Who won the BBC election debate, Starmer or Sunak? Viewers have their say

This is how well (and badly) viewers thought the leaders performed in tonight's debate.

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer clashed over migration and the betting scandal that has engulfed Westminster in their final televised head-to-head before polling day.

The Prime Minster asked the Labour leader if he was planning to make a deal with the Taliban to send back asylum seekers rejected from the UK in a spiky exchange over the small boats crisis.

Read the full story from the Evening Standard.

If the Tories don’t knock a chunk out of Labour’s lead after Rishi Sunak’s terrier-like performance in the BBC debate, it won’t be for lack of trying.

Unlike England’s footballers, Mr Sunak gave it everything he had to expose the Labour leader’s weaknesses on tax, migration and women’s rights.

He also had a new word for voting Labour: surrender.

Read the full story from The Telegraph.

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer have faced off in the final televised head-to-head clash of the General Election campaign.

The BBC debate, hosted by Mishal Husain, saw the Tory and Labour leaders grilled about their positions on a variety of issues, including migration, welfare and the gambling scandal which has emerged in the middle of the election campaign.

Read the full story from PA.

The large majority of Tory voters thought Sunak won the debate.

How did Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer – the two men who could be prime minister at the end of next week – fare in their final face-to-face clash of the campaign? Our commentators Tim Stanley and Tom Harris give their verdicts.

They both agree the debate was a resounding victory for Sunak – but it will make no difference.

If a man from outer space watched this debate, he’d assume Rishi Sunak is winning the election by a mile. Keir Starmer was at his worst, ticking off his CV – toolmaker, peacemaker, prosecutor – culminating in stopping a bomb plot, as if he’s also James Bond.

Read the full story from The Telegraph.

A snap poll shows people are divided over who won the debate.

Asked about the performance at tonight's debate, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said Rishi Sunak was "Was very shouty interrupty, and not very prime ministerial", he also described Sunak as "Liz Truss on steroids".

Home secretary James Cleverly, responding, accused Keir Starmer of failing to answer questions and interrupting everyone.

YouGov is polling who won the debate - here's some of the reaction from viewers.

Sunak is up first, he said: "I understand why you're frustrated - with the party, with me, I get it." He added that Labour would charge people £2000 more in tax.

Starmer interjected: "That is a lie, you’ve been told not to repeat that lie you’ve just done it."

In his closing statement, Starmer said: "If you want more police on our streets, more teachers in our schools - you have to vote for it." he urged people to "vote change, vote Labour

In the final question of the night, an audience member asked: "Im in my 20s and it feels like universities in UK are churning out people year on year. What would you do to make me stay in the UK?"

The leaders both launched into ideas on improving the housing situation.

Starmer said: "We’ve got to build more houses, we’ve got to deal with very high rents young people are playing. We will have a low mortgage deposit scheme to help young people get on the ladder."

Sunak replied: "It’s become too hard to own your own home. I want to do two things: firstly, a new form of help to buy, you won’t have to save for the whole deposit; and secondly, effectively abolish stamp duty for first time buyers."

He added: "My grandparents emigrated to this country with very little. I don't think my story would be possible in any other country. I'm in politics to make a difference. And that starts with young people. That’s why I want to cut your taxes."

The BBC was criticised for adding a question about transgender people into a question about women's spaces.

Small business owner Julie said she had lost 90% of her European business post-Brexit and asked how the leaders would repair relations with Europe.

Sunak thanked her for running a small business and said he would cut taxes on business rates, and he wanted to abolish national insurance for small businesses. "I am the person who has made sure we have good relations with Europe," he said.

Starmer responded that money for national insurance was used for the NHS and pensions, asking how the Conservative party would pay for it.

He said that he voted to remain in the EU, but that we are not going back to the EU. He added that he did not accept that the UK could not get a better deal than we have, adding that Boris Johnson "botched it".

He said: "We are not going back into the EU. We are not accepting freedom of movement. I'm not a defeatist like the prime minister. I'm going to fight for a better deal so you can succeed and our economy can succeed.

Sunak replied:"What it will cost is more migration. You’re taking people for fools."

Starmer shot back: "One of the problems with this prime minister is his lived world is millions of miles away from the millions of families they’re trying to support."

The leaders were asked if they would protect single-sex spaces.

Sunak said he would protect female-only spaces and female-only services. He said Starmer had not matched his pledge to reform the equalities law to reflect that "sex" means "biological sex".

