On 21 June 2016, just two days before the national vote, the BBC broadcasted its final, climactic television debate of the European Union referendum campaign in front of a 6,000-strong audience at Wembley Arena.

The Remain side was represented by the recently elected mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson, and the TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady. The Leave campaign featured the former mayor of London, Boris Johnson, the Labour MP and Vote Leave campaign chair Gisela Stuart, and the Conservative energy minister Andrea Leadsom.

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The EU Referendum: The Great Debate programme was hosted by veteran broadcaster David Dimbleby, and featured clashes over immigration, the economy and sovereignty.

Khan accused Johnson, his predecessor, of unleashing “project hate” and peddling falsehoods, particularly over the prospect of Turkey joining the EU – which the London mayor referred to as a “big fat lie”.

He said immigration brought “huge economic, cultural and social benefits to our country”.

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Johnson, meanwhile, called the EU a “job destroying engine”.

“You can see it all across southern Europe and you can see it, alas, in this country as well”, he said, accusing the EU of imposing a “multitude of regulations” on British businesses.

Davidson launched the Remain team’s countercharge. Responding to Johnson, she said: “You’re going to be asked to vote in two days’ time and all you’ve heard tonight is ‘trust us and it will all be fine’ and that’s not good enough.”

She added: “They [Leave] won’t tell us how much the economy will be hit by, they won’t tell us how many jobs might go, they won’t tell us what they will replace the single market with.”

Of the Leave campaign’s slogan, take back control, Davidson said: “You lose control by losing your seat at the table.”

Davidson won cross-party praise for her performance, including from the deputy Labour leader, Tom Watson.

https://x.com/tom_watson/status/745356630418657280

In a further contribution, Davidson said: “You are being asked to make a decision that is irreversible, we can’t change, we wake up on Friday and we don’t like it and we are being sold it on a lie because they lied about the cost of Europe, they lied about Turkey’s entrance to Europe, they lied about the European army because we’ve got a veto over that.

“They put these in their leaflets and they’ve lied about it here tonight too and it’s not good enough. You deserve the truth.”

Andrea Leadsom stated: “You do not need to be in the single market. We do not need that. We are the world’s fifth biggest economy and most economies can agree free trade deals within two years.

“The EU is taking ten years or never at all.

“Why? Because 27 member states can not even organise a takeaway curry let alone what they are going to do on free trade with the rest of the world.”

In his closing statement, Boris Johnson declared: “At the end of this campaign I think you’ll agree there is a very clear choice between those on their side who speak of nothing but fear of the consequences of leaving the EU, and we on our side who offer hope.

“Between those who have been endlessly rubbishing our country and running it down, and those of us who believe in Britain.

“They say we can’t do it, we say we can. They say we have no choice but to bow down to Brussels, we say they are woefully underestimating this country and what it can do.

He added: “If we vote Leave we can take back control of our borders and huge sums of money, £10 billion a year net, our tax-raising powers, our trade policies and of our whole law-making decision – democracy, that is the foundation of our prosperity.

“And if we stand up for democracy we will be speaking up for hundreds of millions of people around Europe who agree with us but who currently have no voice.

“If we vote Leave and take back control I believe that this Thursday can be our country’s independence day.”

Davidson delivered the Remain team’s closing statement. She said: “I know the EU isn’t perfect but the benefits far outweigh any costs – and the Britain that I know, that I love, works with its friends and neighbours, it doesn’t walk away from them.”

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The debate marked the last major set-piece opportunity for both sides to make their cases before the referendum on 23 June.

Immediate reaction to the contentious debate was divided, with opinion polls showing no clear winner. A snap YouGov poll for the Times found Leave had ‘won’, with 39% of respondents who watched saying Johnson, Stuart and Leadsom did best. A total of 34% believed the ‘Remain’ team did best.

Notably, several of the debate’s participants found the debate raised their profile.

Andrea Leadsom stood in the 2016 Conservative leadership election that followed the referendum and David Cameron’s resignation. She finished second and was appointed to cabinet by the new prime minister, Theresa May.

Johnson opted not to stand in the 2016 leadership contest, having faced a full-frontal assault on his character and ability by Michael Gove, an erstwhile Leave ally.

In 2017, Ruth Davidson led the Scottish Conservatives to their best general election result since 1983. She resigned as leader in 2019 and entered the House of Lords.

Gisela Stuart stood down as an MP in 2017 and was later appointed a crossbench peer.