Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer have clashed over NHS waiting times and doctors strikes as they face off their first head-to-head TV debate.
Their first head-to-head on ITV tonight comes as the Prime Minister strives to turn his party’s fortunes around in the opinion polls.
With just four weeks to go until the general election, the debate on ITV represents a last chance for the Tories after a series of polls suggested Sir Keir was on course to win more seats than Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide victory.
The Conservatives have been predicted to get less than 100 seats – a historic low – in four of the last five polls.In the race for Downing Street, both leaders will attempt to convince voters that they are best to run the country while they are grilled over various policies and pledges by moderator Julie Etchingham.
It comes as Mr Sunak has promised to reduce immigration as he unveiled a new visa cap pledge, while Sir Keir vowed that Labour’s proposed GB Energy company would “close the door” on Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
The countdown is now on for Keir Starmer and Sunak to put up their case in front of millions of voters.
Rishi Sunak grills Starmer over doctor junior strikes
Rishi Sunak says he has already raised wages among NHS workers – except junior doctors.
He promises he will resolve the pay rise dispute if he gets elected.
Attacking Starmer, he asks: “How would you resolve the industrial action?”
“You get in the room and resolve this,” Starmer replies.
It comes as junior doctors announced strike action ahead of the general election.
Salma Ouaguira4 June 2024 21:21
Starmer pledges 2 million extra NHS appointments every year
Sir Keir Starmer pledged that Labour would provide 2 million extra NHS appointments every year if he was elected.
As he debates his opponent Rishi Sunak, he was asked how he would fix the “broken” NHS by an audience member.
It comes after Sunak was booed for suggesting staff strikes were responsible for long waiting lists.
Athena Stavrou4 June 2024 21:21
Sunak booed for blaming NHS failings on industrial action
Rishi Sunak, whose parents worked in the NHS, says he was brought up hearing about how great was the health service.
He admits the NHS was damaged after Covid, and says: “It is going to take time to recover from that.”
But he adds: “The NHS was impacted by industrial action.”
The prime minister gets booed by the audience after his response.
Salma Ouaguira4 June 2024 21:18
Starmer “angry” at state of NHS after 14 years of Tory rule.
Responding to an audience member raising concerns about the state of the NHS, Starmer said he was “angry” at the current service provided.
He agreed with the audience member that the NHS was now “broken” as a result of cuts.
Athena Stavrou4 June 2024 21:17
Rishi Sunak is the ‘British expert on tax rises’, Keir Starmer claims
Sir Keir Starmer has responded to Rishi Sunak’s claim that he will raise taxes on families by £2,000 by branding him the “British expert on tax rises”.
The Labour leader said the prime minister has put up taxes 26 times and broken a 2019 manifesto commitment to not hike the rate of national insurance.
Sir Keir said: “He is the British expert on tax rises, they are at the highest level for 70 years and he’s got the gall to say other people are going to put up taxes.”
Howard Mustoe4 June 2024 21:17
Question 2: Health Service
Janet asks: “I’ve interacted more with the NHS, I’m a cancer survivor and I’ve lost someone after a surgery.”
“None is brave enough to tell us the truth. The NHS is broken, tell us the truth how long will it take to fix it?”
Salma Ouaguira4 June 2024 21:15
Sunak ‘doesn’t understand’ economic position of most people, Starmer claims
Sir Keir Starmer has claimed Rishi Sunak “doesn’t understand” what people struggling with the cost-of-living are going through.
In response to an audience member sharing her experience currently Starmer said: “don’t think the prime minister quite understands the position you and other people are in”
Athena Stavrou4 June 2024 21:15
Starmer: Liz Truss’s advisors are in the House of Lords… Rishi Sunak is still supporting her
Sir Keir Starmer has rolled out a new attack line against the Conservatives, reminding voters that Liz Truss’s advisors are now in the House of Lords, Archie Mitchell reports.
The Labour leader blamed the former prime minister for “crashing the economy” and said it is “working people that pay the price”.
Sir Keir said: “They made it worse here than in other countries and it’s people like you paying the price.
“Liz Truss’s advisors are now in the House of Lords, she is going to be a candidate at the next election, Rishi Sunak is putting her forward.
“We’ve got to stop this chaos.”
Salma Ouaguira4 June 2024 21:13
Starmer and Sunak pierced over taxes
Both leaders are staring off hot, and are fiercely exchanging attacks for the way they would handle peoples’ taxes.
Starmer says the Tories will cause more chaos just like the Liz Truss’ mini-budget.
But Sunak warns Labour will put “the economy’s progress at risk”.
Salma Ouaguira4 June 2024 21:12
Analysis: Why has Sunak called the election now?
Starmer goes on to ask why Rishi Sunak called a snap election: “If the plan is working, why call an election now?”
He makes a strong political point that if things were going to get better “if the plan is working” why not call an election when things are better?
Sunak jokes that Starmer has been asking for an election every week since he became prime minister. But it is a difficult point for Sunak to answer.
David Maddox4 June 2024 21:12