Bricks it means bricks it
Theresa May under fire as she insists she’ll duck out of campaign debate
THERESA May was yesterday accused of running scared after confirming she will dodge a live TV showdown.
The Prime Minister was mocked from all sides after she ruled out a debate with Nicola Sturgeon and Jeremy Corbyn.
ITV yesterday insisted they will go ahead with a live debate regardless, raising the humiliating prospect that broadcasters could “empty chair” May.
The PM – who wants a greater majority to help push through hard Brexit legislation – told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We won’t be doing television debates.
“I believe in campaigns where politicians actually get out and about and meet with voters.
“That’s what I have always believed in, it’s what I still believe and I still do it.
“As Prime Minister, as a constituency MP, I still go out and knock on doors in my constituency.
“That’s what I believe in doing, that’s what I’m going to be doing around this campaign.”
SNP deputy leader Angus Robertson took May to task at prime minister’s questions yesterday.
He said: “If the Prime Minister is so confident of her hard-Brexit, proausterity, anti-immigration case why won’t she debate opposition leaders?
“Most people in the country know that the Prime Minister wants an early general election because the Labour Party is in such an awful state.
“We look forward to the straight fight between the Tories and the SNP in Scotland, but can the Prime Minister tell people why she is running scared of a televised debate with Nicola Sturgeon?”
Labour leader Corbyn added: “She says it’s about leadership, yet is refusing to defend her record in television debates and it’s not hard to see why.”
Televised leaders’ debates are likely to be staged in Scotland.
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said: “In Scotland, we have a longstanding tradition of TV debates and I relish the opportunity to challenge Nicola Sturgeon face-to-face about her reckless plans for a second independence referendum, and to challenge Ruth Davidson about her support for Theresa May’s reckless plans for a hard Brexit.”
The Liberal Democrats’ Willie Rennie added: “I find it indefensible that that the Prime Minister has already ruled out a TV debate even though it was her that has called this election.
“For politicians to hide away from public scrutiny would be a disservice to the electorate.” Tory Ruth Davidson said “bring it on” when asked about a TV debate with the other Scottish leaders.
She added: “I think we’ve got a really strong message going into this election campaign and I am happy to go on telly and to speak to the nation about it.”
It is expected that Julie Etchingham will host ITV’s UK debate, as she did in 2015, when seven leaders took part in a two-hour showdown.
Can the PM tell people why she is running scared of a debate with Sturgeon? ANGUS ROBERTSON