Jeremy Corbyn 'running scared' of Brexit TV debate, Downing Street claims
The Labour leader says it is Mrs May who is actually afraid of the debate, as the tussle over how it will work continues.
Monday 3 December 2018 10:06, UK
Downing Street says Jeremy Corbyn is "running scared" of a Brexit debate with Theresa May.
The debate is due to happen on 9 December - two days before MPs vote on the deal Mrs May has secured with the EU - but there is still disagreement over the format.
Mr Corbyn has said he will go with the Tory preference for a BBC debate if it is a straight head-to-head after previously indicating a preference for a similar ITV proposal.
But the BBC offer also involves leaders taking questions from a wider panel and a Number 10 spokesman said they are sticking with that plan.
"A week ago, the PM challenged Jeremy Corbyn to a head-to-head debate. He accepted," the spokesman said.
"Since then, in order to accommodate his confected demands, we've moved our preferred day, accommodated the addition of social media questions at Labour's request, and agreed there should be maximum head-to-head time, while still including voices from employers and civil society in the debate.
"But if Jeremy Corbyn doesn't agree to what's now on the table - a debate on prime time with the prime minister - the public will rightly conclude he's running scared. So let's get on with it."
Labour, however, says it is the PM who is trying to avoid confrontation.
"As she did during the general election campaign, Theresa May is running away from the scrutiny of a real head-to-head debate with Jeremy Corbyn," a spokesman said.
"Why else would she not accept ITV's offer of a straightforward head-to-head debate, as Jeremy has done?
"Instead, her team are playing games and prefer the BBC's offer, which would provide less debating time and risk a confusing mish-mash for the viewing public."
Sky News has been campaigning for leaders debates to become a regular fixture of election time and a petition supporting the move has more than 106,000 signatures.
Leading Brexiteers, including Boris Johnson, former Brexit secretaries David Davis and Dominic Raab, have written to Sky, the BBC and ITV to criticise the planned debate.
They claim neither Mrs May nor Mr Corbyn, who both backed Remain at the 2016 EU referendum, "can be said by any interpretation of their positions to be backing a plan that will deliver on the mandate of the 17.4million who voted Leave".
Their letter adds the views of Leave supporters "will be nowhere represented in this prime time debate".
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable also opposes the proposal for the discussion on the basis that Remainers are being excluded.
In a letter to broadcasters, Sir Vince put himself forward as an advocate for a so-called people's vote in a second referendum.