PM is replaced with a block of ice as he snubs climate show

BORIS JOHNSON was replaced with an ice sculpture as the prime minister ducked the Channel 4 leader’s debate on climate change last night.

Mr Johnson was accused of being ‘a coward and a bully’ after he turned down the hour-long grilling – and continued to avoid a showdown with the BBC’s Andrew Neil. He insisted he was doing ‘all sorts of interviews with all sorts of people’ as the Twitter hashtag #BorisTheCoward was trending.

Labour frontbencher Clive Lewis said: ‘He thinks he is born to rule and is so used to getting his own way that he turns nasty when anyone dares challenge him. Britain deserves a prime minister that has enough of a backbone to face up to scrutiny.’

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage was also replaced with an ice sculpture after declining to appear alongside Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn, Jo Swinson of the Liberal Democrats, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, the Greens’ Sian Berry and Adam Price of Plaid Cymru.

Channel 4 News editor Ben de Pear said: ‘These two ice sculptures represent the emergency on planet Earth, not in any human form but are a visual metaphor for the Conservative and Brexit parties after their leaders declined our repeated invitations to attend tonight’s vital climate debate.’

That prompted the Conservatives to lodge an official complaint with broadcasting watchdog Ofcom about a ‘provocative partisan stunt’.

Former environment secretary Michael Gove turned up at the central London studio in an attempt to take Mr Johnson’s place, but was refused. He arrived with Mr Johnson’s father

Stanley, who had tweeted ‘bravo and thank you’ to the broadcaster for hosting the debate.

Meanwhile, the BBC said it was in ‘ongoing discussions’ with the PM over a set piece interview with Mr Neil who was praised for the ferocious grilling he gave Mr Corbyn on Tuesday.

The Sun reported the PM has instead offered to be interviewed by Andrew Marr on his Sunday morning show.

Mr Neil said: ‘There can be no problems with scheduling. I’m ready to go anywhere, any time, any place.’

PA Under a cloud: Boris Johnson with Tory candidate Rebecca Smith at the unveiling of a statue of first female MP Nancy Astor in Plymouth yesterday

BEN DE PEAR/PA Out in the cold: Mr Gove and Stanley Johnson argue their case, and (left) the ice sculpture used to represent the PM at debate