The results show a close tie
Tonight saw Rishi Sunak take on Keir Starmer in the first of three planned debates ahead of 4 July. Now a snap YouGov poll of 1,657 viewers reveals how people feel each party leader performed, and who they think came across best.
The results show a tie, with Rishi Sunak being seen as having given the best performance by 51% to Keir Starmer's 49%.
Nevertheless, slightly more think Keir Starmer performed well (60%) than Rishi Sunak (55%). In a poll last week we found that Britons had higher expectations of Starmer's performance than Sunak's.
Viewers were more likely to think that Starmer came across as in touch with ordinary people, likeable, and trustworthy. They were closely split on who seemed more prime ministerial: 43% say Rishi Sunak did, while 40% said it was Keir Starmer.
On the issues, Starmer won handily on the NHS, cost of living, education and climate change. The two closely tied on immigration, while Sunak won more convincingly on tax.
Most viewers found the debate a frustrating experience, at 62%. After that, the most common reactions were that it was interesting (42%), vague (32%) and engaging (28%).
What do you think about the debates, the election campaign, and everything else? Have your say, join the YouGov panel, and get paid to share your thoughts. Sign up here.
Photo: ITV
