Politics

How leaders prepare for debates – and the dos and don’ts for Sunak and Starmer tonight

Published

11 months ago

June 12, 2024

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“It’s a nightmare for everybody involved.”

That’s how former Labour adviser Ayesha Hazarika describes TV election debates.

“The amount of prep is phenomenal,” she told Sky’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast, adding that when she was working with former leader Ed Miliband on the 2015 campaign, preparation for the TV debates took “months and months”.

Former Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson told the podcast she would get her team to “rip her to shreds” with the most “unfair” and “personal” questions imaginable to ready herself for the live broadcasts.

Tonight, the Sky News Battle For Number 10 Leaders’ Special Event will see Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer face questions from political editor Beth Rigby and members of our audience in Grimsby.

Here we look at how they might be preparing – and the main dos and don’ts.

‘It’s not really about what you say’

Body language expert and business psychologist Paul Boross has years of experience preparing politicians for TV debates in several countries outside the UK.

He says viewers’ lasting impressions are rarely based on what they say.

“People are not listening to every word you’re saying. They’re watching you to get a sense of what kind of person you are,” he says.

“The public get really tired of politicians ‘banging on’ about the same thing. In the context of this election, I’m sure if they hear the word ‘plan’ again, they’ll feel like they’re going to scream.

“People are more concerned with the impression you make. As human beings, that’s the criteria we’re judging them on – whether we like and trust them.”

When preparing for head-to-head debates, the two men’s advisers will have their personal traits vivid in their minds – and look to “polish the good” and “eradicate the bad”, he adds.

What does that mean for Rishi Sunak?

Commenting on his performance at the first live TV debate, Mr Boross says: “He kept rising to the bait. He needs to sound in control and not as tetchy.”

He adds: “He also needs to find some sincerity. At the moment he seems a bit like he doesn’t care anymore – like he’s got enough money and he could just leave the country if he wanted to.”

And for Sir Keir Starmer?

With Labour so far ahead of the Conservatives in the polls, Mr Boross says Sir Keir’s main aim should be to simply “avoid any big mistakes”.

But he adds: “He can seem a bit distant. He has to try and be less prosecutorial – and more human.”

He believes the key to displaying more “lightness” and “humanity” would be to use humour effectively.

Outside of these individual quirks, there are a number of basic dos and don’ts the leaders can work on to prepare for tonight’s debate, according to Mr Boross.

Do…

Use people’s names

Saying a person’s name, whether they are the interviewer or an audience member, will create a “positive psychological impact” and make the interaction feel more “personal and meaningful”, Mr Boross says.

“Hearing your own name makes you feel valued and recognised.

“Good politicians repeat the name immediately when they answer the question – so they remember it initially – then repeat it throughout the conversation.”

Another way to establish a rapport with those in the room and at home is by mirroring the questioner’s language.

“Using the same language pattern as the person who asked you the question shows you’re listening and creates a bond of trust,” Mr Boross adds.

“Really good communicators always listen to what their audience is giving them and feed back in the same form – whereas bad communicators might answer a completely different question and end up alienating them.”

Keep eye contact

Speaking on Electoral Dysfunction, Ruth Davidson recalled former Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg’s tactic of regularly looking straight at the camera during the 2010 TV debates.

But Mr Boross says doing this too often can “feel a bit too much”.

“Completing ignoring the interviewer in favour of the TV camera would probably backfire,” he says.

Instead, leaders should keep their eyes “constantly engaged” with the person speaking to them – and only address the viewer for opening or closing statements.

Using rehearsals to decipher where the camera is and what the TV shot will look like is also worthwhile, he adds.

Expect things to go wrong – and use humour to recover

“Things are always going to go wrong,” Mr Boross says. “So I train everyone to anticipate how things might go wrong.”

This may take the form of an unexpected question, a heckler, or a physical blunder, but both humour and self-deprecation can help “change the tone”.

“Humour can win the day, because it can prick the bubble of pomposity with a bit of humanity,” Mr Boross says.

