Public grilling on Brexit as May refuses debate with Corbyn

BRITISH Prime Minister Theresa May and opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn took diverging tracks over Brexit negotiations on Monday as they faced a live televised grilling ahead of June’s general election.

Ten days before the snap elections on June 8, the two rivals faced wide-ranging questions from members of the public separately before interrogations by veteran bulldog broadcaster Jeremy Paxman in a joint Sky News and Channel 4 programme.

May declined a face-to-face debate with Corbyn, whose opposition party has in recent days narrowed the gap in opinion polls, though the ruling party remains in front.

While Corbyn insisted he would “make sure there’s a deal” with the EU before the UK leaves the bloc, May said she was “prepared to walk out”. Corbyn said the “reality” of last year’s Brexit referendum result had to be respected.

Both candidates officially supported staying in the EU before the referendum held in June 2016, which saw 52% of British voters opt to leave the bloc. Formal talks on the country’s withdrawal are due to start on June 19, just 11 days after the general election.

When asked whether he would abolish the monarchy, Corbyn responded: “It’s not on anybody’s agenda, it’s certainly not on my agenda. I had a very nice chat with the queen.”

Each of the 650 parliamentary constituencies will elect one MP to the House of Commons, the lower house of parliament.

If one party obtains a majority of seats, then that party is entitled to form the government, with its leader as prime minister. – teleSUR