Starmer said: "yes, is the answer to the question. it is very important that we protect women's spaces," adding that he had worked with groups involved in tackling sexual violence.

He added: "I do recognise that there are a small number of people who are born into a gender they don't recognise and I will treat them as I treat all human beings - with dignity and respect... otherwise you end up where we did with the prime minister of a country making a joke about trans people in front of the mother of a murdered transgender teenager."

Sunak responded that he did not make a joke (as the mother of Brianna Ghey sat in Parliament), and said Starmer was not pledging to protect female-only spaces.

Starmer said: "Over the past 14 years, there’s been this tendency on almost every issue to find the points of difference and division rather than bringing the country together which is what we’re good at."

Sunak said: "When it comes to women's safety, sex means biological sex for me - that is the only way you can deliver the protections that Vicky (who asked the question) wants." He also harked back to the hounding of Labour MP Rosie Duffield over the issue.

Starmer's response was criticised by supporters of Duffield, including gender critical author JK Rowling.

An audience member, Rachel, asked the leaders how they would put women first.

Keir Starmer highlighted the "strong women" in his team, including Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner. "I think that leadership is about empowering your team," he said.

Rishi Sunak said: "I have two young daughters and that's how you can trust me, because as a dad I want them to grow up in a country that is safe for them".

He said the government had been making changes to HRT and maternity care, and was rolling out more free childcare "and that will make a big difference to families up and down the country".

Talking about gender recognition certificates, Sunak said he would change the law so that sex means biological sex. "That’s how you protect female only spaces and services," he said.

Starmer said it is "very important that we protect women-only spaces", adding: "I do recognise that there are a small number of people who are born into a gender they don't identify with and I will treat them with respect."

An audience member asked, to huge applause, "Are you two really the best we've got to be prime minister of our great country?"

Sunak responded he understood the frustration and said the country had faced some tough times. He highlighted that he had been prime minister for just 18 months, and said the choice was about the future.

"If you want lower taxes, if you want your borders secure, if you want your pensions protected with a triple lock plus... allow me to finish the job I've started."

Keir Starmer reeled off his CV, and said he had always said "country first, party second".

"What I'm now asking for is the opportunity to change our country for the better," he said. "We’ve had 14 pretty awful years. This is the opportunity to turn the page, rebuild our public services."

Keir Starmer said he was "very concerned" about Nottingham council running out of money, adding that there were also Conservative-run councils that had run out of money. "We would change the way payments were made to councils," he said, adding that longer term, three-year financial settlements would help, as well as specific proposals around no-fault evictions. "Huge damage has been done to our economy," he added.

Rishi Sunak responded: "Most politics is local. The services you mentioned are so important. I want to roll out family hubs. Nottingham is a glimpse of the future, bankrupt under Labour. Birmingham, that is a snapshot of what will happen if Keir Starmer is in power."

Mishal Husain interjected that other councils such as Woking and Thurrock that have also been in finfncial troubles were Conservative.

Posts on social media suggest viewers don't think Starmer is doing well with the format.

Audience member Mohammed Mubarak Sheik asked how the parties would pay for their pledges.

Rishi Sunak said: "For pensioners, we have the triple lock plus. If you’re a young couple, we’ve effectively abolished stamp duty. Those are the tax cuts, that’s how we’re going to pay for it. Mark my words your taxes are going to go up under a Labour government."

Keir Starmer responded: "False. Liz Truss tried that experiment on the country. Rishi Sunak said we should unite behind her. I am not prepared to inflict that on the country. Rishi Sunak hasn’t learned the lesson, he has commitments in there that is unfunded."

When Starmer dismissed Sunak's defence that he warned people about Liz Truss, moderator Mishal Husain interjected to say in reference to Jeremy Corbyn: "Hang on, you know what it’s like to unite behind the leader of your party", prompting applause from the audience.

The noise has died down somewhat, but protesters remain outside the debate.

Rishi Sunak claimed that people were queueing up in Calais to wait for Keir Starmer to be in charge.

He said: "Do not surrender our borders to Keir Starmer and the Labour party. We will become the soft touch of Europe. They are queuing up in Calais for a Labour government."

Starmer replied that people were not being processed, and that they were sitting in hotels at taxpayers' expense.

Sunak replied: "It's a very simple question... what will you do with illegal migrants who come to our country."

