Wednesday, June 19, 2024 A tale of two talk shows When Sir Keir Starmer faced an hour-long grilling by LBC listeners on Tuesday morning, there were plenty of awkward moments.  The Labour leader squirmed under pressure as voters quizzed him on potential future tax hikes, his past support for Jeremy Corbyn and the two-child benefit cap.  But when Rishi Sunak entered the hot seat just 24 hours later, it was hard to believe he was talking to the same pool of voters.  Caller after caller, with the help of veteran broadcaster Nick Ferrari, gave Mr Sunak a kicking on everything from his record on LGBT rights to his penchant for Twix bars. A gay man accused the PM of being a "pound shop Nigel Farage… obsessed with divisive culture wars", while a young woman said Mr Sunak was "lying through his teeth" about his action to tackle the housing crisis.  It is certainly not a scientific measure, but the contrast painted a picture of scepticism toward Sir Keir versus deep-seated anger toward Mr Sunak and the Conservatives. Quiz question In which city did the Beergate scandal unfold?  Answer at the bottom of today's email I have worked for The Independent long enough to remember when you had to pay to read our journalism, because the main way of getting hold of it was to buy a paper copy. Now a lot of what we do is free to read online, including one of my columns every Saturday. But it is as true today as it was then that good journalism costs money.    I am extremely proud of what we do at The Independent, from scoops such as the prime minister's wife's non-dom status to our lively comment articles for the independent-minded. 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SUBSCRIBE: £1 FOR 6 MONTHS Daily briefing Rishi Sunak dubbed 'pound shop Farage' during hour-long LBC mauling  The prime minister was quizzed on the Conservatives' 14-year record on the state of the NHS and housing Tories called 'truly pathetic' for post showing Starmer being cheered by Kim Jong Un Lord Carlile said the Tories 'should be ashamed of themselves' for publishing the image Jacob Rees-Mogg says Reform UK has 'stolen all his best policies' Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg praised Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, but described some of its representatives as 'nutty candidates who like Hitler' What else you need to know today Rachel Reeves sought to clarify Sir Keir Starmer's definition of "working people" days after the party pledged not to raise taxes on workers if it got into power John Rentoul writes that "Radio Rishi" was a masterclass in how not to do an election phone-in Nearly 3 million people have applied to register to vote since the general election was called on 22 May — down by a quarter from the same period before the 2019 general election The chair of the United States senate intelligence committee warned Russian interference in the UK general election will likely "ramp up dramatically" over the next fortnight The Independent View The Putin-Kim bromance is a dangerous liaison Politics explained Is Boris Johnson oven-ready for a return to the Tory front line? As rumours swirl about a Boris Johnson comeback, Sean O'Grady looks at what impact the former prime minister could make in the floundering Tory general election campaign...   Read more MOST COMMENTED Nigel Farage and Lee Anderson set to win seats while Jeremy Corbyn loses in new MRP poll Tomorrow on the campaign trail Our political commentator Andrew Grice on what to look out for Lord Cameron, the foreign secretary, will be in Paris for the launch of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Alliance.   Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves will be announcing, or re-announcing, Labour's policies for the rented sector.  The Resolution Foundation has an online and in-person event at 9.30am: "The cost of poor health – what does rising health-related benefit spending mean for the UK and its next government?"    England take on Denmark in their second Euro 2024 clash, kicking off at 5pm.   Leaders' edition of Question Time from York, featuring Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, John Swinney and Ed Davey, BBC1, 8pm. QUOTE OF THE DAY "It's one thing betraying your principles, but another to throw your friends under a bus. The population of the Ninth Circle has increased today"   Former Tory MP and Rother Valley candidate Alex Stafford, apparently referring to Natalie Elphicke campaigning against her ex-colleagues Enjoy 6 months of Independent Premium for just £1  With the election date set, our mission to provide unbiased journalism has never been more important. As the only quality news source that refuses to take political sides, you can rely on our commentary and analysis to help you make sense of the key elections in the UK and US. SUBSCRIBE TODAY You may cancel at any time. 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