With a handshake between the pair, the debate came to an end.

Let’s look back and what the leaders of the two major political parties said in the second half of the debate:

• On immigration, Sunak defended his policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda. Starmer said he would "smash" the gangs that run the "people smuggling trade"
• On considering whether to leave the European Convention on Human Rights, Sunak said he would, Starmer said he would not
• On ending the war in Gaza, Starmer said there needs to be an immediate ceasefire, with hostages released, aid brought in and a two-state solution to resolve the conflict. Sunak said he supports the US deal, which includes a ceasefire and hostages released
• On Donald Trump, both leaders said they will have a relationship with him if he's elected US president.
• On climate change, Sunak said British people should not solve a global problem alone, but commits to net-zero. Starmer said a transition to renewable energy is an opportunity, which will bring down the cost of bills and create jobs
• On supporting young people, Starmer said his party would change planning laws and build 1.5 million houses. Sunak said his national service scheme would give young people skills and lower taxes would allow young people to save for a house deposit

Blinked and missed it? We can catch you up on some of the key moment of the debate with these short clips.

Would Labour put taxes up by £2,000 per family?published at 22:17 British Summer Time 4 June

22:17 BST 4 June

During the debate, Rishi Sunak repeatedly said of Keir Starmer: “You want to put everyone's taxes up by £2,000.”

The Conservatives have come up with this figure by adding up how much they claim Labour’s spending plans would cost, and dividing this by the number of UK households with at least one person working.

The overall figure is £38.5bn – over the next four years – which Labour disputes.

The Conservatives say the costings have been worked out by impartial civil servants, but they are based on assumptions made by politically-appointed special advisers.

For example, one costing looks at Labour’s plan to have more services provided by the state instead of by private companies and it assumes that private companies are always 7.5% more efficient. But the civil servants doing the costings warned about the use of that figure.

And, remember, we won’t know exactly what Labour’s policies are – and how they will be funded – until we see their manifesto, which has not yet been published.

Read more here.

James Gregory

That wraps up the first televised debate between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer.

But don't go anywhere, as next up we'll be hearing from four other political parties as they're interviewed by ITV.

Representatives from the Liberal Democrats, the SNP, Reform UK and the Green Party will be asked questions by ITV's Anushka Asthana.

First up, the Lib Dem leader Ed Davey.

Starmer pushes optimism, while Sunak alludes to Faragepublished at 22:13 British Summer Time 4 June

22:13 BST 4 June

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

Keir Starmer’s closing statement was an intriguing mix of the downbeat and the optimistic. First he almost sought to play down expectations in advance for a Labour government.

“I don’t offer you the gimmicks or unfunded promises that Rishi Sunak does,” he said. “I don’t pretend there’s a magic wand that will fix everything overnight. Instead I offer you a practical common sense plan.”

But then he pivoted to optimism, saying that “Britain can do better and must do better”.

Rishi Sunak began his closing statement by alluding to a name that wasn’t spoken in the debate: Nigel Farage. He said: “A vote for anyone else makes it more likely” that Keir Starmer will be prime minister.

“Agree or disagree with me you know what I stand for. I’ll always have your back as I did with furlough,” he said.

Image source, ITV

And in his closing statement, Conservative leader Rishi Sunak says: "You know what I stand for. I'll always have your back."

He adds that under Labour, voters don't know what they'll get.

Sunak says Starmer is asking voters to hand him a blank cheque without explaining what he'll buy with or what it'll cost taxpayers.

Choose lower immigration, lower taxes, and protected pensions, he says.

"Choose a secure future with the Conservatives," he ends.

Image source, ITV

We're now hearing the closing statements at the end of the debate.

Starmer says he doesn't offer gimmicks and unfunded promises like Sunak, adding that there is "no magic wand".

He says he has a practical, common-sense plan to change Britain and is driven by the "simple patriotic belief that Britain can and must be better".

Starmer asks viewers to imagine waking up on 5 July to "five more years of decline and division under the Conservatives" - that the "arsonists have been handed back the matches".

In a light-hearted tone, ITV's Julie Etchingham links the debate back to the Euros football tournament. She asks the pair about their leadership styles: play it safe or take risks?

"You need to have a clear plan, you need bold action," is Sunak's response.

In a similar vein, Starmer says: "Game plan, good squad, and he's [Gareth Southgate] got both of those," Starmer says.

Image source, ITV

Now Starmer and Sunak are asked about young people being priced out of the property market.

Sunak says it's a "special feeling" to get your own home and says his party wants to make it easier to buy - in which the solution is to cut taxes.

Starmer says the dream of home ownership is "all but gone" for young people, with most people unable to afford until they're in their late 30s.

He says a Labour government would change the planning laws in order to build 1.5 million new homes.

More now on the pair's plans to help young people.

Starmer takes aim at Sunak's national service policy - calling it some kind of "teenage Dad's Army" in reference to the classic sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War.

Sunak defends the policy, saying it would help young people get the opportunities they deserve and would be "transformational" for them.

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

Image source, ITV

Members of the audience just laughed at Rishi Sunak when he said that his national service policy would be “transformational for young people.”

For context: The Conservatives have set out a plan to require 18-year-olds take part in a form of national service if they win the election.

The prime minister pressed on, insisting that people want to ask him about it as he travels around the country on the campaign trail.

