BBC election debate live: Rishi Sunak faces Keir Starmer in final head-to-head before polling day
The debate happening tonight is unlikely to have any impact on the final result of the upcoming general election. During an appearance on LBC's Tonight with Andrew Marr, Philip Hammond, the ex-Tory chancellor, expressed his belief that the outcome was essentially determined nearly two years ago.
I believe that the result of the election was already decided by the public in the fall of 2022. The Partygate scandal and the Liz Truss government were major factors in shaping people's opinions.
If you're looking to watch the BBC debate with British sign language (BSL), you can find that on the BBC News channel.
Rishi Sunak has shown up to the debate location.
My friend Jessica Elgot wrote this from the spin room at the debate location, where she believes the election race is getting more intense.
We are currently in the BBC debate spin room and it is extremely hot. ????
Just listened to Wes Streeting saying he's "going live from a waste disposal facility."
Candidates experiencing pressure, etc etc
We are currently in the spin room for the BBC debate and it is extremely hot. ????
Just heard Wes Streeting saying he's "going live from a furnace."
Candidates are experiencing pressure and stress.
Keir Starmer has shown up for the BBC discussion.
Mishal Husain, who hosts the Today programme, will be leading the discussion tonight. In a piece for the BBC, she expressed her desire for a genuine debate to take place.
I have participated in two seven-way leaders' debates in the past, one in 2017 and another earlier this month. Each debate presents its own challenges, and it's important to familiarize yourself with each party's main policies and areas of disagreement beforehand. However, it's also crucial to bring spontaneity and energy to the discussion. The goal is to have a genuine debate rather than simply delivering pre-prepared speeches.
As reported by the BBC, the individuals in the audience were selected by the polling firm Savanta and consist of an equal mix of Conservative and Labour supporters, along with undecided voters.
Because the Conservative party is currently not well-liked, the audience for this event is likely to be more supportive of the Tories than the general population. The latest Ipsos political monitor highlights just how unpopular the government has become.
Hello. Tonight, Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will be going head to head on the BBC at 8.15pm. I'll be here to discuss the lead up to the debate, the debate itself, and provide reaction and analysis afterward. This is only the second time they will be debating during the election campaign, but Sunak and Starmer have been facing off regularly at PMQs since Sunak took on the role of PM 20 months ago. Barring any major surprises in the opinion polls, this will likely be their last debate with Sunak serving as PM.
In general, Sunak's campaign has not been successful so far, going against the usual belief that polls become closer as the election date approaches. However, the first debate he participated in, hosted by Julia Etchingham on ITV, was a positive moment for him. A quick poll showed he won by a small margin, and Starmer later admitted he was not satisfied with his own performance. Other important TV appearances for the two leaders include the Sky News leaders' special, the BBC Question Time leaders' special, and the Sun TV Q&A.
If you're interested in the topics discussed, check out our recent blog post summarizing all of today's political news.
