TV-shy May caught out

BRITAIN’S main opposition leader has castigated Prime Minister Theresa May for refusing to debate him on live television, as narrowing opinion polls injected drama into the country’s election campaign.

In a last-minute change of plan, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn joined a multiparty debate organised by the BBC in Cambridge.

Ms May has refused to do live TV debates, and Mr Cor- byn had said he would not take part without her.

But buoyed by rising poll ratings — and the chance to make Ms May look evasive — Mr Corbyn changed his mind.

“I invite her to go to Cambridge and debate her policies, debate their record, debate their plans, debate their proposals and let the public make up their mind,” he said.

He was joined at the debate by representatives of smaller parties, including Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron and UK Independence Party chief Paul Nuttall.

The Conservatives were represented by Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who accused Labour of having a “money-tree, wishlist mani- festo and no plan for Brexit”.

The other participants traded barbs over everything from immigration to public spending, but were united in attacking Ms May’s refusal to appear.

“Theresa May called this election because she is taking you for granted,” said Leanne Wood, leader of the Welsh party Plaid Cymru.

At a campaign rally in southwest England, Ms May denied she was running scared.

“I’ve been taking Jeremy Corbyn on directly week in and week out at Prime Minister’s Questions” in the House of Commons, she said.

“I think debates where the politicians are squabbling among themselves doesn’t do anything for the process of electioneering.”

She called a snap election for June 8 — three years early — arguing a bigger majority for her Conservatives would strengthen Britain’s hand in Brexit negotiations with the European Union.

When campaigning started last month, polls showed the Conservatives up to 20 points ahead of Labour.

Since then, the bombing that killed 22 people at a Manchester concert and some policy missteps have thrown the contest into uncertainty.

Pollster YouGov suggested Britain could be headed for a hung Parliament in which no party had an overall majority.

“Every single pollster, using whatever method, has found a rise in Labour support and something of a decline in Conservative support,” polling expert John Curtice said.