A rundown of the absolute worst moments from the abysmal Sunak V Starmer TV debate

Rishi brought up national service and the whole audience laughed at him

6 months ago | UPDATED 2 weeks ago

You’d be hard pressed to find a more miserable way to spend an hour than listening to Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer debate on live TV, but that’s the burden we must endure as the race to the first general election in five years etches closer. TV debates are always dismal, but last night’s ITV Sunak V Starmer was bleak beyond belief – perhaps because this time I feel politically homeless and would rather anyone but Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer to be running the country. Labour and the Tories both feel dismal, and last night’s shouting match as poor Julie Etchingham tried her best to clutch to some sort of organisation as the slanging match went off the rails. Here’s a quick rundown of the worst moments from the Sunak V Starmer TV debate, in case you missed it or just put the TV on mute.

Nobody would blame you if you did, trust me.

Starmer looked at the wrong camera in his opening statement

🚨 NEW: Keir Starmer's opening statement #ITVDebate pic.twitter.com/YiUwJYrKZ0

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) June 4, 2024

We’re over here, pal.

Billionaire Rishi Sunak saying he understands how hard it is for people in the cozzy livs

The long suffering Paula from Huddersfield in the debate audience put her question across to the two leaders, asking them why she is now for the first time struggling to make ends meet even though she never previously struggled and her kids have left home. Sunak said he understood how hard things are right now, which rang false considering he is quite literally a billionaire. Starmer used this against him, saying his personal wealth puts Sunak out of touch with ordinary people and what we’re facing right now.

Sunak was groaned and laughed at twice

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Firstly when he said NHS waiting lists were going down, secondly when he was asked by a younger audience member when he would put his generation first and Sunak said the thing he was going to do for young people was national service. Womp womp.

🚨 NEW: The audience laughs at Rishi Sunak when he says National Service will be a “transformative” experience for young people#ITVDebate pic.twitter.com/6dcCYVsqbl

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) June 4, 2024

Keir Starmer took the piss, referring to Rishi’s plan as “a teenage Dad’s Army”.

Rishi Sunak said he’d be willing to leave the European Convention on Human Rights

A truly dismal admission, which Sunak said he’s be willing to do if they rejected his Rwanda plans. Starmer said the UK should not risk becoming “a Pariah state” by isolating itself from international conventions.

‘So the DNA runs through my DNA’

Little Mix in 2012 #ITVdebate pic.twitter.com/Br9dlK4TU4

— Harrison Brocklehurst (@harrisonjbrock) June 4, 2024

Oh, we all love a stumbling over words don’t we gals! I knew there was be. What does that even mean may I ask?

The squabbling

🚨 NEW: Rishi Sunak says he "doesn't think the Labour Party can be trusted to keep this country as safe as the Conservatives"

Keir Starmer responds by muttering "shocking"#ITVDebate

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) June 4, 2024

By a long way, the worst moments from the first Sunak V Starmer TV debate came from the fact the two of them fought like cat and dog, with seemingly no talent in waiting for the other to finish before shouting over each other. It made for a frustrating watch for everyone involved, as Julie Etchingham tried to maintain order and the audience struggled to get direct answers to their very valid questions as Sunak and Starmer continued to bicker like they were in the playground.

The long suffering Julie Etchingham

respect to Julie Etchingham for asking questions then realising halfway through that she actually doesn't care about the answer, personally find that very relatable

— Marie Le Conte (@youngvulgarian) June 4, 2024

Julie Etchingham was fighting for her life trying to get Sunak and Starmer to fall in line and stick to her moderating, not least when she audibly sighed when the prime minister wouldn’t listen to her.

Julie Etchingham’s sigh is all of us #ITVDebate pic.twitter.com/k7gIc0ixD3

— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) June 4, 2024

At one point, The Etchingham tried once again to shut them up and said after “That was a gentle reminder. It may not be so gentle next time.” Very ominous.

If all those Sunak V Starmer TV debate moments weren’t abysmal enough for you, fear not. We still have five more to get through before the election.

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