It's 'catfight' round 2! Nigel Farage, Penny Mordaunt and Angela Rayner will square up in ITV debate TONIGHT for a rematch of bitter clashes - with the Reform leader seen as victorious last time

Tory minister Penny Mordaunt, Labour's Angela Rayner and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage are set for another fiery clash tonight as part of a seven-way TV general election debate.

They will be among leading figures from the seven main UK parties appearing on an 90-minute ITV programme this evening.

Also appearing will be the Liberal Democrat's Daisy Cooper, SNP's Stephen Flynn, Green Party's Carla Denyer, and Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth.

The line-up is the same as that of a seven-way BBC debate last Friday night, which saw Ms Mordaunt and Ms Rayner clash over tax, the NHS and Net Zero.

Mr Farage - who was judged to have won last week's debate by viewers - risked a sexism row when he suggested the heated exchanges between the House of Commons Leader and Labour deputy represented a 'catfight'.

Tonight's debate follows this week's launch of election manifestos by most of the UK's parties.

PM Rishi Sunak yesterday unveiled a £17billion package of tax cuts in the Tory manifesto as he fights to keep his place in No10.

Sir Keir Starmer this morning focused on a goal of generating economic growth and making Labour the 'party of wealth creation' as he launched his party's document.

Speaking at a Reform press conference on Monday, Mr Farage took a swipe at the furious exchanges between Ms Mordaunt and Ms Rayner last week.

'Was it a debate or a catfight? I'm not quite sure,' Mr Farage said, as he referred to the pair's 'astonishing' exchanges over tax.

An average audience of 3.2 million tuned in on Friday evening to watch the BBC clash.

The debate had a peak in viewers towards the end of the broadcast, as figures rose to between 3.3 million and 3.4 million, according to the broadcaster.

That was an increase from the BBC's seven-way debate in the run-up to the 2019 general election, which attracted an average audience of 2.5 million.

During Friday's debate, hosted by Mishal Husain, Ms Mordaunt and Ms Rayner engaged in fiery exchanges over tax, NHS waiting lists and the push for Net Zero.

Ms Mordaunt continued to repeat the Tories' claim that Labour would raise taxes by £2,000 if elected, prompting Ms Rayner to accuse the Cabinet minister of lying.

A snap viewer poll taken after the debate placed Mr Farage as the winner.

The poll, conducted by researchers More In Common, asked more than 1,000 viewers who won the debate, with 25 per cent of those surveyed opting for Mr Farage.

Among those who voted Conservative in 2019, 47 per cent placed the Reform leader at the top of the pile.

Ms Rayner was favoured by 19 per cent of the respondents while 14 per cent said there was no winner. Just 7 per cent of those surveyed said Ms Mordaunt was the winner of the debate.

Tonight's debate on ITV, which will begin at 8.30pm, will be moderated by Julie Etchingham.

She oversaw last week's head-to-head clash between Mr Sunak and Sir Keir on the channel.