British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer had clashed fiercely on Wednesday in their final debate before an upcoming general elections in UK, both exchanged sharp critisisms about their personal credibility and their respective party’s policies.
Despite Sunak’s Conservatives lagging behind Labour by about 20 points in recent polls, the prime minister adopted an assertive approach by criticizing Starmer for what he portrayed as a lack of clarity on key issues such as immigration, taxation, and women’s rights.
Starmer countered by suggesting that Sunak, given his wealth, couldn’t fully grasp the everyday worries of the average Briton. According to a quick YouGov survey, the debate ended in a draw, with both leaders capturing 50% of the audience’s support.
On Immigration
Regarding immigration, a critical issue for British voters, Sunak rebuffed Starmer’s proposal to repatriate migrants to their countries of origin. He argued that many migrants had fled to Britain from nations like Iran, Syria, and Afghanistan.
“Is he going to sit down with the Iranian Ayatollah? Are you going to try and do a deal with the Taliban? It’s completely nonsensical. You are taking people for fools.”
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The polls indicate that Starmer could be the one to secure a victory that to with a thumping majority, and this would bring an end to the 14-year-long conservative rule. Both leaders have engaged in fierce debates over public sessions and newsrooms in order to narrow down who is the best candidate to run the country.
Starmer has contended that after enduring 14 years of Conservative “disarray,” the nation was fatigued. He asserted that he would have a deeper comprehension of the difficulties faced by numerous families grappling with skyrocketing inflation and the crisis of cost of living that comes with it.
“Part of the problem we have with this prime minister is that his lived world is millions of miles away from the lived worlds of individuals across the country, the businesses and the families that they’re trying to support,” he said.
Both Face Heavy Criticism
Sunak’s campaign has faced difficulties from the outset. It started with an election launch in pouring rain at Downing Street and drew significant criticism for his absence from a D-Day memorial event.
He was also caught in the midst of a betting scandal which included five of his party officials, including two candidates, who were investigated for placing bets on the timing of an early election. He called on voters not to yield to the Labour Party’s agenda.
Meanwhile Starmer is being critisised for his robotic and scripted public behaviour and for not showcasing essential information on funding essential improvements in the public sector. In a Public session, a participant named Robert iterated sentiments that are shared by many, labelling Sunak as a “pretty mediocre prime minister” and suggesting that Labour party had a role in influencing Starmer’s descisions.
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