Debate viewers member grills Starmer and Sunak on health to be PM

This is the moment a BBC debate audience member stole the show by asking both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer: ‘Are you two really the best that we can do?’

Sunak and Starmer went head-to-head in tonight’s debate, the final one before the British public goes to the polls on July 4, and were grilled by audience members. 

One audience member, Robert, told the two party leaders that he was disappointed that they were the two most likely candidates to take high office, to thunderous applause. 

‘Mr Sunak, I think you made a fair job of being chancellor, but you’re a pretty mediocre prime minister. 

‘Sir Keir, I think that your strings are being pulled by very senior members of the Labour party. 

‘Are you two really the best we’ve got to be the next prime minister of our great country?’

The unedifying squabbling did not seem to impress the audience, with Robert Blackstock asking: ‘Are you two seriously the best we have got to be the next PM of our great country?’

Rishi Sunak tore into Keir Starmer over immigration and his ‘dishonesty’ on tax tonight as as he struggles to avert a Tory meltdown

The PM accused Keir Starmer of trying to trick Brits as they went head-to-head on BBC One barely a week before the country casts their ballots

Sunak, first to response, told Robert that while he would be the ‘first to acknowledge’ that the last few years ‘have been tough’, he said that if Brits wanted lower taxes and closed borders they ought to vote for the Tories. 

‘I get your frustrations, but think about the choice – allow me to finish what I started’, he added. 

Starmer, meanwhile, said that his background as a lawyer involved in the Good Friday peace accords in Northern Ireland, as well as his time as a top Crown Prosecution Service official, was proof that he would always put ‘country first, party second.’

But speaking after the debate, Robert said he was ‘disappointed’ by both of their responses. 

‘I was disappointed with the response from both Rishi and Keir, neither of them wanted to say why they were good.

The PM (left) arrived for the critical final BBC TV debate against Keir Starmer (right) this evening

Mr Sunak is desperately trying to change his fortunes as the election betting scandal continues to rage

‘They were going on what they had done in the past.

‘For a PM from my perspective, we want someone with personality who will project our Great Britain on the world stage.’

He added that he was still undecided on who to vote for on July 4. 

‘Tonight in fairness to both, they haven’t made me decide one way or the other.

‘I worry about things that haven’t been talked about, inheritance tax, council housing, fuel tax.’

A snap poll by YouGov showed that Starmer and Sunak were in a dead tie following the debate. 

Both party leaders took him 47% of the votes, while a further 6% said they still did not know who won tonight’s debate.