Angela Rayner and Penny Mordaunt clash in heated seven-way debate with Nigel Farage dubbed 'Labour enabler'
13 June 2024, 23:05 | Updated: 13 June 2024, 23:46
Seven party leaders and representatives clashed during ITV's second General Election debate as they were fiercely quizzed by members of the audience and each other.
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The debate included Angela Rayner for Labour, Penny Mordaunt for the Conservatives, Daisy Cooper for Liberal Democrats, Stephen Flynn for the SNP, Nigel Farage for Reform UK, Carla Denyer for the Green Party and Rhun ap Iorwerth for Plaid Cymru.
The debate included some quite heated interactions particularly involving Penny Mordaunt, Angela Rayner and Nigel Farage.
Some notable moments include when Farage asks Mordaunt why Brits should trust the Tories to deliver on migration pledges for a fifth time.
She replies: "Because of the record of this PM," which gets a loud laugh from the audience.
Mordaunt also argues Farage is a "Labour enabler" but Farage claps back and reminds Mordaunt that Reform has overtaken the Tories in polls and says a vote for the Tories is a vote for Labour.
Usually quiet fiesty, Rayner seemed quieter than usual and received intense scutiny from the other party representatives on key issues such as taxes, the NHS and the direction of the Labour Party.
Another memorable moment includes when Farage draws a laugh from the audience after saying he has "always told the truth" amid a tense discussion about migration.
Questions from the audience included ones on education, migration, rejoining the EU/single market, rising poverty and homelessness levels and faith in politics.
Then the leaders and representatives quizzed each other. Rayner was asked by Mordaunt on a possible increase to capital gains tax.
Denyer asks Angela Rayner which U-turn she is most proud of: "The climate investment plan, two child benefit cap or one of the others?"
Farage asks Mordaunt why Brits should trust the Tories to deliver on migration pledges for a fifth time.
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Rayner asks Mordaunt if Farage would be allowed into the Conservative party, which Iorwerth interjects and asks if Farage would be allowed into Labour.
However, the debate sobers when Flynn asks Rayner on whether Labour would end arms sales to Israel if elected into power.
Cooper later asks Mordaunt about failing to deliver on NHS pledges and Iorwerth probes Rayner about child poverty, particularly given the launch of the new manifesto.
