Summary

  • Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer clash repeatedly on their plans for tax and ways of controlling borders while facing audience questions in a BBC debate

  • They were challenged about integrity in politics, the cost of living and women-only spaces

  • Sunak used his 30-second closing statement to reiterate his controversial £2,000 tax claim, prompting Keir Starmer to shout “that is a lie”

  • While they exchanged barbs over the alleged betting scandal, noises and shouts were heard in the background from protests nearby

  • The debate, hosted by Mishal Husain, was one of the last major set-piece moments before polling day

Media caption,

Sunak v Starmer: PM candidates clash on immigration, tax and Brexit

  1. Closing statements now - first up Rishi Sunakpublished at 21:32 26 June

    Finally, we're onto closing statements. First up is Rishi Sunak.

  2. The housing crises has rocketed up the agendapublished at 21:30 26 June

    Henry Zeffman
    Chief political correspondent

    The last question of the debate is about young people but clearly a big part of that is housing - you can see that in how both leaders have answered.

    It’s worth noting how fast the housing crisis has rocketed up the political agenda over the past few years. It featured much less in previous elections, including the most recent one before this in 2019.

    But it’s being raised more and more by members of the public - and clearly politicians feel they must address that.

  3. Sunak reminds people of his plans for home buyerspublished at 21:30 26 June

    Sunak acknowledges that it's become too hard to buy a home - he says he has two specific policies to offer.

    First - introducing a new form of the Help to Buy scheme, which means people will only need to save a 5% deposit for a house - with the government to loan 20% on top.

    Second - "effectively" abolishing stamp duty for first-time buyers - which would mean they won't pay tax on the purchase of a new home, up to the value of £425,000.

  4. Labour would build 1.5m homes - Starmerpublished at 21:29 26 June

    Starmer says a future government needs to ensure there are well paid jobs in UK for young people.

    He namechecks Labour's policy to build a further 1.5m homes across the country so the "dream of home ownership lives on".

    And he says there'll be "tough decisions" taken to reform the planning system, before accusing Sunak of driving down housebuilding targets.

  5. 'How would you encourage young people to stay in the UK?'published at 21:25 26 June

    Media caption,

    'What would you do to make me stay in the UK?' - Question from Tasneem

    Audience member Tasneem says young people have lost hope on getting a good job or buying a home and many are leaving the UK to go to countries like Australia and Dubai.

    She asks what the leaders would do to encourage her to stay in the UK?

  6. BBC Verify

    Would pensioners face a retirement tax under Labour?published at 21:25 26 June

    By Ben Chu, BBC Verify

    Rishi Sunak told the audience that under a future Labour government, “the state pension will be subject to a retirement tax”.

    Pensioners relying solely on the state pension are on course to potentially pay a small amount of income tax in 2027-28, because the state pension in that year (£12,578) is forecast to marginally overtake the tax-free personal allowance (£12,570).

    The Conservative triple lock plus policy - which raises the personal allowance for pensioners to £13,710 by 2027-28 - would remove that risk.

    Labour haven’t said yet whether they would match it or not. But note, the Conservatives only unveiled the policy within the last couple of weeks, so to present this as a planned Labour tax rise is a bit disingenuous.

    And bear in mind that the Conservatives’ triple lock plus would only save someone living solely on the state pension around £29 a year.

  7. We're not going back into the EU, Starmer sayspublished at 21:24 26 June

    Media caption,

    Attacks turn personal as Sunak and Starmer question integrity

    Speaking through another interruption, Starmer explicitly states that - under Labour - the UK is not going back into the EU, joining the European Single Market or allowing free movement.

    Sunak hits back, saying the Labour leader isn't being straight with people.

    There'll be free movement "by the back door" under Starmer, he says.

  8. Sunak claims free movement would be price of better EU dealpublished at 21:23 26 June

    Sunak claims the price of a "better deal" Starmer is talking about will be the free movement of people and increased migration to the UK from the EU.

    Sunak cites the Windsor Framework (read more here) as a deal he has done with the EU as prime minister.

    But Keir Starmer argues he would not do a deal with the EU if it meant increased migration.

  9. Starmer says UK can get a better deal with the EUpublished at 21:23 26 June

    Labour leader Keir Starmer addresses an audience member.Image source, PA Media

    Starmer jumps in to say cutting National Insurance would cost £46bn - where's that money coming from, he asks Sunak.

    Husain says so far neither men have answered Julie's question on how to mend the "broken" trading with Europe.

    Starmer says he won't accept that the UK can't get a better deal than the current one - and says Boris Johnson "botched it".

