Is it risky for Boris Johnson to refuse to appear in debates?
28 November 2019, 15:53
Is it risky for Boris Johnson to refuse to appear on tonight's climate change debate? Theo Usherwood explains all.
Boris Johnson and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage have refused to attend - the debate will include Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson and Green Party co-leader Sian Berry.
The Conservative leader is also refusing to partake in a seven way debate on Friday - Chief Secretary to the Treasury Rishi Sunak will be in the chair on his behalf; Rebecca Long-Bailey will be standing in for Jeremy Corbyn.
Labour source tells me BBC informed them Boris Johnson would do an Andrew Neil interview next week.
— Theo Usherwood (@theousherwood) November 27, 2019
Turns out no such agreement had been reached.
If Tory leader isn't subjected to same scrutiny as Mr Corbyn, but his team was told he would be, that's a problem for the BBC. https://t.co/pQXkx9YTqf
Theo reported that Boris Johnson is "still refusing" to give a date as to when he will sit down with veteran broadcaster Andrew Neil - this has caused speculation that he is "running scared" after both Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon had an "uncomfortable time" in their interviews.
Shelagh said if Boris Johnson refuses the Andrew Neil interview as well this will "rightly look bad for Boris Johnson".
Theo revealed that Labour feel injustice because they agreed for Jeremy Corbyn to do the interview on the assurance that Mr Johnson would also be doing one with the same scrutinising treatment. On social media, people are interpreting the fact that the Prime Minister may refuse the BBC interview as a bias on the broadcasters' behalf.
