The four moments to look out for as Sunak and Starmer face Question Time grilling

Starmer and Sunak clash on ITV amid a general election debate on Tuesday night (Photo: Jonathan Hordle/ITV/PA Wire)

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Sir Kier Starmer will battle it out in tonight’s BBC Question Time election special in York.

The Conservative and Labour party leader will be joined by the SNP’s John Swinney and Liberal Democrat Ed Davey, with each party grilled by host Fiona Bruce and a packed studio audience.

As July’s election etches closer, the four leaders will be hoping to put forward their cases to the British public – here’s what to expect.

Keir Starmer being pressed on Labour’s tax pledges

In recent days, Labour leader Keir Starmer has been pressed on what he means by “working people” – the phrasing he has used whenever he has promised not to raise taxes.

He defined working people as those “who earn their living, rely on our [public] services and don’t really have the ability to write a cheque when they get into trouble”.

The question that remains is, will taxes rises for those outside this category and what taxes could be raised on them?

After a difficult period for the UK economy, concerns have been repeatedly raised about whether the few tax rises Labour has pledged will be enough to fund everything it wants to achieve in government.

It’s a issue that just won’t go away for Labour, and will likely be dredged up again on Question Time.

John Swinney grilled on the future of the SNP

Although Scottish First Minister John Swinney has already done several debates and interviews during the election campaign, his appearance on Question Time will arguably be his most high-profile so far.

The key question for the SNP leader will be whether his party has a future electorally after it was engulfed in multiple scandals over the past year.

The most high-profile of these was the police investigation into the party’s finances which saw former first minister Nicola Sturgeon arrested in 2023 alongside her husband in connection to the case.

Sturgeon was replaced by Humza Yousef in March 2023, but his premiership lasted only 14 months. He was forced to step down in 2024 after a co-operation agreement with the Scottish Greens in Holyrood collapsed.

With the polls showing that the SNP are on course for a wipeout in Scotland, Swinney will likely be quizzed on what the future for his party looks like after several difficult years.

Rishi Sunak responding to election betting controversy

The Conservatives have come under fresh scrutiny this week after it was revealed that Laura Saunders, the party’s candidate in Bristol North West and wife of the CCHQ director of campaigns, was under investigation by the Gambling Commission for placing a bet on the election date.

She is the second candidate to be placed under investigation after Craig Williams, a close aide of the Prime Minister, was revealed to have also placed a £100 just days before the election was announced.

One of Mr Sunak’s close protection officers has also reportedly been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations they placed bets on timing of election.

Labour has already begun answers from the Prime Minister over the growing scandal, and Mr Sunak will likely be provided to offer some response during his Question Time appearance.

Ed Davey getting cross-examined on his record

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has been attracting attention during this campaign with a series of eye-catching stunts from riding a rollercoaster to attempting an obstacle course and falling off a paddleboard.

He also attracted praise for a campaign video where he spoke candidly about his own experience of caring for his disabled son while talking about the importance of the Lib Dem’s pledge of free adult social care.

But, as the party is on track to gain a significant number of seats from the Tories, the focus on Thursday will likely shift back to his record.

One recurring issue for Sir Ed is his involvement in the prosecutions against sub-postmasters as part of the Horizon scandal, while his party is frequently criticised for abandoning its pledge of free tuition during the coalition years.

When facing the audience on Question Time, both could prove tricky subjects for the party leader who has arguably run the most positive campaign.