Sunak and Starmer to face questions from Beth Rigby and audience members in Sky News leaders’ special event

Published

1 year ago

June 10, 2024

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Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer will face questions from Beth Rigby and members of the public during Sky News’ special leaders’ event on Wednesday, the broadcaster has confirmed.

Award-winning political editor Rigby will scrutinise the leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties on their commitments to the country during 20-minute in-depth interviews.

The Battle for Number 10 – a Sky News Leaders Special Event will air live on Sky News on Wednesday at 7.30pm from Grimsby – an area expected to play a key role in the election.

Sky News’ lead UK presenter Sarah-Jane Mee will be among the representative audience – drawn from the local area and nationally – as they put their questions to Mr Sunak and Sir Keir in 25-minute slots. There will be a coin toss to decide who goes first.

General election live: Follow the latest updates

It will be the second televised event with the two party leaders, coming halfway through the general election campaign and just three weeks ahead of polls opening. At the first leaders’ debate last week, Mr Sunak and Sir Keir were given 45 seconds to respond to each question put to them.

Sky News executive editor and managing editor Jonathan Levy said: “People said they wanted to hear more from Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer, so Sky News is giving them more time to tell you about their plans for your future. Each candidate – 45 minutes, not 45 seconds… in-depth and unfiltered.

“We’re giving the nation the full story, first.”

Sir Keir said: “I’m really looking forward to it because I enjoy being able to talk directly to Sky viewers and to the audience there in Grimsby.

“I think having slightly more time will allow us to develop some of the answers that we need to give.”

The new Grimsby and Cleethorpes constituency is complex and likely to be a key battleground in the election.

Grimsby turned Conservative for the first time since the end of the Second World War in 2019, with many people at the time feeling a cultural rift with the Labour Party.

The constituency has now been combined with Cleethorpes, where the Tories have been in power since 2010, but support for them is fading.

Since its formation in 1997, Cleethorpes has been a bellwether seat, backing the largest party in Westminster.

The Battle for Number 10 Leaders Special Event, Wednesday 12 June 7pm-10pm on Sky News – free wherever you get your news.

Freeview channel 233, Sky 501, Virgin 603, BT 313 and streaming on the Sky News website, app and across social channels. It is also available to watch on Sky Showcase.

Politics

Arizona woman sentenced for helping North Korea coders get US crypto jobs

Published

3 hours ago

July 25, 2025

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Arizona woman sentenced for helping North Korea coders get US crypto jobs

An Arizona woman was sentenced to 8.5 years for aiding DPRK hackers in infiltrating over 300 US crypto and tech firms, generating $17 million of illicit gains.

Politics

Mass cross-party letter demands Starmer recognise Palestine as a state

Published

6 hours ago

July 25, 2025

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Mass cross-party letter demands Starmer recognise Palestine as a state

Sir Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure to recognise a Palestinian state, with MPs signing a mass cross-party letter demanding he take the step.

The letter is being organised by the Labour backbencher Sarah Champion, who also sits as the International Development Committee Chair.

Politics Live: Starmer to have ’emergency’ Gaza call with France and Germany

They write: “British recognition of Palestine would be particularly powerful given its role as the author of the Balfour Declaration and the former Mandatory Power in Palestine”.

“Since 1980 we have backed a two-state solution. Such a recognition would give that position substance as well as living up to a historic responsibility we have to the people under that Mandate.”

Earlier this month, nearly 60 Labour MPs called on David Lammy and the Foreign Office to immediately recognise Palestine as a state in a private letter, but this new call shows how dissatisfied many still are with the government’s refusal to change its stance on the issue.

Late last night Number 10 released a statement on Gaza calling the situation “unspeakable and indefensible,” but a growing number of Labour backbenchers fear it’s not enough.

In light of a tweet by the French President Emmanuel Macron also sent last night declaring France would recognise a Palestinian state in September at a UN conference, a number of MPs now say Number 10’s current position is untenable.

“They had said they wanted to be in lockstep with allies, but this means that position won’t hold,” said one Labour MP.

Peter Kyle, the technology secretary, this morning defended the government’s resistance to calls for immediate UK recognition of a Palestinian state.

“We want Palestinian statehood. We desire it, and we want to make sure the circumstances can exist where that kind of long-term political solution can have the space to evolve and make sure that it can become a permanent circumstance that can bring peace to the entire region,” he told Sky News.

“But right now, today, we’ve got to focus on what will ease the suffering, and it is extreme, unwarranted suffering in Gaza that has to be the priority for us today.”

An emergency call with Germany and France is scheduled for today to discuss what Sir Keir described as a “human catastrophe” which has “reached new depths”.

The Foreign Office have maintained they are committed to recognising a Palestinian state but have expressed a willingness to do so only when it will have the “most impact in support of a peace process”.

They say: “We continue to provide lifesaving aid to support Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, and to work closely in support of the Palestinian Authority.”

A Downing Street spokesperson also confirmed their position on Palestinian statehood remains unchanged.