In the final TV debate before the election, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer engaged in a heated verbal battle, with both leaders making strong points and attacking each other's positions. The Conservative Party finds itself trailing Labour by 20 points in the polls, making this debate crucial for Sunak to make an impact on voters.

Sunak, taking a more aggressive approach, interrupted Starmer multiple times during the early segments of the debate, particularly on the topic of immigration. He demanded answers from Labour about their plans to handle small boats and accused Starmer of being dishonest with the public.

Starmer attempted to rise above the constant interruptions, expressing his frustration through sighs and exasperated responses. He pointed out that immigration numbers had significantly increased under Sunak's leadership and emphasized his experience as the Director of Public Prosecutions in prosecuting criminal gangs and terrorists.

The Labour leader garnered applause when he cleverly responded to Sunak's interruption, suggesting that if Sunak listened to the concerns of the audience and the wider public, he would be less out of touch. However, the beginning of the debate also witnessed background noises, including shouts and loud bangs, causing a temporary disruption.

During the previous debate, Starmer faced criticism for not effectively countering Sunak's attacks on taxes. This time, Sunak focused on a new attack line, claiming that a Labour shadow minister had stated public spending on green energy could reach hundreds of billions of pounds, leading to higher taxes.

Sunak also highlighted a series of council bankruptcies, including one in Nottingham, where the debate was held, painting them as examples of what could happen under a Labour government. Despite Labour's commitment to preserve the pensions triple lock, Sunak accused them of wanting to introduce a "retirement tax," a claim Starmer refuted, asserting that Sunak had raised taxes 26 times during his tenure.

Sunak consistently urged voters not to "surrender" to Labour, whether on border control, finances, or council taxes. However, Starmer swiftly seized the opportunity to criticize Sunak's handling of the election betting scandal, highlighting the PM's failure to lead with integrity and referencing the Partygate police fine.

The audience members also did not shy away from their criticism, with one respondent calling Sunak a "pretty mediocre prime minister" and accusing Starmer of being controlled by senior Labour figures. This prompted an applause and raised the question of whether either leader was the best candidate to be the country's next prime minister.

Notably, Sunak and Starmer refrained from shaking hands with each other at the end of the debate, despite both extending their hand to debate chair Mishal Husain.

The debate also touched upon women's rights and trans rights in single-sex spaces, with Sunak emphasizing the importance of protecting women's spaces. Starmer accused Sunak of lacking compassion, referring to a remark he made in front of the grieving mother of a murdered trans teenager, urging him to stop using human beings as political pawns.

The 75-minute debate provided a platform for Sunak and Starmer to engage in a candid and contentious exchange of ideas. As the election draws closer, the outcome remains uncertain, with both leaders vying for the support of voters across the country.