He uses the example of Green Party leader Carla Denyer, who during the second leaders’ debate waited for Labour’s Angela Rayner and Conservative Penny Mordaunt to stop arguing, before interjecting: “That was terribly dignified, wasn’t it?”

Don’t…

Talk over others

Talking over an opponent is often viewers’ biggest criticism during political debates – so waiting for others to finish speaking is an important thing to practice, Mr Boross says.

“It really irks people because it’s disrespectful – it smacks of rudeness and it’s childish.

“Psychologically we’re all considering what we’d do in that situation, and what would irritate us. So it’s better to wait and then kill them with your line.”

Speaking out of turn also suggests a lack of confidence, he adds.

Stick to the podium

Although politicians often use podiums or lecterns to rest their notes on, Mr Boross suggests “getting away” from them as soon as practically possible.

“It hides your open body language, so subliminally people are asking what you’ve got to hide,” he says.

“Tony Blair used to always keep his hands up, which goes back to that Wild West concept of ‘I have no weapons… I have nothing to hide’.”

He adds that practicing moving to the side of the podium will not only make the leaders appear “more open and honest” it also proves they can speak fluently without notes.

Physical positioning is likely to be more important for Mr Sunak, Mr Boross says, whose smaller height means more of him is hidden by the podium.

Forget facial expressions

Rehearsing your physical reactions, including facial expressions and body language, is just as important as your answers, according to Mr Boross.

“Your face gives away so much, that if you let it slip, you’re in big trouble,” he warns.

With both leaders sometimes lacking in sincerity, he adds, visualising the people or things that mean most to them while they speak could be a useful tactic.

“I often ask people to think about what they really care about – and talk with that thing or person in their mind’s eye – because then their whole demeanour will change.”

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

Indonesia suspends WorldID over alleged registration violations

Published

2 hours ago

May 5, 2025

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Indonesia suspends WorldID over alleged registration violations

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s digital identity project World, formerly Worldcoin, is facing challenges in Indonesia amid local regulators temporarily suspending its registration certificates.

The Indonesian Ministry of Communications and Digital (Komdigi) has halted the Electronic System Operator Certificate Registration (TDPSE) for World and World ID over suspicious activity and alleged registration violations, the authority announced on May 4.

After the suspension, Komdigi plans to summon World’s local subsidiaries, PT Terang Bulan Abadi and PT Sandina Abadi Nusantara, to provide clarification on the alleged violations, it said.

According to a preliminary investigation, World’s PT Terang Bulan Abadi was allegedly operating without TDPSE, while PT Sandina Abadi Nusantara — the one World was using for providing its services — is allegedly involved in legal misrepresentation.

Indonesian law requires registration by all digital service providers

In the statement, Komdigi emphasized that all digital service providers in Indonesia must receive electronic registration in accordance with local laws.

Additionally, using another entity’s registration is considered a major breach of Indonesian digital operations law, the authority noted.

“Worldcoin services are recorded using TDPSE in the name of another legal entity, namely PT Sandina Abadi Nusantara,” Alexander Sabar, the Komdigi’s director general for digital supervision, said in the announcement, adding:

“Noncompliance with registration obligations and the use of the identity of another legal entity to carry out digital services is a serious violation.”

Community action required

According to Sabar, World’s temporary suspension in Indonesia is a measure taken to prevent potential risks to the community.

He mentioned that the digital ministry is committed to overseeing the digital ecosystem fairly and strictly to ensure the security of the national digital space.

A proper supervision would require active participation from the community, Sabar added, stating:

“We invite the public to help maintain a safe and trusted digital space for all citizens. Komdigi also appeals to the public to remain vigilant against unauthorized digital services, and to immediately report suspected violations through the official public complaint channel.”

In the meantime, the community has apparently been divided over action by Komdigi.

“Good job Indonesia — at least somebody is standing up to that scam,” one commentator wrote on Reddit.

Others fired back, hinting at potential benefits stemming from World’s offering in Indonesia for the general public.

“If giving up your iris biometrics means you can feed your loved ones for a few weeks, that might be a trade worth making. In the end, it all depends on what matters most to you,” another Redditor said.

