He answered questions about the five pledges he made in January 2023.
Brutal homework marking session
By Harry Cole
NO Prime Minister wants to be asked if they deserve their P45 live on TV, but “thems the breaks” as one of Rishi Sunak’s more famous predecessors once said.
But that wasn’t even the worst of it for the troubled Tory leader – as Sky’s Beth Rigby gave him a fairly brutal homework marking session.
The painful run through of the his five pledges left the PM forced to admit that the boats are still coming, debt is rising and the NHS waiting lists are not coming down.
While Starmer clearly came a bit more pumped up than the BBC debate last week, the PM looked deflated and bruised after a rough week after his D-Day mess.
The spark that he had when duffing up his Labour opponent a week ago had disappeared and there was a distinct low energy vibe to Sunak’s outing tonight.
Not even extolling his love of sugar could give the PM a bit of a rush.
Big claps for “spoilt hope and dreams” in the crowd rounded off a tough outing in the room – which was noticeably and audibly more hostile to the Tories.
Chapeau to the inquisitor again though, more blood drawn and both leaders will be walking away from that showdown feeling more than a little tender.
Mr Sunak said: “The most important priority was the first one, because when I got this job, inflation was at 11 per cent and I think everyone knows the last few years have been difficult, the impact that was having on all your bills.”
He said: “It (inflation) was always meant to come down over time.”
NHS
Mr Sunak also faced questions about rising NHS waiting lists, up to 7.54 million from the 7.21 million level when he made the pledge.
“We’ve not made as much progress on cutting waiting lists as I would have liked,” the PM said.
“That was something that I was keen to do, and it has proved more difficult for a number of reasons, obviously recovering from a pandemic is not easy,” he said.
He said: “I think everyone knows the impact the industrial action has had, that’s why we haven’t made as much (progress).”
Mr Sunak repeated his promise of “tax cuts for people at every stage for people at every stage of their life”.
Tax
He faced questions about the tax burden potentially being higher than it is now under a future Conservative government.
Mr Sunak said: “What our manifesto announced is the tax cuts for people at every stage of their life – for people in work, for people that are setting up small businesses, that are self employed, for those young people who wanna buy their first home, for pensioners and for families.”
‘Dishy Rishi’
The PM was asked about his previous “Dishy Rishi” nickname and urged to share something personal which might endear voters towards him.
Mr Sunak said: “I actually have an appalling diet because I eat an enormous amount of sugar, and I’m very unhealthy in that regard, which I was talking to someone earlier today about.
“They were completely shocked.”
The Prime Minister added: “They were genuinely surprised about the amount of Haribos, Twixes and everything else that I get through, particularly during an election campaign.”
Our Election Showdown
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
It comes after Sir Keir was left briefly speechless when an audience member accused him of being a “political robot”.
‘Political robot’
The audience member said he admired “how in touch with the public” the Labour leader appeared when he was director of public prosecutions.
The man added: “But over the last year I feel like you have formed into more of a politician than the person I would have voted for to run the country.
“You seem more like a political robot. How are you going to convince others like me to vote for you?”
Sir Keir answered by speaking about his work in the Crown Prosecution Service.
He added that he did not apologise for changing the Labour party and told the audience: “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.”
“You don’t seem to answer the question,” the man replied.
In a snap poll published straight after the end of the interviews, Keir came out on top with 64 per cent of viewers saying he performed better.
The YouGov survey found that just 36 per cent of respondents thought Rishi had been more impressive in the heated showdown.
GettyLabour Party leader Sir Keir addresses the audience[/caption]
AFPMr Sunak arrives to attend the second live TV debate hosted by Sky News in Grimsby[/caption]
GettyThe PM was asked about his previous ‘Dishy Rishi’ nickname[/caption]