BBC election debate - live: Mordaunt and Rayner clash over tax and immigration at seven-way party TV debate
The BBC’s seven-way debate became the ground battle for Angela Rayner and Penny Mordaunt who exchanged fiery words over taxes, the NHS and defence.
The leading party figures clashed after the Tory politician repeated a claim that Labour would make working families pay £2,000 more in tax - a figure which has been criticised by Treasury experts.
But debate moderator Mishal Husain interrupted Mordaunt to remind her the figure had been questioned and Green Party leader Carla Denyer described her opponents “terribly dignified”.
Migration was also a recurring topic, with leading political figures like Nigel Farage, who is well known for his controversial views, accusing both Conservative and Labour governments of not controlling migration as he pledged to “stop migrants from bringing their family members to the UK”.
At the start of the debate Ms Mordaunt admitted prime minister Rishi Sunak was “very wrong” to have deserted D-Day commemorations early.
Sunak faced intense criticism for leaving the D-Day commemorations in Normandy early on Thursday to continue his election campaign trail.
Key Points
Nigel Farage won seven-party BBC debate, according to viewer poll
08:28 , Alexander Butler
Reform UK’s Nigel Farage won the BBC’s seven-party BBC debate on Friday night, according to a snap viewer poll.
The line-up featured Penny Mordaunt, the Conservative Leader of the House of Commons, Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, Plaid Cymru’s Rhun ap Iorwerth, Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer and Mr Farage.
The politicians clashed over D-Day and support for war veterans, immigration and the state of the NHS.
The poll, conducted by researchers More In Common, asked more than 1,000 viewers who won the debate with 25 per cent of those surveyed opting for Mr Farage. Among those who voted Conservative in 2019, 47 per cent placed the Reform leader at the top of the pile.
Ms Rayner was favoured by 19 per cent of the respondents, while 14 per cent said there was no winner. Just 7 per cent of those surveyed said Ms Mordaunt was the winner of the debate.
Mark Harper agrees D-day blunder was ‘wrong'
08:24 , Alexander Butler
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said he agreed with Rishi Sunak that it was a mistake to leave D-Day events early.
Asked whether he agreed with fellow Cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt’s assessment that it was “completely wrong”, Mr Harper told BBC Breakfast on Saturday: “I don’t know what the detail was of putting the Prime Minister’s schedule together, which, as he said, was done some time ago before the election campaign was called.
“But look, it was a mistake. People make mistakes. The Prime Minister has made a mistake. He’s apologised for it. And he’s apologised to those that would have been particularly hurt by it.”
Mr Harper also said: “I agree with the words that he set out in his remarks yesterday when he was interviewed about it.”
Name your winner as political parties clash in debate
Friday 7 June 2024 22:17 , Salma Ouaguira
Leading figures from the UK’s main political parties have clashed over the key issues in the second live TV debate of the general election – and we want to know what you make of it all.
We want to know what you made of the BBC debate. Did it help change your mind about any of the major parties?
Who came out on top for you? And who should be holding their head in their hands?
Mordaunt condemns Sunak as ‘wrong’ over D-Day as TV debate becomes ‘unedifying’ row
Friday 7 June 2024 22:16 , Salma Ouaguira
