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General election: politicians from seven parties face off in ITV debate General election: politicians from seven parties face off in ITV debate – live news
(32 minutes later)
All the day’s developments including the Greens, Brexit party, SNP, Plaid Cymru and Lib Dems joining two main parties for TV debate in SalfordAll the day’s developments including the Greens, Brexit party, SNP, Plaid Cymru and Lib Dems joining two main parties for TV debate in Salford
They are asked to give their final statements.
Farage says that he hopes that the audience has enjoyed the talent show. He’s failed at being the most politically correct candidate, which hasn’t impressed people in the studio, but might have impressed people at home, he says.
Sunak says the choice is between Boris Johnson getting Brexit done by the end of January or Corbyn staying neutral and having more referenda.
Burgon says that a Labour government would “support you and invest in your community”. “We are on your side,” he says. “We are for the many, not the few”.
Price says that education was his route out of poverty. There are children in Wales that are going to school hungry. Putting faith in Westminster parties allows the cycle of poverty to continue.
Berry says that Greens don’t fear the future, they are the future. You can trust us to tell the truth and hold government to account, she says. “Vote Green. If not now, when?”
Swinson says that “get Brexit done” is just Johnson’s latest lie. The Lib Dems are the only party that can stop Boris Johnson, she says.
Sturgeon says that Johnson’s Tories are unfit for office, but unless we vote them out they will be in government for years. She adds that the SNP is the challenger in every Tory-held seat in Scotland.
On social care, Swinson says this is exactly the issue that requires cross-party working, but that the Conservative government has delayed it for years. Sunak says: “Next year should we spend time talking about these kinds of issues, or Brexit?”
Sturgeon says that free personal care has existed in Scotland for a decade. These parties need to get on with it, she says.
Some reaction to the debate so far:
The politicians are asked a question on why politicians can’t work together on the big questions like climate change and social care. Adam Price says that no party has a monopoly on the truth and that we need to look at the use of citizens’ assemblies, as they have done in Ireland.
Burgon says they can’t work with the Tories on anything at all because they brought in austerity, among other things. Sturgeon says that Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage are the roadblocks on climate change and social care, so it’s important to keep them out of government.
Berry says that “this is how the Greens work” because they are rarely in government. They often work with other parties to push them to act on the big issues, she says.
Sunak says that he has two small daughters who care deeply about environmental issues. He says that although parties have a different approach on how to get there, they all want to get to the same point.
Farage says that the approach to climate change by the main parties will put a lot of people out of work, so would be making the poor pay instead of the rich. Berry says that her party’s policies would create three million jobs.
Swinson says that she has worked with politicians across the spectrum on a variety of issues. Sturgeon says she doesn’t think it was the right thing to do for the Lib Dems to work with the Conservatives to bring in austerity and policies like the bedroom tax.
On the idea that “Trump wants to buy the NHS”, Sunak tells Burgon: “You really must stop making these reckless allegations”.On the idea that “Trump wants to buy the NHS”, Sunak tells Burgon: “You really must stop making these reckless allegations”.
Farage says Trump “isn’t going to buy it, Richard”. Burgon brings up the recording of Farage saying that the UK should look at an insurance model for healthcare. The Brexit party leader says he never said that. “Dear oh dear. Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie,” says Farage.Farage says Trump “isn’t going to buy it, Richard”. Burgon brings up the recording of Farage saying that the UK should look at an insurance model for healthcare. The Brexit party leader says he never said that. “Dear oh dear. Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie,” says Farage.
Again, here’s our story on that, for a bit of background.Again, here’s our story on that, for a bit of background.
Burgon says there’s a real risk that Johnson is going to do a “sweetheart deal” with Donald Trump on the NHS. Price says that the biggest threat to the NHS in Wales is the Labour government, not Trump. Burgon accuses the Plaid leader of playing Tory games by attacking Labour and not them.Burgon says there’s a real risk that Johnson is going to do a “sweetheart deal” with Donald Trump on the NHS. Price says that the biggest threat to the NHS in Wales is the Labour government, not Trump. Burgon accuses the Plaid leader of playing Tory games by attacking Labour and not them.
Siân Berry says that the credit rating agencies downgraded the UK’s credit scores, so it is not true to say that the Conservatives had managed the economy well. Sunak said he’s read the report and that they had said this was because of the uncertainty caused by Brexit. Berry says that uncertainty was caused by his party’s mishandling of Brexit.Siân Berry says that the credit rating agencies downgraded the UK’s credit scores, so it is not true to say that the Conservatives had managed the economy well. Sunak said he’s read the report and that they had said this was because of the uncertainty caused by Brexit. Berry says that uncertainty was caused by his party’s mishandling of Brexit.
Burgon is asked about the IFS’s assessment that Tory and Labour plans were unfeasible. Burgon says that the IFS is entitled to its opinion, but that other thinktanks have taken a different view.Burgon is asked about the IFS’s assessment that Tory and Labour plans were unfeasible. Burgon says that the IFS is entitled to its opinion, but that other thinktanks have taken a different view.
