Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

As it happenedended

BBC leaders debate - live: Corbyn and Boris Johnson clash on racism, security and Brexit as snap poll finds viewers thought PM edged encounter

Follow all the latest developments as they happened

Adam Forrest,Lizzy Buchan,Benjamin Kentish
Friday 06 December 2019 21:50 GMT
Comments
Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn debate racism and antisemitism during BBC debate

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn will go head to head for a final TV clash as both leaders scramble to turn the tide of the election campaign in the final week.

The BBC debate comes as Labour narrowed the Tory poll lead with a four-point bounce and Jeremy Corbyn unveiled leaked Northern Ireland-related Brexit documents, claiming they show the public has been misled.

Meanwhile, ​Sir John Major urged traditional Conservative voters to ditch Boris Johnson's party in favour of independent rebels, as hundreds gathered at a rally in London to demand a Final Say referendum.

Johnson says Labour's policy would mean the whole of the next year being dominated by Brexit. 

Corbyn hits back, saying Johnson would "spend at least seven years negotiating with the USA about access to our public services"

He says the prime minister will "walk out of a relationship with the EU into a relationship with nobody".

Johnson rebuts this, saying his deal would allow "ample time" - meaning a year - for him to negotiate a new trade deal with the EU.

Benjamin Kentish6 December 2019 20:44

Boris Johnson gets very personal, hitting back at Corbyn's claims about the impact of his deal on Northern Ireland by saying he will take no lessons on Northern Ireland from someone who "supported for four decades the IRA".

Corbyn doesn't respond directly but says there is a lack of "openness" from Johnson about the true impact of his deal.

Johnson accuses his rival of "a failure of leadership for "not having a position on the greatest issue facing this country at the moment".

Benjamin Kentish6 December 2019 20:47

Some cutting-edge analysis from the health secretary here, explaining, well, how elections work...

Benjamin Kentish6 December 2019 20:48

The next questioner asks about the NHS and how the parties would retain nurses.

Johnson says it is time to invest massively in the health service, and that this is what his government is doing. He says Labour's policy of a four-day week would be "bad for patients and bad for the NHS".

Corbyn says the NHS is "at breaking point, at crisis point" because of almost a decade of Tory policies.

He says Labour will spend £40bn on the NHS. He claims Johnson has misled people over how many hospitals the Tories are building - saying the pledge has fallen from 40 to six.

Johnson admits the funding is only for an initial six hospital upgrades but that after ten years there will be 40 new ones.

Benjamin Kentish6 December 2019 20:52

Pushed on the four-day working week, Corbyn says Labour has no plan to introduce this in the NHS. 

Both leaders are now promising massive investment in the NHS. Johnson says this is only possible with a strong economy, and the only way to achieve this is to get Brexit done. 

He says this would unlock £150bn of investment in the UK. 

Corbyn says Tory policies have increased privatisation in the NHS. Labour would end this, he says, while Johnson would increase it by allowing US companies access to the health service.

Benjamin Kentish6 December 2019 20:56

The next question is about whether socialism or capitalism is best for raising living standards.

Corbyn says that socialism carried out in a democratic way has raised the living standards of the very poorest, citing Scandinavian countries and the Labour government after the Second World War.

Johnson says his "one nation conservatism" understands that a dynamic market economy is the only way to fund public services.

Benjamin Kentish6 December 2019 21:00

We're back to the issue of public spending.

How are the two parties going to fund their massive spending pledges, the questioner asks?

Johnson says the Tories would borrow huge sums to fund day-to-day investment, as Labour will. He says it is not true that Labour's tax rises would only fall on the richest.

Corbyn says only Labour has produced a fully-funded manifesto. Labour's spending would only bring the UK's spending in line with France and Germany, he says, adding: "It is simply time to invest in our future."

Benjamin Kentish6 December 2019 21:03

Corbyn says Conservative governments always look after the richest. Wealthier people benefitted from austerity while most people have suffered from massive spending cuts, he says. 

He says Labour's corporation tax rise means the levy would be still be lower than it was in 2010 and in other developed countries.

Businesses are scared about the risk of a no-deal Brexit under the Tories, he says.

Benjamin Kentish6 December 2019 21:08

The next questioner mentions recent terror attacks and asks if the leaders would be willing to put public safety ahead of human rights?

Corbyn says it is not either/or. He says it is about properly funding the police, prisons and the probation service. Human rights are our defence against autocracy and abuse of power, and security and human rights are inextricably linked, he adds.

Johnson says his government would get rid of automatic early release for serious offenders and make sure that terrorists serve their full sentence, but can only do this with a working majority.

Corbyn says you cannot keep people safe on the cheap and that rehabilitation is important too.

Benjamin Kentish6 December 2019 21:13

The next questioner asks the leaders what they would do to "get the hate out of politics". He mentions antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Johnson says everybody feels this at the moment and claims the Tories are having an independent inquiry into Islamophobia. In truth, this has been promised for months and there is as yet no sign of it happening. 

The prime minister claims that only delivering Brexit will bring people back together.

Johnson mentions the chief rabbi's comments about Jewish people fearing a Labour government.

Corbyn says "there is no place for antisemitism anywhere in our party or our society and there never will be". He says he has toughened disciplinary procedures and that Labour members found guilty of antisemitism have been suspended. 

Johnson says Corbyn's "unwillingness to take a stand, to stand up for Jewish people in the Labour Party, to protect them and put an arm round them" is a failure of leadership.

Corbyn says a failure of leadership is using racist language, suggesting Johnson has done so.

Benjamin Kentish6 December 2019 21:23

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in