08 June 2024 , 07:12
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Angela Rayner took on Penny Mordaunt over Tory “lies” in an explosive TV clash.
The Labour Deputy Leader warned the Conservatives have “left us in a real mess” as she confronted the Cabinet minister about the state of the country. At a fiery BBC Election Debate, the pair repeatedly came to blows over the armed forces, the economy and NHS
The seven-way showdown, hosted by Mishal Husain, also included the Lib Dem's Daisy Cooper, Stephen Flynn for the SNP, Carla Denyer for the Green Party and Rhun ap Iorwerth for Plaid Cymru. The debate followed a head-to-head clash between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer earlier in the week. Here The Mirror looks at the key moments from the BBC debate.
Penny Mordaunt blasted Rishi Sunak over D-day snub
Tory Cabinet Minister Penny Mordaunt opened the debate, saying it was "completely wrong" of her boss Rishi Sunak to duck out of the D-day commemoration early. It came after the PM was forced to apologise on Friday morning for his "mistake" after returning to the UK to conduct an election interview with ITV.
Ms Mordaunt told the BBC audience: "What happened was completely wrong and the Prime Minister has rightly apologised for that. Apologise to veterans, but also to all of us because he was representing all of us." Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also claimed the PM had "deserted" veterans and accused him of not being "patriotic".
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... while Daisy Cooper described her veteran grandfather's ordeal
Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper described her grandfather's horrific ordeal, branding Mr Sunak's snub "utterly unforgivable" during the BBC debate.
Lib Dem Daisy Cooper said Rishi Sunak's D-Day snub was 'unforgivable' (PA)She said: "I started yesterday morning watching a recording made by the Royal Mint of my late grandfather, where he recounts catching his best friend who fell from the top of a Sherman tank. He was shot in the head and as he waded through the water, he recounted, in his words, men blown to pieces, hands, legs and heads. If he had been there yesterday, I'd seen the Prime Minister walk away from him. I would have found that completely, as I do now, find it completely and utterly unforgivable."
Angela Rayner taunted Penny Mordaunt for backing Liz Truss
Labour's Angela Rayner received an applause from the BBC debate election audience as she told Penny Mordaunt: "You backed Liz Truss and crashed our economy". It came as the Tory Cabinet minister used the debate tonight to try to criticise Labour's plans on the economy and the NHS. She said it was "really important" to keep a strong budget and economy.
But Labour's Deputy Leader taunted Ms Mordaunt, saying: "You've just said that we need a strong economy. You backed Liz Truss and crashed our economy. You made people like me redundant when we were in the homecare service." During the 2020 Tory leadership campaign Ms Mordaunt came out swinging for the disaster PM after her own bid for the party's leadership failed.
Penny Mordaunt made a tax admission - and Labour HQ are sharing it
Penny Mordaunt repeated Rishi Sunak's bogus claim that Labour would raise taxes by £2,000 if elected in a heated exchange with Ms Rayner. The figure has been criticised, with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accusing Rishi Sunak of lying about how the sum was calculated. Ms Rayner said: "That is a lie", and added that the Government had raised taxes to a "record level in 70 years". Responding, Ms Mordaunt admitted the Government had done so - but hated doing so. Labour HQ gleefully shared the clip all over social media.
Nigel Farage accused of 'bigotry' in immigration clash
Nigel Farage, who represented Reform UK at the debate, enraged his opponents by claiming the six other parties had been “wholly unconcerned” with immigration.
Reform UK founder claimed the election needs to be 'the immigration election' (PA)He said this needs to be “the immigration election” as he demanded that net migration - the number of people coming to the UK minus the number leaving - is brought down to zero. Amid shouting from other politicians, Plaid Cymru’s Rhun Ap Iorwerth said the Reform UK leader was promoting “bigotry”. “Is that the best you can do?” Mr Farage responded.
Lib Dems skewered over broken promise on tuition fees
Lib Dem Deputy leader Daisy Cooper hit out the Conservatives for having "broken" the public's "hope". She said: "We heard promise after promise after promise from the Conservatives at the last general election - 40 new hospitals, 6,000 GPs, and all the rest. "And the fact is that this Parliament has been characterised by law-breaking, by lying and by the economic illiteracy of the mini-budget And of all the things the Conservatives (have done), the worst thing that I think they have broken is people's hope."
BBC debate host Mishal Hussain responded: "Do you remember going back on the tuition fees pledge?" as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage laughed. Ms Cooper replied: "That's a sore subject for us, for sure, that was a very difficult decision".
... while the SNP were applauded over tuition fees
Stephen Flynn - the SNP leader at Westminster - got the first applause from the studio audience. He said medical students in Scotland would not have to pay tuition fees - unlike England.
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A medical student asked the candidates how they can ensure that she will graduate into a functioning NHS. Mr Flynn said the NHS in Scotland has "record funding" and no strikes. He then received a round of applause when he added: "Given that you're going to university to study medicine I think it's also important to remind everyone in this audience the difference between the SNP and the Westminster parties. In an SNP-controlled Scotland you would not pay a single penny in tuition fees for your studies, what a difference that would make."
Angela Rayner said she won't be 'lectured' on UK's defence
In another clash with Penny Mordaunt, a furious Angela Ryaner said the Tories had made the UK a "laughing stock" on the world stage. As the Tory frontbencher tried to suggest Labour wouldn't use nuclear weapons if needed, Ms Rayner shot back: "My brother served in Iraq, I won't be lectured on whether or not I'm absolutely committed to the security of our country."
Labour's Angela Rayner and the Tory Minister Penny Mordaunt repeatedly clashed during the BBC debate (PA)Ms Mordaunt, who is tipped as a future Tory leader, questioned whether a Labour Government would support a nuclear deterrent. Ms Rayner told her this isn't the case - saying Keir Starmer was committed to investing in defence. She said: "You can keep pointing at me but you are the party that has cut the Armed Forces, crashed the economy and left us in a real mess. Keir has been absolutely clear on that, I am absolutely clear. We will keep our nuclear deterrent and we will invest in it."