Children, it was bankers’ fault (cue applause)

As the date of the general election creeps nearer, the calls grow louder for a TV debate between the main party leaders. Well, that’s what we’re told anyway. This now seems to be a traditional part of any election build-up – the mistaken belief that voters can only make an informed choice by watching grown men and women shouting at each other before a crowd made up largely of baying morons, who invariably mistake plain speaking for outright rudeness.

Political debate, particularly on television, has descended in recent years to the point where ‘school playground’ would be a flattering comparison. Question Time used to seem such an adult programme. Now the BBC could probably move it to the CBeebies channel and no one would notice apart from the children, who would understandably complain about all these badly-behaved juveniles on their screen.

Most of the answers provided by the political panellists seem to be pitched at the CBeebies target audience (ie: children). That’s when they’re not screaming ‘LET ME FINISH’ at each other, or trying to get a cheap round of applause by blaming ‘the bankers’ for all the world’s problems (which is so 2008).

Even worse are the celebrity guests on such programmes, who are always more interested in playing to the crowd than providing informed answers.

Instead of the much-demanded debate, the BBC will instead be staging Question Time specials in which Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn separately face audience questions. Lucky Jeremy and Theresa. Lucky audience.

Apparently ITV is planning an election debate “with or without Mrs May or Mr Corbyn”. We can only wish them luck in the prime time ratings war if it turns into a head-to-head between the leaders of Ukip and Plaid Cymru.