British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer struggled to get their messages across in the first half of their fiery final televised debate of the U.K. election campaign on Wednesday as protesters drowned out their answers.
The two politicians vying to become Britain's leader after the July 4 election faced off live on the BBC. As the event got underway, indistinguishable but loud shouting could be heard from outside the venue at Nottingham Trent University in central England, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators had gathered outside.
Host Mishal Husain acknowledged the distraction, which continued as the two politicians traded barbs about ethics, tax and migration. Protest is a part of Britain's democracy, she noted.
Neither Starmer or Sunak made any reference to the protest. The ruckus, though it tapered off in the second half of the debate, made for a messy end to a debate series that has seen Starmer, Sunak and other party leaders appeal directly to voters.
Sunak, who has been prime minister since Oct. 2022 but whose Conservative Party is trailing Labour in the polls, was on the offensive during the debate as he sought to turn the political dial.
He accused Starmer of planning big tax rises and of being lax on immigration, claiming “people smugglers are going to need a bigger boat†under a Labour government,
He also asked the Labour leader whether he, if elected, would make a deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan about sending back asylum seekers rejected from the United Kingdom. Sunak's government has made such an agreement with Rwanda.
“It’s completely nonsensical,†he said. “You are taking people for fools.â€
Opinion polls have for months been showing that Labour is set to return to power after 14 years and that Sunak's Conservatives are heading for a historic defeat.
Starmer insisted during the debate that nothing should be taken for granted and that people needed to go out and vote at the election on July 4 if they wanted “change.â€
However, both candidates dodged giving a direct response to an audience member who asked whether they were “the best we’ve got to be the next prime minister of our great country."
Sunak said he understood the frustration that was implicit in the question, given the tough times the country has experienced in the last few years, during the coronavirus pandemic and its aftermath.
Starmer said he was not surprised by the question, “that people feel this way because the country is in such a state.â€
Next week British voters will elect lawmakers to fill all 650 seats in the House of Commons, and the leader of the party that can command a majority — either alone or in coalition — will become prime minister. Labour currently has a double-digit lead in opinion polls over the Conservatives, who have been in power for 14 years under five different prime ministers.
Israel pressed forward on two fronts Wednesday, pursuing a ground incursion into Lebanon against Hezbollah and conducting strikes in Gaza that killed dozens, including children.
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Donald Trump 'resorted to crimes' after losing the 2020 election, federal prosecutors said in a court filing unsealed Wednesday.
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The United Nations on Wednesday called Israel’s ban on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres entering the country a political statement by its foreign minister.
President Joe Biden said Wednesday he will not support an Israeli strike on sites related to Tehran's nuclear program in response to Iran's missile attack on Israel.
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned Iran's missile attack on Israel Wednesday, but said the international community must do everything it can to help avoid a bigger regional war.
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Thinking about buying concert tickets or other items on Facebook? Police are warning the public about the risks of buying concert tickets and other items through social media, particularly Facebook Marketplace and Messenger.
WARNING: This article contains content some may find offensive. Reader’s discretion is advised.
With their straight second win Wednesday, the Detroit Tigers swept the Houston Astros, advancing past the MLB playoffs' wildcard round and securing their spot in the American League Division Series (ALDS).
Described as a "bubble on the edge of bursting," Windsor's emergency shelters are approaching maximum capacity much earlier than expected this year.
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DoorDash is increasing fees in British Columbia in response to recently passed provincial legislation.
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A woman who has worked for Â鶹´«Ã½ Northern Ontario for 50 years was honoured Tuesday night with a lifetime achievement award.
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