Who won BBC General Election Debate - vote now and read our full analysis
Seven political leaders went head to head tonight in a heated debate hosted by Mishal Husain. But who do you think won the debate? Vote now.
Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer were absent from tonight's big BBC General Election debate but we were not short of political heavyweights trading blows.
Reform Party leader Nigel Farage joined Labour's Angela Rayner and the Conservative's Penny Mordaunt in a fiery encounter in the second of the televised clashes ahead of July 4's national poll.
Stephen Flynn of the Scottish National Party, Carla Denyer from the Green Party, Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru and Liberal Democrats Daisy Cooper made up the rest of the speakers in the show hosted by Mishal Husain tonight.
Highlights included Nigel Farage blasting his rivals over immigration policy which he said had sparked a "population crisis" and Penny Mordaunt exposing Labour's "EU plot" as the seven battled it out over 90 minutes in front of the BBC cameras.
Husain was forced to intervene on regularly as the speakers traded blows.
But who do you think did best tonight?
Vote in our poll above to have your say on who won tonight's election and put your view in our comments section.
And scroll down for our analysis of the debate...
Nigel Farage has audience in stitches as he slams Keir Starmer
ANALYSIS by Peter Cardwell
Apart from a memorable barney on tax between Labour’s Angela Rayner and the Conservatives’ Penny Mordaunt, this was a relatively civilised affair. The cost of living, the NHS, crime, energy and immigration dominated, but little new was said. Rather, the dynamics between political leaders were at least as fascinating as any debating point.
Mordaunt basically ignored Nigel Farage. He made numerous strong points against her and the Conservatives, but got nothing in return. A slightly nervous Rayner seemed out of her depth, stumbling at points and not as assured as in her Parliamentary performances. She also can’t pronounce ‘nuclear’.
Crisp, cool, but also passionate at points, Stephen Flynn of the SNP spoke movingly about how the NHS helped him with a hip replacement after he suffered from vascular necrosis as a teenager.
Farage was the star of the debate, always relaxed and clearly having fun at points, lobbing in some fun lines about Sir Keir Starmer as ‘Blair without the flair’ and calling Rayner ‘the real leader’ of Labour, saying ‘at least she’s got some personality!’ He also pointed out he didn’t need an autocue for his closing statement, in contrast to the other six.
The Lib Dems’ Daisy Cooper said absolutely nothing of substance, although did speak very rapidly and forcefully. Her only memorable moment was when stumped by BBC moderator Mishal Husain’s mention of the Lib Dems’ 2010 tuition fees u-turn.
Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru similarly spoke in meaningless buzzwords. Green party co-leader Carla Denyer was unashamed in trumpeting high-taxation policies of the old left.
The election result is a foregone conclusion, but this was nonetheless a worthwhile exercise. The debate won’t change much electorally, but it did illuminate the nature of the conversation we’ll be having as a country until 4th July, and beyond.
Peter Cardwell is a Talk presenter, a former special adviser to four Cabinet ministers and was producer of the BBC’s first Prime Ministerial debate in 2010
