Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer face the difficult questions at Sky News leaders' event

200 mi from Downing Street the battle for number 10 now playing out in Grimsby the two men vying for the keys to that door know they need to win voters like these this place voted Tori last time but now labor wants it back K dama first up to be interviewed by Sky's political editor Beth rby he wants to convince this audience and the country he can be trusted but it's a long journey since his last election campaign you said said I do think Jeremy Corbin would make a great prime minister Jeremy Corbin did you mean that I was certain that we would lose the 2019 election did you not mean it when you said it I was certain that we would lose now will you actually say yes I thought that or I didn't think that at the time just just be honest I honestly didn't think that we had a chance of winning that ele so you said it anyway tax a constant issue in this campaign de Labor's plans add up but the Tories say you will go further they're right aren't they you will well the first thing I'd say is the tour is in no position to lecture anyone about tax Rises we got the highest tax burden no no tax rises in the next Parliament no tax Rises needed in the plans in our Manifesto in the pl no no tax Rises for working people that's income tax National Insurance so ring out um I just to code just to code that uh for you guys because when a a politician says uh no plans it does mean I might well I've done this a bit it does no plans for a wealth tax but he is a top earner himself would you personally be happy to pay more tax yes of course a hint of domestic life and personal troubles was Vick your wife not ke for you to do this no she wasn't at all she thought think better to continue being a lawyer on a reasonable salary and not have all of the um you know challenge that you get as a politician but I was clear in my mind I wanted to come into politics because I wanted to serve my country the audience asking questions too and some not holding back over the last year I feel like You' formed into more of a politician than the person that I would have voted for to run the country um you seem more like a political robot how are you how are you going to convince others like me to vote for you well um the most look look all I can say I I went to run the crown prosecution service you referenced that I was the chief prosecutor for five years apolog Cayman did he convince you yes or no I I hope you don't answer the questions how you answer the questions I hope you never answered them the way that you did when you're a solicitor because you don't seem to answer the question okay I'm going to I'm going to some frustration at the lack of detail but this man not giving much away Richi sunet needs a big win in this room and Beyond but can he escape the chaotic record of his party in this Parliament we've had three prime ministers five chancellors five home secretaries six Health secretaries how do we know how do we know that if you won the general election you'd still be prime minister in a year's time look I I I can app appreciate people's frustrations of course we haven't got everything right I don't think any government does and I know it's been very difficult for many people but what I can do is work as hard as I can to deliver the stability that I said I would and I've had this job for 18 months the PM tested like rarely before on his promises one to get waiting lists down cutting NHS waiting list that's pledge four when you made the promise the list was at 7.21 million it's now 7.54 million cases it's gone up yes it has yes I was I'm very good we've not made as much progress on cutting waiting lists as I would have liked the point Rich Zak facing booze losing some in the crowd and at times looking crestfallen immigration the next challenge for him to overcome why did you call an election before voters could actually see it was happening because because an election is an important moment for our country and my priority when I got this job was to restore economic stability we talked about bringing inflation down and getting the economy growing and then being in a position as we are now to cut people's taxes legal immigration another example of failure and again the audience hostile what was the total net migration figure in the last three years running up to the 2016 referendum when we had free freedom of movement do you know it I I don't have it it was 836 th000 people and I'm sure many people in this room would have voted for brexit 70% of people in grimby voted for brexit how do you think they feel about that when they hear that net migration into this country has more than doubled uh in the last three years from before we left the European Union yeah I'm sure it's it's too high I've been very clear that it's too high and I'm sure people have feel frustrated and angry about it trying to show he gets it but after 14 years in power the audience seemed low on patience you say that you're coming from an NHS background and you have this instilled value of caring for the NHS how are we going to do that if you try and undermine it at every level but with greatest respect that's not what we're doing we're investing record sums into it we're training more doctors and nurses than we ever have and there are more doctors and nurses in the NHS today than it's also had because there's shortages of the staff already we shorted radiographers all all the trades all the different specialities throughout the hospitals we're short of staff so building another building that's going to move it from the hospital is not going to cure the problem it's just going to make it work it was a breezing experience for the Prime Minister his campaign needed a win but it didn't come here an exclusive snap poll suggests a decisive verdict 64% said that kiss sta won just 36% said rishy sunight not the result the Prime Minister need it halfway through this campaign tonight a major moment both sides will try to claim their man one but the reactions in the room and from the viewing public tell a different story can rishy sunak turn it around from here Sam coat Sky News Grimsby

Channel: Sky News

Views: 223,341

Keywords: Sky, News, UK, General election, Vote 2024, Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak, Pledge, Promise, NHS, Immigration, Young, People, Grimsby, Tax

Id: 6oM4-0KMxS8

Length: 6min 48sec (408 seconds)

Published: Wed Jun 12 2024