World’s latest news from Indonesia follows World’s debut in the United States in May 2025, with the platform rolling out its digital identity tech in six cities initially.

A number of global regulators were pushing back on World’s operations since its launch in July 2023, with governments like Germany, Kenya and Brazil expressing concerns over potential risks to the security of biometric data passed by users.

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Politics

Donald Trump gives conflicting answers over memecoin profits

Published

4 hours ago

May 5, 2025

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Donald Trump gives conflicting answers over memecoin profits

US President Donald Trump gave clashing answers to whether he has profited from the crypto memecoin he launched in January, just days before he re-entered the White House.

In a wide-ranging interview with Kristen Welker on NBC News’ Meet the Press released on May 4, Trump said he was “not profiting from anything” when asked to respond to critics who said he’s profiting from the presidency through the memecoin.

“So you’re not profiting off of the cryptocurrency at all?” Welker asked Trump.

“I haven’t even looked,” Trump admitted.

“But I’ll tell you what. Look, if I own stock in something and I do a good job, and the stock market goes up, I guess I’m profiting.”

Trump launched his memecoin, Official Trump (TRUMP), on Jan. 17, which hit a peak of $73.43 two days later, just a day before he was inaugurated as president on Jan. 20, according to CoinGecko.

The token has been in a steady decline since launch, but it surged late last month after its website offered top holders a chance to dine with Trump on May 22. It’s currently trading at $11.35, down nearly 85% from its peak.

Trump was apparently unaware of his token’s recent surge, repeatedly asking how much it was now worth.

Two companies, CIC Digital LLC, an affiliate of Trump’s sprawling Trump Organization, and Fight Fight Fight LLC, which is co-owned by CIC Digital, together own 80% of the token’s total 1 billion supply.

Most of those tokens are locked up and will be released over the next three years. The first unlock on April 18 saw 40 million tokens, worth $454 million, go to CIC Digital.

Trump’s memecoin project has made at least $350 million so far, according to a March analysis from the Financial Times, which found those behind the token made $314 million from selling them and $36 million from fees.

Trump has been criticized over his many crypto dealings, which his opponents say are a conflict of interest as he looks to unburden the sector from regulators.

Even those in his own party, Republican Senators Cynthia Lummis and Lisa Murkowski, have criticized Trump’s dinner offer to his top tokenholders.

Trump said during the interview that he would contribute his presidential salary “back to the government,” prompting Welker to ask if he would also contribute any potential crypto earnings.

“I never thought of that,” Trump answered. “I mean, should I contribute all of my real estate that I’ve owned for many years if it goes up a little bit because I’m president and doing a good job? I don’t think so.”

Trump reiterates crypto commitment

In a part of the interview, Trump made a meandering statement that reiterated his campaign promise to support crypto.

“I want crypto. I think crypto’s important because if we don’t do it, China’s going to. And it’s new, it’s very popular, it’s very hot,” he said.

Trump claimed former President Joe Biden “went after it violently, and then, before the election, he changed his tune entirely” to garner the crypto vote. Biden did not run against Trump in the last election, instead handing the baton to then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

The president again made his point when speaking to reporters on the White House South Lawn on May 4.

CBS News’ Jennifer Jacobs reported on X that Trump said “crypto is very important,” and wanted “to keep it away from China.”

He claimed China “will take it over, just like AI, just like so many other industries, or whatever you want to call them.”

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Politics

Industry calls for urgent crypto law reforms after Australian election

Published

5 hours ago

May 5, 2025

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Industry calls for urgent crypto law reforms after Australian election

The Australian crypto industry has called on the newly reelected Labor government to urgently make digital asset legislation a top priority to ensure Australia doesn’t fall further behind global markets.

The incumbent Australian Labor Party was returned in a landslide on May 3, picking up 54.9% of the two-party-preferred vote, against the Liberal and National Parties on 45.1%. Both parties went to the election promising crypto law reform, but only the opposition pledged to deliver draft legislation within 100 days.

