A range of issues from health to immigration were covered at the event in central Nottingham, and opinion polls afterwards showed a tie.
British Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer faced off in their final televised debate before the UK general election, sparring sharply over issues from health to immigration to ethics, with both struggling to be heard over the roaring protests outside.
The debate, held in central Nottingham, was Mr Sunak’s last big chance to give his right-wing Conservative Party a fighting chance, as they are about 20 points behind Labour in the July 4 election.
Mr Sunak accused Mr Starmer of “making a fool of the people” over Labour’s plans to cut immigration, and Starmer said Mr Sunak, one of Britain’s richest men, was “out of touch with reality” and too rich to understand the concerns of most ordinary Britons.
Mr Sunak repeatedly urged voters not to “give in” to Labour on everything from borders to tax, while Mr Starmer stressed the election was an opportunity to “break away” from 14 years of Conservative rule dominated by austerity, Brexit and infighting.
According to a YouGov real-time poll, the debate, moderated by senior journalist Mishal Hussain and broadcast on the BBC, saw both candidates receive equal support at 50 percent.
As the event at Nottingham Trent University began, loud but inaudible shouts could be heard from pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside.
Hussain acknowledged the disruption and said protests were part of British democracy.
Neither Starmer nor Sunak commented on the protests, which gradually died down in the latter stages of the debate.
The two men were also at odds over an election day gambling scandal involving several leading Conservative politicians and one Labour candidate who bet on himself.
Mr Starmer promised to “reset politics and put politics back into public services” and blamed Mr Sunak for a lack of leadership in response to the unrest.
Mr Sunak, who promised to restore “integrity, professionalism and accountability” if he is named Conservative leader and chancellor in 2022, said he was “infuriated” when he learned of the allegations.
“I have been very clear: anyone who breaks the rules will not only face the full penalty of the law, but I will ensure they are expelled from the Conservative party,” he added.
But in a sign of the public’s growing disdain for politicians, an audience member asked, “Are you two really the best politicians?” which elicited loud applause.
The two leaders have met in several debates and public sessions with voters, increasingly focusing on who is best suited to lead the country.
Mr Sunak’s campaign has been struggling since he announced his election outside 10 Downing Street in pouring rain in May.
His election campaign has been lackluster since then and his decision earlier this month to separate from other leaders and miss a commemoration of the Normandy landings in northern France caused a furor.
The Conservative party has been struggling to win public trust since it emerged that senior members of the public, including then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, broke coronavirus lockdown rules by partying in Downing Street.
Their position worsened after Mr Sunak’s short-lived predecessor, Liz Truss, spiked interest rates and crashed the pound with unfunded tax cuts in October 2022, causing Labour’s lead in the opinion polls to soar.
The Conservatives are also under pressure from the far-right Reform UK Party, which has seen a surge in support since populist Nigel Farage became its leader. Polls suggest Farage, who has had seven failed attempts to become a member of Parliament, is set to beat the incumbent Conservative in Clacton on the east coast.
British voters elect 650 members of the House of Commons, and the leader of the party that wins the majority of seats, either alone or in a coalition, becomes prime minister.
