Going forward, the Labour leader will likely be advised to shut down the £2,000 claim immediately, by denying it outright.
He may also opt to throw some of his own figures into the mix – such as Labour’s claim that the Tories have racked up £71 billion worth of unfunded spending pledges.
Don’t overexplain
When he first dismissed the £2,000 figure, Sir Keir went straight in with what Westminster watchers would describe as a “wonky”, or “policy-heavy”, answer, trying to explain why the Tories’ calculations were flawed.
It wasn’t until later that he boiled his response down to the far simpler term: “Garbage.”
By spending too long explaining why the Tory dossier is “nonsense”, Sir Keir risks confusing, or even boring the audience.
Therefore, in the next debate, aides may encourage him to streamline his answers, getting straight to the point.
Come up with a plan
While initial polling suggested the two leaders were fairly evenly matched on Tuesday, Sir Keir did appear to fall into a Tory trap on NHS strikes and immigration, as Mr Sunak repeatedly asked him: “What are you going to do?”
His Rwanda plan may not be popular with everyone, but the Prime Minister was at least able to spell out where he would send illegal migrants coming to Britain.
Sir Keir, on the other hand, simply said he would “smash the gangs”.
He said Labour would consider striking processing deals with other countries, but did not commit to anything.
To avoid hitting the same snag next time, Sir Keir will need to come up with some direct answers, speaking to a clear plan.
Be personal – and make Sunak look tetchy
One thing that worked well for Sir Keir on Tuesday was his ability to empathise with the British public.
While he didn’t quite clinch a victory in the YouGov snap poll, viewers were more likely to think he came across as “in touch with ordinary people, likeable, and trustworthy”.
He drew heavily on personal experience when quizzed on the cost of living, recalling how his family had their phone cut off when he was a child.
Sources said Sir Keir treated the first debate as a chance to tell his story. He was also said to have made a tactical decision to be as polite as possible.
By contrast, Labour spinners were keen to paint Mr Sunak as “tetchy”.
The aim was to contrast Sir Keir’s “strong leadership” and what they described as Mr Sunak’s tendency to start “hopping up and down” when he got frustrated.
Given Sir Keir’s empathy appears to have played well with the public, it is likely the Labour camp will encourage him to keep things personal – and take the moral high ground – when the pair next square off.
Be brutal
Senior Labour sources suggested Sir Keir was hesitant to hit back on the £2,000 claim because he wanted to respect the terms of the debate.
But by doing so, he may have missed out on opportunities to land his message where it matters.
Less than 10 minutes in, Sir Keir asked if he could respond to the £2,000 figure directly, but fell silent when moderator Julie Etchingham cut him off.
Next time, he may want to take a slightly more brutal approach, picking his moments to break the rules.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
