PM accused of ‘running scared’ in TV debate row
THE Prime minister has been accused of “running scared” by refusing to take part in televison election debates.
Theresa May said she would not be participating in any live debates and instead wanted to campaign across the country.
She has been criticised by Labour and the SNP who said she is afraid to defend her record in head to head studio debates.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said during First Minister’s Questions Mrs May was a Prime Minister who cant be trusted. He said: “she says its about leadership but she refuses to defend her record in a TV debate.”
Ms May said she debates with Mr Corbyn every Wednesday in the House of Commons.
Angus Robertson, Westminster SNP leader said: ““If the Prime Minister is so confident of her hard-Brexit, pro-austerity, antiimmigration case why won’t she debate opposition leaders?
“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?”
Both the BBC and ITV said they were planning televised debates without without the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister said “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 i n my constituency.
“That’s what I believe in doing, that’s what I’m going to be doing around this campaign.”
In 2015 the BBC went ahead with a Challengers Debate with five party leaders after David Cameron refused to take part.
He aslo declined to debate head to head with Labour leader Ed Miliband.
Mr Cameron did take part in an earlier debate on ITV with Nick Clegg of the LibDems and the other five UK party leaders.
Instead the BBC went ahead with Mr Miliband, Nicola Sturgeon of the SNP, Leanne Wood of Plaid Cymru, Natalie Bennet of the Greens and Nigel Farage of Ukip taking part.
Ms May, speaking on the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4, said “We won’t be doing television debates.”
Ms Wood said on this occasion debates should go ahead and the Prime Minister’s absence made plain.
She said: “Theresa May should be empty chaired if she doesn’t show up to any planned TV debates.”
ITV said it planned to screen a live debate as it had in 2010 and 2015, while the BBC said debates were successful and engaged younger voters who might not otherwise enage in politics.