Keir Starmer dodges key questions on immigration and housing issues after squirming over Jeremy Corbyn in TV showdown

SIR Keir Starmer was savaged on migration, gender and Jeremy Corbyn in a crucial TV grilling with Rishi Sunak tonight.

Both wannabe PMs are fielding questions from a live BBC audience along with the Lib Dems’ Sir Ed Davey and the SNP’s John Swinney.

The Labour leader was pressed by the audience for supporting for his left-wing predecessor and saying he would make a “great PM”.

Floundering Sir Keir repeated his line that he did not think the rabid left-winger would win – but it did not wash with much of the audience, who at one point started laughing.

He retorted: “Look, he would be a better prime minister… look what we got, we got Boris Johnson. I didn’t think we were in a position to win that election”.

But audience member Emma said she was “not convinced” by his answer saying she wanted “integrity and trust” from her politicians.

Mr Sunak will be keen to draw a line under the Tory betting scandal and shift the focus onto Labour’s tax questions.

Ahead of tonight’s bust-up, a Tory spokeswoman: “Tonight, Keir Starmer has the opportunity to come clean with the public on his plans for their money.”

Whereas Sir Keir will be anxious not to blow his commanding poll lead with just two weeks to go until that July 4 election.

Sir Ed was up first, followed by Mr Swinney, Sir Keir and finally Mr Sunak.