During the first TV debate of the general election campaign, Rishi Sunak claimed that Labour would put up taxes by £2,000 for every household, citing analysis by Treasury civil servants showing a £38.5bn black hole in Sir Keir Starmer’s spending plans. However, Treasury permanent secretary James Bowler wrote to the Labour Party to dismiss this claim, stating that the figure includes costs beyond those provided by the civil service. Pollster Savanta found that Sir Keir beat Mr. Sunak in the debate, with 44% to 39% overall, outperforming him on various issues. The next TV debate between the two will take place later in the month.
General election TV debate 2024 latest: Treasury rubbishes £2,000 Labour tax rise claim by Sunak
Sunak and Starmer share opening statements for first General Election debate
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The Treasury has poured cold water on Rishi Sunak’s claim in last night’s TV debate that Labour will put up taxes by £2,000 for every household.
In the first TV debate of the general election campaign, the prime minister repeatedly pointed to analysis by Treasury civil servants showing a £38.5bn black hole in Sir Keir Starmer’s spending plans.
However, Treasury permanent secretary James Bowler wrote to the Labour Party on Monday to dismiss the claim. The figure “includes costs beyond those provided by the civil service and published online by HM Treasury”, he told shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones.
It comes as pollster Savanta found that Sir Keir beat Mr Sunak in Tuesday’s ITV leaders’ debate.
The pollster found Sir Keir beat Mr Sunak by 44% to 39% overall, outperforming the prime minister on NHS and public services 63% to 25%, on the economy 52% to 36%, and defence and security 43% to 41%.
The next TV debate between the pair will take place later this month.
Key Points
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Coutinho claims figures are ‘official costings from the Treasury’
Energy secretary Claire Coutinho has defended the claim that Labour will put up taxes by £2,000 for every household and and said the figures were “official costings from the Treasury”.
Speaking on the Today programme, she said: “This is something which has been signed off by the Treasury, by the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, as the amount of the proposals that the Labour Party have put forward so far.”
Further stoking confusion about the numbers she also said the figure was closer to £500 rather than £2,000.
Joe Middleton5 June 2024 09:04
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BREAKING: Treasury rubbishes Rishi Sunak’s £2,000 tax hike election TV debate claim
The Treasury has rubbished Rishi Sunak’s claim Labour will put up taxes by £2,000 for every household.
This would lead to each working household paying £2,094 more in tax under a Labour government, the PM claimed.
Joe Middleton5 June 2024 08:41
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Starmer’s disdain for Sunak does him no favours in TV debate, says polling guru
Reacting to last night’s TV debate, Professor John Curtice said there was no clear winner in the clash between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer last night.
Writing in The Telegraph he said that the prime minister “doggedly” stuck to his attack lines and argued that the Labour leader would put up taxes, not stop the boats and would make pensioners worse off.
However Sir Keir’s responses to Mr Sunak were met with “disdain” rather than a ready made reply to the claims.
He writes: “He took a while to counter the claim that taxes would increase by £2,000 a year.
“There was, in truth, no response to the prospect of pensions being taxed. Trouble is, disdain does not win an argument.”
Professor Curtice added that the debate offered no indications to voters on the type of Britain the Labour leader wants to create.
Joe Middleton5 June 2024 08:32
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Starmer ahead of Sunak in debate, new snap poll says
Labour’s leader outperformed the Prime Minister in Tuesday’s ITV leaders’ debate, researchers at Savanta have found.
In an overnight snap poll, Savanta found Sir Keir Starmer beat Rishi Sunak by 44% to 39%.
YouGov pollsters found in a separate snap poll yesterday that Mr Sunak had outperformed Sir Keir 51% to 49%.
Savanta found Sir Keir outperformed Mr Sunak on NHS and public services 63% to 25%, on the economy 52% to 36%, and defence and security 43% to 41%.
Pollsters at the firm also found Sir Keir “came across as most honest” 54% to 29% for Mr Sunak, and that the Labour leader “remained the calmest” 51% to 36% for the Conservative Prime Minister.
Chris Hopkins, Savanta political research director, said in a statement: “Presentationally, it felt like the Prime Minister had the upper hand at times – in particular towards the end of the debate – and although our figures suggest he lost narrowly, he probably still outperformed expectations.”
Sam Rkaina5 June 2024 07:53
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Pictured: Starmer and Sunak go head-to-head in last night’s debate
(EPA)(Jonathan Hordle/ITV/PA Wire)(Getty Images)
Athena Stavrou5 June 2024 07:00
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ICYMI: Pollsters give Sunak narrow win over Starmer after testy first clash
Rishi Sunak has beaten Sir Keir Starmer in a snap poll asking viewers who performed better in tonight’s debate.
The YouGov poll delivered narrow results with Sunak gaining 51 per cent of favourable opinion while Starmer garnered 49 per cent of votes.
The prime minister will welcome the snap survey results as he was striving to turn his party’s fortunes around in opinion polls.
Athena Stavrou5 June 2024 06:00
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Watch: Sunak laughed at for saying national service would be ‘great opportunity’
Sunak laughed at for saying national service would be ‘great opportunity’
Athena Stavrou5 June 2024 05:00
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Michael Gove: Debate was six nil to Rishi Sunak
Michael Gove has rubbished a YouGov poll showing the public was split on who won the debate, claiming it was in fact a six nil win for Rishi Sunak, Archie Mitchell reports.
The retiring senior minister told journalists after the contest that even failed former Labour leader Ed Miliband would have done better than Sir Keir Starmer.
And he said Sir Keir’s performance has left the Labour Party “in confusion, disarray and despondency”.
“They wanted to walk this general election, but Keir Starmer has fallen flat on his face,” Mr Gove added.
Asked whether the Tories were in disarray because of Nigel Farage’s decision to run in the general election, Mr Gove said: “Reform are just an arm of the Labour Party.”
Athena Stavrou5 June 2024 04:00
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Pictures: Briton’s watch first head-to-head
(AFP via Getty Images)(AFP/Getty)
Athena Stavrou5 June 2024 03:00
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Labour denies Starmer took ‘too long’ to push back on tax
Shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth denied that Sir Keir Starmer had taken too long to push back on Rishi Sunak’s claims that Labour would raise tax by £2,000.
He told reporters: “He was very clear, he said it was absolute garbage.
“You’re right, Rishi Sunak, in a very tetchy way, continued to interrupt Keir so you can obviously see Rishi Sunak is under some pressure, so I’ll grant you that, he continued to interrupt time after time, but Keir said that figure from Sunak is absolute garbage, which it is.”
(Getty Images)
Salma Ouaguira5 June 2024 02:00
Read the full story on www.independent.co.uk
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/general-election-debate-tv-sunak-starmer-who-won-b2556902.html