First leaders' debate virtually a dead heat - according to a snap poll

The Prime Minister went head-to-head with the Labour leader last night in the first TV debate of the election held in Salford.

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Author: Hannah MakepeacePublished 20th Nov 2019

Last night the leaders clashed in the first ever TV debate between them, but there appears to be no overall winner according to a YouGov poll.

1,646 viewers took part in the survey where Boris Johnson just shaded Jeremy Corbyn by 51% to 49%.

Speaking on ITV from Media City, viewers saw a heated exchange between the leaders over Brexit, austerity and the NHS.

The Labour leader dismissed the Prime Minister's pledge to "get Brexit done'' by the end of January as "nonsense'' while Mr Johnson suggested his rival was "not fit to lead our country''.

Mr Corbyn accused the Government of entering into secret talks with the US to open up the NHS to American pharmaceutical companies in a future trade deal.

But Mr Johnson hit back, denouncing the claims as "an absolute invention'', insisting there were "no circumstances whatsoever'' in which a Conservative government would put the NHS "on the table'' in trade talks.

He said the Labour leader was trying to disguise the "void'' at the heart of his Brexit policy which meant Mr Corbyn was unable to say which way he would vote in Labour's planned second referendum.

He accused Mr Corbyn of being prepared to strike a deal with Nicola Sturgeon to get the votes he needs to enter Number 10 at the price of a second referendum on Scottish independence.

"Mr Corbyn, you've heard tonight, cannot answer the fundamental questions. Is he for Remain or Leave and what price would he pay to secure Nicola Sturgeon's support to enter Number 10?

"If he can't answer those questions tonight, I don't think he's fit to lead our country.''

Mr Corbyn rejected Mr Johnson's claim that he was seeking an alliance with the SNP, saying: "There are no deals that have been done and there will be no deals that are done.''

Both leaders vowed to boost spending after the general election.

They were then allowed to make a final pitch to voters.