BBC Question Time special live: Starmer takes aim at Sunak over trans jibe as PM names his one regret
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As the UK’s main four party leaders were grilled by Fiona Bruce in a BBC Question Time election special, Sir Keir Starmer took aim at Rishi Sunak as the prime minister named his one regret during his premiership.
During the debate, Sir Keir launched into criticism of Mr Sunak for making a joke about trans issues in front of the mother of murdered transgender teenager Brianna Ghey in parliament earlier this year.
Mr Sunak also said he regretted not getting down NHS waiting lists when asked what he had got wrong during his premiership by an audience member.
Meanwhile, the audience laughed at Rishi Sunak when he suggested he might suspend people’s drivers licences or stop them getting loans if they refuse to do national service.
Under pressure from Question Time’s audience, the PM said: “There’s all sorts of things that people do across Europe, whether that’s looking at driving licences, or access to finance… all sorts of other things.”
Mr Sunak also refused to suspend a Tory candidate over allegations she made a bet on the general election date ahead of it being announced.
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Analysis: Rishi Sunak finished like a man who knows he has lost
It is never a great idea to attack the audience members when you are a politician at the best of times. The “optics” as political strategists put it, are just not good.
But a terse Sunak went for four audience members at the end looking as though he had finally lost patience. It is that sort of shooting from the hip that comes when someone knows they really have nothing to lose.
In the Tories’ case they seem to have barely any seats to lose anyway given how many appear to have gone if you believe the polls.
Sunak started his half hour blaming his predecessors and apologising for those close to him. He looked like someone ready to blame everyone but himself.
In the reckoning after this election there will be plenty who will point the finger of blame at the awful way he has conducted this election campaign and lead up to it.
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