And he managed to make the answer about today’s major soundbite on taxes too, saying that what is most important for young people is “financial security… which is why I want to keep cutting your taxes.”

Read more about the policy here.

The pair are now being asked about what they plan to do to put climate at the "very centre" of their policies.

"Of course we're going to tackle climate change and get to net zero," Sunak says, who says the upcoming election on 4 July is about "how we do it".

The prime minister says he does not believe "British people should solve a global problem all by themselves". He says he's made bold decisions to ensure the country's energy security.

Meanwhile, Starmer says an energy transition is coming towards renewables, which he says are cheaper and give the UK energy security.

He says it will give the UK the "next generation of jobs" and wants Britain to "win the race" for renewables.

It's worth repeating that none of the major parties have released manifestos yet.

Image source, ITV

The pair are asked what should happen next to bring an end to the scenes happening in the Gaza Strip.

Starmer says the situation in Gaza is "intolerable" and "catastrophic", adding that a ceasefire is needed and the hostilities need to stop.

Humanitarian aid is "desperately" needed in the region and the Israeli hostages to be taken out, with a path to a lasting solution, he says.

Sunak calls the situation "awful" in Gaza and says he's glad Starmer has previously joined him in supporting Israel's right to defend itself.

He says humanitarian aid needs to get in and the Israeli hostages need to get out.

Next up is a question about Donald Trump, who is running to become US president again.

Both Sunak and Starmer say they would work with Trump as the UK needs to have a strong relationship with the US.

After that brief question which brought some rare agreement between the two candidates, we move on to the topic of climate change.

Immigration a clear dividing line between leaderspublished at 21:52 British Summer Time 4 June

21:52 BST 4 June

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

This debate is bouncing around topics with frenetic speed.

A brief duel on immigration established a clear dividing line: Rishi Sunak suggested that he would be willing to entertain leaving the European Convention on Human Rights if it would help his Rwanda policy, while Keir Starmer made a staunch defence of the convention as a product of Winston Churchill’s Conservative governments.

Neither position is new, but given there are areas where both parties’ platforms are very similar, it’s worth remarking on clear differences.

It's getting very heated as the debate on immigration continues - both leaders are told to lower their voices.

Starmer repeats that the only way to fix the small boats problem is to take on the smuggling gangs - "it can be done", he says.

Sunak is asked if the Tories would take the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights, which some in his party want to do.

He says he's "crystal clear" that he would be willing to do so if his government's approach to illegal immigration was blocked. Someone in the audience can be heard to say "shame on you".

Starmer says a Labour government will not pull out of international human rights laws. He says he wants the UK to be a leader on the global stage, not a "pariah".

Image source, ITV

Sunak is repeatedly asking Starmer what his immigration plans are.

We need to "smash the gangs" and stop this "vile trade" in illegal migration, Starmer responds, drawing an applause from the audience.

Sunak insists he has got a plan to deal with record numbers in migration, citing his party's Rwanda scheme as a deterrent.

The Conservative leader repeatedly questions Starmer, repeatedly asking what he's going to do.

Image source, ITV

Audience member Steven asks both leaders directly why he should trust them on immigration after "many broken promises".

Rishi Sunak says "migrants have been detained" and flights to Rwanda are scheduled for July.

Starmer accuses the prime minister of failing to keep his promise to "stop the boats".

For context: In Sunak's first major speech of 2023, he pledged to "stop the boats" as part of five priorities as prime minister.

"He is the most liberal prime minister we've ever had on immigration," Starmer says about Sunak, adding that 10,000 people crossed the Channel this year alone.

Sunak responds by saying that the number has gone down in the past 12 months and will continue to do so if he is prime minster after the 4 July election.

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

A very direct rebuttal, external to Rishi Sunak’s main tax attack on X (formerly Twitter) from Pat McFadden, Labour’s campaign director.

He says: “Rishi Sunak’s claims about Labour and tax are categorically untrue. Labour will not put up taxes on working people.”

That’s the Labour campaign position and Keir Starmer eventually said so earlier, but there might be frustrations in his team that he did not express it that directly in the heat of the debate.

Meanwhile Conservative operatives are wandering the spin room saying that Starmer failed nine times to rule out increasing taxes by £2,000.

Watch the pair trade blows over tax in this 19-second clip:

Image source, ITV

We're halfway through the debate. As the programme takes a break, let’s take a moment to review what Sunak and Starmer have said so far:

• In opening statements, Starmer said this election was about a choice between "chaos" with the Conservatives or "rebuilding with Labour". Sunak said "uncertain times call for a clear plan and bold action"
• The first question was about relieving the cost of living. Sunak said the economy is growing, wages rising and that he plans to cut taxes. Starmer referenced financial hardship in his family growing up, and said the government had lost control of the economy
• The debate then turns to the NHS, with a question about fixing the "broken" system. Starmer says he would engage with striking doctors to resolve the industrial action. Sunak says it would not be right to raise taxes to resolve the strikes
• Then, we turned to the education system. Sunak said his party was backing schools with "record investment". Starmer said he would recruit teachers to fill gaps in the workforce
• Lastly, we turned to taxes. Starmer said his party would raise specific taxes, such as on private schools and would scrap the non-dom tax status. Sunak spoke of his triple-lock on pensions and said he'd ensure the state pension is not taxed

There's plenty more to come, so stick with us as Sunak and Starmer are quizzed on immigration and leadership qualities.