Labour leader grilled on key issues
During a BBC Question Time special, Sir Keir Starmer faced tough questions on immigration and housing but avoided giving concrete answers. He refused to provide a specific target for reducing net migration, stating that setting a number has historically not been met by other politicians. Instead, he emphasized the need for balanced immigration that benefits the economy and the country as a whole.
Awkward moments over Jeremy Corbyn
Host Fiona Bruce pressed Starmer on whether he believed Jeremy Corbyn would have been a great prime minister. Starmer initially avoided a direct answer, causing laughter from the audience. Eventually, he stated that Corbyn would have been a better PM than Boris Johnson but did not definitively confirm his initial praise for Corbyn.
Comparisons to Tory manifesto
Starmer faced scrutiny over his criticism of the Conservative manifesto as "Jeremy Corbyn-like" while failing to explain how Labour's 2019 manifesto was different. He admitted to campaigning for Labour in 2019 but acknowledged that the electorate wanted a fully costed and funded plan, implying that the previous manifesto fell short in those aspects.
Overall, the debate highlighted Starmer's evasiveness on crucial issues and his reluctance to provide clear answers to pressing questions from the public.
