Viewers slam ITV’s Julie Etchingham for not controlling ‘chaotic’ debate between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer

Voters watched last night’s heated debate between Rishi Sunak and sir Keir Starmer have hit ITV because they make the political leaders talk about each other all the time.

Viewers accused ITV presenter Julie Etchingham of failing to control the ‘chaotic’ debate, which pitted the Conservative and Labor leaders against each other in the first general election debate.

The Prime Minister and Sir Keir repeatedly clashed over taxes NHS and immigration, but the live show quickly descended into chaos as Ms Etchingham desperately tried to regain control.

The veteran newsreader had to shout ‘thank you’ repeatedly in an attempt to get the debate going, and in one tense moment, as the pair argued about immigration, she raged: ‘Rishi Sunak, can we just please! Please, gentlemen! We will lower our voices.”

While some social media users accused Mr Sunak and Mr Starmer of talking over each other, many also hit out at Ms Etchingham for allowing them to do so.

Responding to last night’s debate, X user Rob Burley wrote: ‘I’ve seen Julie Etchingham handle this well in the past. This is unchecked and seems incredibly rushed and chaotic.”

ITV presenter Julie Etchingham tries to control a heated debate between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer

ITV viewers called the debate ‘incredibly rushed and chaotic’ as Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer clashed

Carol Morrell agreed, writing: “Julie Etchingham has been good in the past, but not tonight. He asks Starmer to answer the question but leaves Sunak unchallenged when he doesn’t let Starmer say a word.’

Steve Cole wrote: ‘Julie, get your hands on this, don’t let him talk about you.’

And a fourth user, Tony Bickley, wrote: ‘Imagine a world where Julie Etchingham is the most annoying person in the debate. Let them talk. We want to hear them, not you!’

Halfway through, Ms Etchingham gave a “gentle reminder” to the politicians not to talk over each other.

She warned: ‘Welcome to Sunak versus Starmer, the ITV debate. The first half was dominated by the cost of living and public services, now some information for both our candidates here.

‘I would like to ask you not to speak over each other. We want to make sure everyone can hear what you say. That was a gentle reminder; next time it might not be so kind.”

But her pleas did little to prevent the pair from clashing and talking over each other in the second half of the debate.

One user, Chris Purvis, wrote: ‘Am I the only person who gets extremely annoyed by Sunak constantly talking about Starmer and running out of time? Julie Etchingham must be stronger!’

And John Spiers said Ms Etchingham was ‘unable’ to stop Mr Sunak shouting about his opposition and describing the debate as ‘horrible’ and ‘absolutely pointless’.

Other users sympathized with Ms Etchingham, with one saying she had done a ‘good job moderating this boisterous debate – given the cross-talk’.

The leaders clashed over a number of issues including immigration, with Mr Sunak arguing that the Rwanda policy could help stop small boats. When Sir Keir called it an “expensive gimmick”, Mr Sunak shot back: “You may not like it but I have a plan.”

Sir Keir also taunted the Tory leader for being the ‘most liberal’ Prime Minister as legal net immigration is at record levels – with the latest figures at 685,000 a year.

This is when Julie Etchingham had to intervene to tell political leaders to silence their voices

Viewers expressed their frustration as they watched the first TV debate of this year’s general election campaign

There were also groans from the audience when Mr Sunak was challenged about NHS waiting lists, claiming they were ‘disappearing’. “They come down when they were higher,” he said.

Mr Sunak faced more murmurs from the crowd as he said the health service had been hit by “industrial action”. “So you’re blaming someone else,” Sir Keir shot back.

The stakes for the Prime Minister have been underlined by major research from Survation showing that Labor is on course for the largest majority in modern political history with 324 seats – compared to Tony Blair’s margin of 179.

The survey – carried out using the so-called MRP technique – predicted that the number of Conservatives would be reduced to just 71 MPs.

Mr Sunak would barely manage to hold on to his own constituency in Richmond and Northallerton. It also suggested Reform could win three, as Nigel Farage launches his bombshell bid to win a constituency.

MailOnline has contacted ITV for comment.