Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will face each other in a televised debate on Tuesday, marking their first head-to-head encounter in the current UK election campaign. The hour-long debate, moderated by Julie Etchingham, will air on ITV at 9pm.
Sunak, the Conservative Prime Minister, is trailing Labour leader Starmer by 20 points in opinion polls. He has called for weekly debates, while Starmer has agreed to participate in two. The debate topics will likely include the economy, NHS, immigration, and national security.
Keir Starmer plans to scrutinize the Conservatives' 14-year tenure, particularly targeting their economic management and NHS policies. He will also address immigration, advocating for reduced net migration and critiquing the Conservative’s handling of asylum seekers and the Rwanda scheme.
Rishi Sunak aims to deflect focus from his party's record, instead accusing Starmer of lacking substantive policies. He will highlight national security, including the Conservative stance on mandatory national service and criticisms of Labour's defence policies.
On immigration, Sunak will argue the current Conservative policies are effective and attack Labour's proposals. Starmer will likely emphasize Labour's promise to cut net migration and critique the Tories’ past failures.
Both leaders will address poverty, with calls for specific measures to tackle the issue coming from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The group emphasized the urgency of reversing rising poverty levels in the UK.
Additionally, Nigel Farage enters the election fray as leader of the Reform party, planning to push against the political status quo. The Liberal Democrats, led by Sir Ed Davey, are campaigning for free personal care and healthcare cost reforms.
The debate presents a crucial platform for both Sunak and Starmer to outline their visions ahead of the election.