Starmer replied: "At the moment 100% of them are effectively being granted asylum in this country, because they are not being processed they cannot return to where they came from."

Sunak warned the UK would be "the soft touch of Europe", and responded: "They come from Iran, Syria, Afghanistan. Are you going to sit down with the Ayatollah, do a deal with the Taliban? It is complete nonsense... You are taking people for fools, I think these people should not stay in our country. They will be put on planes to Rwanda."

For context, more than 50,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel since Sunak became prime minister, including over 13,000 so far this year.

Home Office figures show 144 people made the journey in three boats on Tuesday, taking the provisional total for 2024 to date to 13,045.

This is already a record for the first six months of a calendar year.

Audience member Steve asked the leaders why the UK couldn't 'easily' close its borders.

Starmer, answering first, said small boats were the biggest issue to the UK's border security, pledging once again to "smash the gangs". He said he had been part of operations to take down terrorist gangs.

Sunak said it was "completely unfair" that people came here illegally and jumped the queue. "We have made progress, the numbers have come down over the past 12 months compared to the 12 months before" and said the Rwanda plan would solve the issue.

Sunak was reminded that the numbers of arrivals for this year were up.

Sunak replied that if Labour won, the people smugglers "would need a bigger boat".

Audience member Beverley asked about welfare.

Rishi Sunak said the "fit note, sick note" service would be reviewed. He said if there was work people were fit enough to do, it was not fair to everybody and pledged the Tories would tighten that up.

Keir Starmer was asked what he thought was wrong with that, responding "nothing", and prompting Sunak to interject: "You opposed it when I proposed it."

Starmer told Sunak if he had listened more to people around the country, he wouldn't be so out of touch, The audience applauded.

Starmer added: "The prime minister says he’s going to do all this. The government has been there for 14 years. Who is the guy in charge of the system for the past 14 years?"

Sunak responded: "Keir you want to be in charge but youve got nothing to say about what to do about it. This election is about the future."

As the leaders spoke, there was a lot of noise in the background of the debate.

Pro-Palestine protesters were among those standing outside the Nottingham Trent University building.

Mishal Hussain, the presenter, confirmed the demonstration was taking place to the audience.

A group of students at Nottingham claimed to be involved in the demonstration.

Audience member Sue asked the leaders how they planned to restore trust in politics.

Rishi Sunak was first to answer and said he was "furious" to hear about the alleged election betting, and has been "crystal clear that anyone who has broken the law, broken the rules" should face the full consequences and be "booted out" of the party.

However, he said he could not say anything further about the investigation itself.

Keir Starmer accused Sunak of being “bullied” into responding to the issue.

The Labour leader said: “You have to lead from the front on issues like this. I think that in the last 14 years politics has become too much about self entitlement, and MPs thinking about what they could get for themselves.”

He added: “The instinct of these people to think the first thing they should do is try to make money, that was the wrong instinct, and we have to change that.”

Starmer continued: “What I did, when one of my team was alleged to have been involved and investigated by the Gambling Commission, they were suspended within minutes, because I knew it made it really important to be swift, the Prime Minister delayed and delayed and delayed until eventually he was bullied into taking off.”

In response, Sunak said: “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.”

The final showdown between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer has begun.

The Lib Dems aired their election broadcast ahead of the debate. Leader Ed Davey spoke about his time caring for his mother, and the impact it has had on his life.

A new poll shows the Lib Dems overtaking the Tories on seats with a predicted 71 to the Conservatives' predicted 60.

James Cleverly said Labour’s “grand idea” on border control is to create an organisation that already exists and do less than the Tories have done, but hope for better results.

The Home Secretary told reporters: “Their border command is the small boats operational command.

“Their returns unit is immigration enforcement … but they’re going to remove the Rwanda scheme.

“Their grand idea on border control is to do less than we are currently doing and somehow hope that it has better results.”

If the polls are to be believed, Jeremy Hunt’s Godalming and Ash constituency should still be teeming with Tories despite five years of chaos under Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

The chancellor is plotting a narrow course to victory in the true-blue Surrey seat, which has been Conservative since its creation as South West Surrey in 1983.

Read the full story from The Independent.

According to a poll, 37% of people say the betting scandal is the story they have heard most.

As the England football team trudged and wheezed their way through yet another dismal performance at the Euros on Tuesday night, an intriguing question occurred to me. And it’s continued to occupy my thoughts ever since.

