With Penny Mordaunt tweeting throughout and Labour hitting back, here are the top social media reactions to the live BBC election debate (Friday 7 June).
With the seven biggest political parties involved, Rishi Sunak came under fire right from the off over his early exit from the D-Day anniversary celebrations in Normandy.
However Mordaunt, whilst acknowledging it was wrong, claimed Labour were “not credible” on defence.
The Conservative Party also commented on X: “Angela Rayner might be Prime Minister one day. Imagine what Putin is thinking,” in reference to the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
Nigel Farage from Reform UK criticised Rishi Sunak, saying: “We have a very unpatriotic Prime Minister.”
However, The Labour Party said on X that they are the party of national security.
The topic then moved to the NHS and the numbers of people waiting for treatment.
Labour posted data during the debate which aimed to show under the Party, the size of the waiting list falls.
But Mordaunt said on X that under Labour control in Wales, the country has the longest hospital waits in Britain.
On X, one user was quick to dampen any assertions that primary care services in Wales are difficult to access.
Despite the NHS issue, the country has been in recession twice this decade and Rayner was quick to point out Mordaunt’s backing of Liz Truss in the Conservative leadership race led to the infamous mini-budget which Rayner said crashed Britain’s economy, a response which went down well with some users on X.
However, Mordaunt said since the lows of negative growth last year, the economy is recovering and the incoming government must prioritise cutting people’s taxes.
She also claimed Labour would put up taxes by £2,000 per working household, saying “the country cannot afford it”. A shouting match then ensued.
She also tried to denigrate one of Labour’s major policy proposals – investing in clean, green energy.
But many X users, including former Countdown legend Carol Vorderman, said the £2,000 figure touted by the Tories is a lie.
On the Conservatives’ own tax cut assertion, Farage was keen to undermine its credibility during the debate, and posted this on X.
The parties also discussed net zero, which Farage claimed is a bad policy and bad for people.
Mordaunt tried to assert work had been done by the Conservatives to utilise greener energy sources and said: “Don’t be taken in by Labour’s ‘doing down of the nation and our achievements’.”
She also went on the attack on the issue, claiming if Labour get in, it would be impossible to buy a new petrol car – the phase-out of new petrol cars was pushed back to 2035 by the Government but Labour want to revert to the originally slated date of 2030.
With the increasing knife crime rate, Mordaunt said more police is needed in the community, highlighting her own constituency as a good example of police presence on the streets.
Users on X harked back to the moment Mordaunt carried a ceremonial sword in the King’s coronation, to satirise how knife crime issues have been handled by her party.
‘Change’ has been the one-word campaign slogan for Labour and Rayner stuck to the mantra to conclude.
In her closing remarks, Mordaunt stressed security, both national and financial, can only be given by the Conservatives.
Users on X, including LBC presenter Ben Kentish, highlighted topics which were left out during the hour-and-a-half long debate, such as the housing crisis and education.
Completely depressing to have a debate lasting 90 minutes with no mention of education – either via audience questions or politicians' closing comments. Is it any wonder teachers, schools, colleges and young people are feeling undervalued. #BBCDebate
— Maddie Wheeler (@WheelerMads) June 7, 2024
Featured image: Jamie Street on Unsplash
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