Sunak says that debt will be down with a Conservative government. Farage tells him to stop lying. “You cut the deficit and not the debt,” he said. “Debt is massively up.”Sunak says that debt will be down with a Conservative government. Farage tells him to stop lying. “You cut the deficit and not the debt,” he said. “Debt is massively up.”
Sturgeon says it is rich for Farage to accuse someone else of lying after the line that the UK would be able to spend an extra £350m on the NHS after Brexit. Farage says he never campaigned under that slogan.Sturgeon says it is rich for Farage to accuse someone else of lying after the line that the UK would be able to spend an extra £350m on the NHS after Brexit. Farage says he never campaigned under that slogan.
From Nazia Parveen backstage in Salford:From Nazia Parveen backstage in Salford:
Disbelief and a fair amount of shock across the political spectrum backstage in ITV’s spin room when Farage defended Donald Trump saying “men say bad things sometimes”.Disbelief and a fair amount of shock across the political spectrum backstage in ITV’s spin room when Farage defended Donald Trump saying “men say bad things sometimes”.
On the nuclear deterrent:
Swinson says we should keep our deterrent and work for multilateral disarmament. Sturgeon says that we don’t countenance chemical weapons anymore, so why should we allow weapons that wipe out swathes of the population. Farage says we live in a dangerous world and should keep the deterrent.
Burgon says Labour’s policy is to keep Trident as a deterrent, but that politicians shouldn’t boast about being willing to push the button.
“Why have it then?” says Farage. “Exactly,” says Sturgeon.
Sunak attacks Corbyn for questioning the evidence that Russia was behind the chemical attack on Salisbury. Burgon says that’s not true. Here’s our story from the time:
Sunak says Trump is here for a Nato summit to discuss security and that is very important for keeping us safe. He says it’s important that a UK prime minister can maintain those relationships.
Price says it can never be acceptable to talk about “grabbing women by the pussy” and says that we have a prime minister who described gay men like him as “bumboys” and Muslim women as letterboxes. “These men are not fit to be in public life,” he says.
Richard Burgon says he wouldn’t attend a state dinner with Donald Trump. He says it’s important to have a prime minister who thinks for themselves. Corbyn was right to oppose the invasion of Iraq, he says.
Farage says that Obama introduced the “so-called Muslim ban” and nobody complained about that.
He is very American and not to everybody’s tastes, but “he is our most important friend in the world”. Farage says that the biggest lie of the election campaign is that the US president wants to buy the NHS.
Asked by Swinson about Trump’s sexual assault boasts, Farage says: “Men say dreadful things sometimes ... but if all of us were caught out on a night out after a drink...”
Burgon brings up Trump’s “Muslim ban” and the locking up of immigrant children. He says Trump wants his “fat-cat friends to have access to our National Health Service”.
“That’s just not true,” says Farage.
Sturgeon says that relations with the US are important but, when it comes to Trump, the government “should sup with a very long spoon”.
On “the special relationship”: Swinson says there are three people in the special relationship: Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Donald Trump. She says Trump has previously boasted about sexually assaulting women and threatens the rights of minorities.
Farage says the special relationship is more important than ever in the face of the European defence union which is being set up to compete with Nato.
Siân Berry says she is terrified of Trump. She says she thinks about the powerful peace project we could build with the power of Nato and the budget behind Trident renewal.
There’s an ad break now. The Guardian north of England correspondent Nazia Parveen is watching the debate backstage:
On immigration: Farage says there has been an 8m rise in immigration since Tony Blair came to power. He says he knows that people come here and work very hard in coffee shops, but that there are too many of them.
Berry says that the NHS is staffed by immigrants. “Isn’t that terrible?” says Farage. “Why aren’t we training our own people?”
Burgon says that he doesn’t trust the Conservatives to deal with migrant rights after the Windrush scandal.
Burgon says Labour will not be doing any back room or front room deals with the SNP.
Sturgeon says that she would just ask that Labour recognises the Scottish government’s right to hold another referendum.
Swinson says that she disagrees with the SNP, but the Tory party and Labour say they are in favour of the union while doing things to undermine it.
Sturgeon says that she respects the fact people in the room are not in favour of independence but she doesn’t respect the fact they wish to “deny the people of Scotland the right to be in charge of that decision”.
Sunak says that Farage has been a tireless campaigner for Brexit, but that the Tories are the only party that can deliver Brexit. “But what are you going to deliver?” says Farage. The Brexit party leader says that leaving would mean not having the European court of justice ruling over our country, as Johnson’s deal would allow.
Adam Price quotes Tony Benn’s criticism of “weathervane politicians” as opposed to “signpost politicians”. Burgon says he is disappointed that Price is “trying to play the Tory game” of blaming Labour for the Tory-created Brexit crisis.