- author, Kate Whannell
- role, Political reporter
Representatives from Britain’s main political parties faced off in a seven-way debate ahead of the general election on July 4th.
1. Mordaunt joins Sunak’s D-Day criticism
Ahead of the debate, Rishi Sunak’s early departure from a ceremony to mark the Normandy landings in France was the biggest talking point leading up to the election that day.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was the first to raise the issue, calling the Prime Minister’s actions “disgraceful” and saying military veterans had been abandoned.
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said it was a “political shame”, citing her grandfather who was on the beaches of Normandy on the day of the invasion.
Conservative Minister Penny Mordaunt was less blunt, saying the Prime Minister had been “completely wrong” to choose to step down prematurely. Unlike other Conservative MPs that day, Mordaunt did not comment on Mr Sunak’s commitment to the armed forces and veterans.
Not only did she come close to criticising the current leader, but she also harshly criticised her predecessor and former rival for the Conservative leadership race.
“Even Liz Truss on her worst day recognised that this country needed a nuclear deterrent,” she said, attacking Angela Rayner.
Mr Rayner maintained his full support for the UK’s nuclear deterrent and his party’s “triple lock” on it.
2. There was a fierce conflict between Mordaunt and Raynor.
A random draw resulted in Angela Rayner and Penny Mordaunt standing next to each other, and the two immediately began arguing.
Mr Mordaunt repeatedly criticised his Labour opponent’s positions on nuclear deterrence, immigration and tax.
The Deputy Leader of the Labour Party rolled his eyes and wore a stern expression as he listened to the audience, and when it was his turn to speak, he took every opportunity to remind the audience that the Conservatives had “ruined the economy”.
At various times throughout the discussion, other participants stood by and watched while the two argued.
“Well, that was dignified,” Carla Denier of the Green Party said, eliciting laughter after one particularly tense exchange.
“Can I take up the challenge?” the SNP’s Stephen Flynn asked at one point.
3. Flynn hit hard on cuts to public services.
Stephen Flynn, the Westminster leader of the Scottish National Party, gave a well-deserved performance to a BBC Radio Theatre audience, who received huge applause.
He drew applause when he pointed out that Scottish students do not pay tuition fees and argued that immigrants are “essential” for public services and businesses.
He also mentioned Brexit, a topic that was a major talking point in the last election but received little attention in Tuesday night’s debate between Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak.
Mr Flynn called Mr Farage a “quack salesman” and accused Labour of being “silent” on the issue.
Responding to criticism of Britain’s departure from the EU, Mr Mordaunt said British exports were at an “all-time high”.
One thing Flynn did not mention was the issue of Scottish independence.
4. Farage has been most criticised by the Pride Party, the Green Party and the Scottish National Party (SNP).
Penny Mordaunt largely ignored Nigel Farage and seemed reluctant to attack him head on.
The same cannot be said for smaller parties.
Carla Denier of the Green Party accused the Reform leader of being “heartless” because he doesn’t want migrants coming to the UK to work to bring their partners and children with them.
Plaid Cymru leader Lun ap Iorwelt said Mr Farage was acting in his “own interest”.
He also accused veteran Brexit supporters of using the anniversary of the Normandy landings as a photo opportunity, with Farage hitting back by pointing out that they were raising funds to help veterans travel to Normandy for the commemorations.
He claimed the battle over immigration was “one against six” and that the UK was facing a “demographic crisis”.
5. Tuition fees bring back bad memories for the Liberal Democrats
Perhaps the most outspoken of the night came from Daisy Cooper, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats.
She acknowledged that the party’s decision to break promises and back tuition fee increases when in coalition with the Conservatives in 2010 was “certainly a sore point for us”.
“It was a very difficult decision.”
6. The NHS was a big issue
The NHS has been described as a national religion, but Mr Farage suggested the UK could learn a lesson from France.
He argued that the current model is wrong, adding: “The more you spend, the less you get back.”
The SNP’s Stephen Flynn intervened, suggesting Mr Farage didn’t believe in the NHS: “You want to privatise the NHS, that’s what you want to do.”
“It already is,” Mr Farage replied.
Liberal Democrat Daisy Cooper argued that it was the amount of funding, not the model, that mattered.
7. Smaller parties expect Labour to win
Angela Rayner attacked Penny Mordaunt in the last 30 seconds of her speech, after which Mordaunt returned the compliment.
But three of the remaining five politicians took Labour’s election win for granted, with Stephen Flynn saying “the Conservatives are finished”, as did Plaid’s Lun ap Iowert.
Nigel Farage said: “Labour will win. The debate is about who will be in opposition in the next parliament.”
To some extent, the claim that the election is over is something that all the smaller parties always make, and they try to convince people that choosing them will not waste their vote.
But the idea that the election is a foregone conclusion is clearly dangerous for the Labour Party.
Labor will not want voters to think they don’t need to go to the polls on July 4th.
