Leading figures from the UK's political parties have clashed over Brexit, the NHS and terror legislation in the latest televised general election debate. Labour's Richard Burgon declined to say which way he would vote in the EU referendum his party is promising, while Tory Rishi Sunak was pushed to rule out a no-deal Brexit but did not give a direct answer.
Mr Burgon defended Jeremy Corbyn's decision to remain neutral in the event of a second referendum, saying the Labour leader was "determined to bring the country together and heal divisions, not try to exploit them for votes". Pressed by presenter Julie Etchingham on whether he would vote to stay in the EU or leave, he said: "I want to speak to my local Labour Party members after a Labour government comes back with that deal and then we'll decide how we approach that." Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said being neutral showed Mr Corbyn was a "bystander not a leader", but Mr Burgon said her party's policy of cancelling Brexit was "not very liberal, not very democratic".
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, who also wants another referendum, said it was "dreadful" that the Conservatives want "Brexit at any cost" and Labour "can't even decide what side they're on". She pushed Mr Sunak to rule out a no-deal Brexit at the end of next year if the Conservatives failed to negotiate a trade deal with the EU. The chief secretary to the Treasury insisted "we already have a deal", prompting Ms Sturgeon to say that that was a withdrawal deal, not a trade deal. Mr Sunak said a trade deal was "in the future", adding that "we can only get to that future" by respecting the result of the EU referendum and leaving.
Green party co-leader Sian Berry said the best way to finish off the Brexit process was "more democracy" by having a "people's vote". Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price and Ms Swinson said Brexit should be cancelled altogether, with Mr Price arguing the economic effect of leaving the EU would divide the rich from the poor. Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said a second referendum would cause "even more division and acrimony". His party has pledged to leave the EU and move to World Trade Organisation trading rules if a free trade agreement cannot be struck by the end of next year.
In a particularly spiky exchange, Ms Swinson attempted to use Mr Farage's defence of US President Donald Trump against him. Mr Farage acknowledged that some of Mr Trump's comments about grabbing women were "wrong". "It was crass and it was crude and it was wrong - men say dreadful things sometimes," he said, before being interrupted by the Lib Dem leader. "Is that what you do on a night out after a drink?" she asked. Mr Farage replied: "He is president of the USA and that relationship matters. You are so anti-American you are prepared to put your hatred of Trump above our national interest."
There were also heated exchanges over the release from prison of Usman Khan, who went on to commit the London Bridge terror attack. Mr Sunak said the Conservatives wanted "tougher sentences" and defended Mr Johnson against claims he had politicised the attack. Mr Burgon said he was "very uncomfortable with the way the discussion from the Conservatives moves straight from a tragedy to reheating pre-packaged political lines smearing the Labour Party", adding: "I think our democracy, regardless of our parties, should be better than that." Mr Farage said: "I think these people should never ever be let out prison unless we are absolved."
