Reflections on a testy, shouty showdown
Welcome to the daily ITV News digest direct from the campaign trail. Each afternoon we'll bring you analysis and insight from across the nation as the General Election 2024 gathers pace.
Hi, it’s Julie Etchingham here, News at Ten anchor - heading home after moderating (or maybe I need to find another word) the ITV debate last night. I feel as though I need to stare at the landscape for a bit, or get on my yoga mat.
We’d called it Sunak v Starmer but weren’t expecting what one colleague on another channel has already coined the Salford Scrap.
The brilliant debate team had come up with all sorts of scenarios for rehearsals in the past few days (we do just as many as the political parties) but none of them had truly anticipated such a testy, shouty showdown. It was, frankly, a bit of a nightmare to navigate.
I often get asked what I made of a debate: to be honest, from the inside it’s often quite hard to tell. There is a unique intensity to being in the eye of the psychodrama, where you are simply concentrating on the next minute, the next point raised - always with an eye on the demon clock.
But coming up for air it looks like we have a weapons grade political row accelerating in the debate’s wake - over Rishi Sunak’s persistent, repeated claim that Labour would hike household taxes by two grand - a claim which Keir Starmer called garbage but didn’t quite dismantle… and by 9am the plot was thickening.
Don’t forget, you can watch my fellow presenter Tom Bradby host Talking Politics, our daily podcast from the campaign live from 4pm on ITVX, with Political Editor Robert Peston and Anushka Asthana, our deputy political editor. Or catch up on demand on ITVX or where you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for reading and enjoy some of the best content brought to you by the rest of the ITV News team below.
Labour and Tories clash over £2,000 tax claim - so who is right?
Rishi Sunak's claim Labour will increase taxes by £2,000 per household was one of the hot topics of his head-to-head ITV showdown with Sir Keir Starmer.
The prime minister repeated this tax claim several times throughout the live debate. According to Labour, he made it 11 times.
Labour has called on Mr Sunak to correct the record after he "embarrassingly" got the sum wrong after Sir Keir insisted "this £2,000 he keeps saying it's going to cost is absolute garbage".
Today, the Tories have doubled down on the claim - but a leaked letter from the top Treasury official has cast more doubt on it.
Read more on where the figure has come from on our website.
Housing, health and the cost of living: The ITV debate highlights
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer have met in the first head-to-head debate of the 2024 General Election campaign.
The duo clashed on a number of key voter issues, including the economy and healthcare, across an hour-long ITV programme on Tuesday evening.
You can watch the key moments from their exchanges on ITVX here. And you can see the full programme on catch up here.
Independence, the care sector and climate - what else matters?
Hot off the heels of the ITV debate between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, representatives of four other parties tried their best to win over voters with their plans to turn around the country.
ITV News Deputy Political Editor Anushka Asthana grilled representatives of the Liberal Democrats, the SNP, Reform UK and the Green Party.
Would Stephen Flynn of the SNP support England at the Euros, if they outlasted Scotland? What does Reform UK’s Richard Tice think about man-made climate change?
You can watch the highlights on ITVX.
Meanwhile, ITV Wales’ Rob Osborne put Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth under the microscope.
He was questioned on a range of issues, including immigration, taxes and nuclear power. See how he answered here.
Gething future in doubt as Wales first minister faces no confidence vote
Vaughan Gething could lose a vote of no confidence in the Senedd as two Labour members of the Senedd 'unwell', a Labour MS has said.
It comes after the collapse of the co-operation deal between Labour and Plaid Cymru and a series of rows involving the First Minister. The Welsh Conservatives confirmed they have tabled a motion of no confidence in Mr Gething.
Mr Gething has faced persistent questions over £200,000 his first minister campaign received from businessman David Neal, who was previously convicted for environmental crimes. Mr Gething has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
The vote was expected to take place some time after 6pm today. To keep up with the latest developments, see the ITV Wales website or ITVX.
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The Tories said they'll cut migration - haven't they promised that before?
For the past 14 years successive Conservative governments have pledged to cut net migration, while the overall number has continued to rise.
Net migration is the difference between the number of people coming in to the country, and the number leaving.
It hit a record high of 745,000 in 2022, and despite falling by 10% in 2023 to 685,000 - the number remains three times higher than in 2019.
ITV News Political Correspondent Romilly Weeks has taken a look at the Conservative promises on migration over the years, and the pledges of the other parties.
'Our running costs have doubled' - how one family is making ends meet
Shopping smarter, using the car less and keeping a close eye on when the heating goes on are a few of the ways the Weston family is trying to make their income go further.
Engineer Darran and charity volunteer Lisa live with their daughter, who is studying for exams, in Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham.
They explained to ITV News Tyne Tees how their household is cutting back as running costs have doubled.
What’s coming up…
Friday June 7: Deadline for confirming constituency candidates.
Friday June 7: BBC stages its first election debate with representatives from seven parties. BBC One from 7.30pm.
Thursday June 13: ITV hosts the ‘Election Debate’, featuring leaders or senior figures from most parties - from 8.30pm.
Monday June 18: Midnight deadline for registering to vote.
Tuesday June 19: Deadline for new postal vote applicants or amending existing absent voting arrangements.
And finally… tea and biscuits - the view from the sofas
Peter, Julie, Jake and Mary in Kent; Gordon, Harry, Lil and Tommy in Middlesbrough - these are the people Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak are seeking to connect with.
In a Gogglebox-style event, ITV News cameras were in the homes of friends and families up and down the country to watch them as they watched the leader’s debate the issues that shape the election.
So what did our sofa voters make of it? See what they had to say here.