Joy Lam, Binance’s head of global regulatory and APAC legal, said the exchange has been consulting with Treasury officials since late 2023 about its proposed legislation, and it was now time for action.

“Timing is really quite critical now because obviously it’s something that has been discussed and kicked around for quite a few years,” she told Cointelegraph.

Coinbase managing director for APAC John O’Loghlen said the reelected Albanese Government has the “opportunity and the responsibility to move quickly on this issue” and called for a Crypto-Asset Taskforce to be established within its first 100 days “with the aim of bringing forward legislation that protects consumers, promotes innovation, and stops the exodus of talent and capital to other markets.”

Cryptocurrencies, Australia, Bitcoin Regulation — *Reelected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Source:* *Anthony Albanese*

BTC Markets CEO Caroline Bowler said that “beyond the political implications, this result sets the stage for meaningful progress in Australia’s approach to digital asset regulation.”

Lam noted that the UK released its draft regulations last week, stablecoin bills are moving forward in the US, and the EU has already implemented its MiCA legislation.

“So there’s a very clear shift. Everyone’s moving towards providing the regulatory framework that is needed for the industry to develop in a sustainable way. So time is really of the essence now.”

Draft crypto legislation within months

Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ office told Cointelegraph that exposure draft legislation would be released sometime this year for consultation, and any legislated reforms would be “phased in over time to minimize disruptions to existing businesses.”

Although the Treasury has draft legislation on “regulating digital asset platforms” and “payments system modernization” scheduled for release by the end of June, Lam isn’t confident. “I don’t know whether this quarter specifically is still sort of the timeline,” she said.

While the ALP has been attacked by some over not taking any action in its first term in government, that may actually have resulted in a better outcome than legislation that took its cues from the approach of Joe Biden’s administration, which took a hard line on banks dealing with cryptocurrency and viewed most coins as securities.

Industry figures report a noticeable evolution in the government’s approach to crypto between when proposals were first put out for consultation at the end of 2023 and when the Treasury released its much more positive “Statement on Developing an innovative Australian digital asset industry” in March this year.

The statement sets out key priorities, such as using the existing Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) regime to underpin the regulation of Digital Asset Platforms and payment stablecoins. It’s focused on the safe custody of client assets by centralized providers and sidesteps issues around decentralized finance platforms.

Lam welcomed the use of the AFSL regime. “Obviously, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel,” she said. “It’s something that people know and understand. It’s a pretty sensible move, and it’s also going to be much easier for regulators.”

Tokenization and sandbox

The government will also review the Enhanced Regulatory Sandbox, which aims to provide space for innovative digital asset startups to grow free of red tape. The statement also highlights opportunities with tokenization.

Lam said the change in emphasis showed the government has been listening to the industry.

“It reflects the industry feedback that they would have received in 2023 as a result of the consultation, as well as the changing landscape because obviously it’s been evolving pretty quickly internationally,” Lam said.

“They do have the benefit now of looking at what has worked and hasn’t worked in other jurisdictions, and really building on those lessons.”

Dea Markovy, policy director at Fireblocks, told Cointelegraph that “a lot of the groundwork and research is done” and it was looking broadly positive.

“Of course, a lot of details are still to come around Australia’s Digital Asset Platforms (DAPs) regime. What is significant here is the willingness of the Government to cut through the complexity and uncertainty on crypto intermediaries licensing.”

The securities regulator ASIC released its own crypto regulations proposals (INFO 225) in December, and feedback from those consultations will help inform the government’s new legislation.

“In essence, it details how different token issuances and crypto intermediation will fit into Australia’s existing securities legislation, providing for a transition period,” explained Markovy.

The draft guidance suggests NFTs, in-game assets and memecoins are not financial products — the local equivalent of a “security” — while a yield-bearing stablecoin or a gold-backed token probably are.

The Treasury statement also highlighted issues with debanking. Lam said that simply regulating the industry would go a long way toward solving the issue.

“What we really want from governments and regulators is that clean licensing framework, because that goes a long way to mitigating the risk and giving the banks the comfort that they need,” she said. “And then, there’s probably going to need to be some additional guidance given to banks.”

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