A snap YouGov poll after Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer were questioned on live television has found 64 per cent of viewers – nearly two in three – thought the Labour leader came out on top, and only 36 per cent said the prime minister did better.
Both party leaders insisted they would not raise taxes for working people, as they were grilled in front of an audience.
The prime minister said taxes for working people would “continue to come down” under a Tory government.
The Labour leader said: “I am not wanting to raise tax. I think people are taxed too much already. What I want to do, my central mission is to grow the economy.”
Sir Keir said he would negotiate with doctors over pay but the country could not afford their 35 per cent claim.
Mr Sunak was repeatedly challenged on health service staff shortages by NHS workers.
The prime minister pointed to funding provided by the government before noting: “What we have not done, for not just years but for decades, is train enough staff and then be reliant on having to bring people here from abroad.”
Keir Starmer confuses Grimsby with Hull during election debate
Keir Starmer confuses Grimsby with Hull during election debate
Sir Keir Starmer appeared to confuse Grimsby and Hull during Wednesday evening’s general election debate. The Labour leader took questions from Sky News political editor Beth Rigby and members of the audience as he attempted to win over the public ahead of next month’s vote. At one point, Sir Keir noted that he was impressed with apprentices he had met “here in Hull” – despite standing on stage 35 miles away. In another awkward moment, he was described as a “political robot” by someone in the audience.
Audience gasp as post-Brexit migration numbers revealed to Rishi Sunak
Audience gasp as post-Brexit migration numbers revealed to Rishi Sunak
Post-Brexit migration numbers shocked the audience at Wednesday’s general election debate. With Rishi Sunak sat on stage, host Beth Rigby noted that the total net migration figure into the UK in the past three years was 1.9 million, compared to 836,000 people in the three years running up to the 2016 referendum. As the Sky News political editor read the numbers, the audience gasped in shock. “Net migration into this country has more than doubled in the last three years, from before we left the European Union,” Ms Rigby concluded. In response, the prime minister called the figure “too high”.
Keir Starmer reveals his wife Victoria did not want him to go into politics
Top Sunak aide Craig Williams probed after placing bet on general election date days before announcement
Why Brexit is missing from this election campaign
Sunak’s campaign takes another blow as Starmer claims confident victory in YouGov poll after Sky debate
Rishi Sunak declares he has not given up after minister warns of Labour ‘supermajority’
Jeers and laughter: Public have their say on Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer
Sunak pleads his case for a return to Downing Street
Here we have some pictures from Rishi Sunak’s interview with Sky News as he fielded questions from a fired up audience in Grimsby