British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer struggled to get their messages across Wednesday as the final televised debate of the election campaign began, as protesters outside the building drowned out their answers. The two politicians vying to become Britain's leader after the July 4 election were facing off live on the BBC. As the event got underway, indistinguishable but loud shouting could be heard from outside the venue at Nottingham Trent University in central England, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators had gathered, the AP reports.
Host Mishal Husain acknowledged the distraction, which continued as the two politicians traded barbs about ethics, taxes, and migration. Protest is a part of Britain's democracy, she noted. Neither Starmer or Sunak made any reference to the protest. The ruckus, though it tapered off in the second half of the debate, made for a messy end to a debate series that has seen Starmer, Sunak, and other party leaders appeal directly to voters. Sunak, whose Conservative Party is trailing Labour in the polls, was on the offensive as he sought to turn the political dial.
Despite the big lead in the polls, Starmer insisted that nothing should be taken for granted and that people needed to vote if they want change. However, both candidates dodged giving a direct response to an audience member who asked whether they were "the best we've got to be the next prime minister of our great country," per the AP. Sunak said he understood the frustration implicit in the question, given the tough times the country has experienced in the past few years, with the coronavirus pandemic and its aftermath. Starmer said he was not surprised by the question, saying "people feel this way because the country is in such a state."
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