Who’s having the worse campaign: Gareth Southgate, or Rishi Sunak?

It’s a tricky one to answer, given how awe-inspiringly clueless they both seem. So, in order to resolve this question of critical national importance, let’s analyse it, issue by issue.

Read the full story from The Telegraph.

Sir Ed Davey’s Liberal Democrats will try to talk to “everybody, particularly those undecided Conservatives” during the final week of the General Election campaign.

Davey told the PA news agency in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire: “We’re not going to take anyone’s vote for granted. We’re going to work until 10pm on July 4 to earn people’s vote.

“It’s clear quite a lot of people have made up their mind to vote Liberal Democrat and that’s very, very exciting – people who were thinking of voting Labour and realise they can’t win in seats like here in Henley, and vast parts of the Home Counties and the West Country, and they’re backing us, and I’m grateful for that.

“But we want to persuade people who are a bit undecided, possibly people who have voted Conservative before, to come and join us to get the Conservatives out of government – I think they need to go out of government.”

The Liberal Democrat leader added: “Whoever’s in government, they need strong opposition, they need people who can hold people to account on things like the health service, so that’s why I think over the next few days we’re going to be talking to everybody, particularly those undecided Conservatives, to see if they’ll come and join us.

“Some of them will have to break a habit of a lifetime, and that can be really difficult for people, but I hope when they listen to us on the economy, on the health service, on the police, on the environment, they’ll know we’re the right home for them.”

The betting scandal is threatening to engulf Sunak's final days of campaigning.

A Greenpeace spokesman said it was “legitimate and important” to stage a protest by climbing on the Tory battle bus.

Speaking to broadcasters after the demonstrator climbed off the coach’s roof, Paul Morozzo said: “We’re just making the point that if you want to vote with the climate in mind, if you want to vote for all the benefits the climate brings in terms of the economy and public services, then you vote for different parties.”

Asked whether sending a young woman onto the roof of the campaign bus was the right way to make the point, he said: “I think it’s an important way to make our point. We’ve only been there for a few minutes. We’ve come down, we don’t want to mess with the companies who organised the event. We’re very respectful of that.

“But in an election where the debate is so sort of poor and weak, and there’s so many lies and untruths about both the economy and climate, we think it’s legitimate and important to make our point, and in whatever way we can.”

Home Secretary James Cleverly said all taxes would be put at risk under a Labour government as he warned of a “tax bombshell”.

Cleverly told reporters on the campaign trail in Nottinghamshire: “Rachel Reeves is now refusing to rule out other tax rises, we know that they are going to have to make up that shortfall in their finances, and so everything is at risk.

“Taxation on pensions is at risk, taxation on businesses like this one is at risk, likely to go up, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, council tax bands, all these things are going to go up under Labour because they have a gaping hole in their finances.”

He added: “We are committed to bringing those taxes down, we have already started doing so, Labour will put taxes up and that will hurt everyone: businesses, the people that work for these businesses, pensioners, the people that work in our public services – they are all going to be hit with a Labour tax bombshell, the like of which none of us have seen.”

A growing cast of characters, who all – bar one – have links to Rishi Sunak or the Conservative party, have been embroiled in a betting scandal that has dominated the election campaign. So far, seven political figures have been identified, with reports that more are being investigated, along with six unnamed police officers.

Read the full story from The Guardian.

Labour has told its staff that nobody can take time off this weekend to go to Glastonbury even with the party holding a huge lead in the polls.

An insider confirmed “there’s a three-line whip” on everyone not to go to Glastonbury this year with the final week of campaignng about to begin. Even Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has been forced to abandon her plans to go to the music festival with headliners Coldplay, Shania Twain, SZA and Dua Lipa.

Read the full story from The Independent.

BBC presenter Mishal Husain has told how she will “halt” Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer in the final TV showdown if she needs to do so.

With the stakes so high, just days before the July 4 polling day, the Prime Minister and Labour leader are expected to clash in the BBC’s Prime Ministerial Debate in Nottingham on Wednesday evening.

Read the full story from the Evening Standard.

The final head-to-head debate between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in the 2024 general election campaign will take place at Nottingham Trent University. The institution has announced that the live BBC event will take place on the City Campus in NTU's Newton and Arkwright buildings.

Read the full story from Nottinghamshire Live.