  10. We should focus on making the best of Brexit - Sunakpublished at 21:19 26 June

    Sunak says he is sorry things have been difficult for Julie since the UK left the EU, but says the focus should be on making the best of the situation.

    He says he has two specific things that could help small business owners like Julie: one is to make sure the government cuts taxes on business rates, and the other is to abolish national insurance.

    Media caption,

    Question on trade with Europe switches into argument on tax

  11. 'How can we mend our trading relationship with Europe?'published at 21:18 26 June

    Audience member Julie Walters asks her question.

    Up next is Julie Walters, a jazz vinyl record business owner.

    Julie says, post-Brexit she has "lost 90%" of her business with Europe. "How can we mend our broken trading relationship with Europe?" she asks.

  12. Sunak and Starmer clash over women's spacespublished at 21:18 26 June

    Sunak pushes back on Starmer's answer and says he won't change the law to ensure women's spaces are protected.

    But Starmer claims the Equality Act already ensures women's spaces and services are protected.

  13. The debate over women's only spacespublished at 21:17 26 June

    Henry Zeffman
    Chief political correspondent

    The debate over women-only spaces has flared up periodically under Keir Starmer’s leadership of the Labour Party.

    There are differences of opinion within the parliamentary Labour Party on how to handle this area.

    There is more unanimity on this within Conservative ranks but Starmer clearly believes Rishi Sunak is vulnerable here, going for the prime minister - as he did in last week’s Question Time special - over his joke in Parliament in February about the definition of a woman while Brianna Ghey’s mother was visiting.

  14. 'Will you protect single-sex spaces?'published at 21:16 26 June

    Mishal Husain asks a question from Vicky in Oxfordshire, who says: "Will you protect women's rights to single-sex spaces regardless of if they hold a gender recognition certificate?"

    Yes, Sunak says, by changing the law so "sex means biological sex" - he attacks Starmer, claiming he won't protect women's spaces.

    Starmer hits back, saying it's very important we protect women's spaces, and all people need to be treated with dignity and respect.

    A woman in the audience cheers loudly when Starmer mentions Brianna Ghey, the trans 16-year-old murdered in a park in Cheshire in February 2023.

  15. I have two young daughters, you can trust me - Sunakpublished at 21:11 26 June

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

    "I have two young daughters, and that's why you can trust me," Sunak says, responding to Rachel's question.

    He says he wants them to grow up in a country that is safe for them, and that they are supported when they have their own families.

    "I want my girls to grow up in a country where the sky is the limit for their ambitions," he adds.

  16. I've got a team of strong women to lean on - Starmerpublished at 21:11 26 June

    Starmer says he has a team of "strong women" in his party. He praises shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, deputy leader Angela Rayner, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper and Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secretary.

    It's important to work together as a part of a team, he says.

  17. BBC Verify

    Will net zero plans cost hundreds of billions?published at 21:09 26 June

    By Mark Poynting, BBC Verify

    Earlier on, Rishi Sunak said: "We've just found a recording that they have put out there from the deputy chancellor from the Labour Party admitting that their plans will cost hundreds of billions of pounds.”

    The prime minister was making a reference to a Daily Telegraph story about Darren Jones, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, who was quoted as saying that Labour’s net zero plans would cost “hundreds of billions” of pounds.

    But this figure is consistent with existing estimates for reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, which is enshrined in law and also Conservative policy.

    The UK’s independent Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) reported back in 2021, external that reaching net zero by 2050 would require around £1.3tn of investment.

    But the OBR also said that this would bring savings of around £1 trillion from moving away from fossil fuels – meaning a much lower net cost.

    The bulk of the investment costs are expected to be met by the private sector - rather than direct government spending. In the audio clip published by the Telegraph, Jones did not specify direct government spending.

  18. 'How can I be sure you'll put women's interests first?'published at 21:08 26 June

    Audience member Rachel asks her question.

    The next question comes from Rachel, who asks if she votes for "you two men" how can she be sure they'll put women's interests first?

  19. Do you recognise the lack of enthusiasm? Husain askspublished at 21:08 26 June

    Husain returns to Robert's question - asking the leaders if they recognise there is no great enthusiasm for either of them on the campaign trail.

    Sunak responds by saying Labour does not have a plan for change.

    But Starmer says after 14 years of Conservative rule "people feel the hope has been beaten out of them".

  20. 'We'll always put country first, party second' - Starmerpublished at 21:07 26 June

    Starmer says he's worked with police in Northern Ireland as part of work on the Good Friday Agreement, adding that he also ran the Crown Prosecution Service for five years - the third time he's brought this up this evening.

    "We'll always say country first, party second," he says.

    He says the country has had "14 pretty awful years" and this is the opportunity to turn the page.