ITV has withdrawn its offer to the two party leaders
ITV withdrew its offer for a TV debate between the leaders of the UK’s two main political parties on Brexit on Thursday evening.
Prime minister Theresa May had offered out Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn, a challenge he readily accepted, over the Brexit deal but protracted discussion and negotiation now means there is little chance of a televised battle between the two.
The BBC, ITV and Sky News all bid for the opportunity to host.
May’s preference had been for a debate on the BBC, which offered a head-to-head discussion as well as a panel of experts and representatives from other political parties. Thinking being, it would make opposition to May’s deal look divided and contrived.
Labour’s leadership team wanted ITV to broadcast. The channel said it would only feature Corbyn and May in a classic debate format.
However, ITV withdrew its offer on Thursday evening and the BBC did the same earlier in the week.
Now that all the bids have collapsed it is highly unlikely viewers will be treated to a bitter and stale discussion of Brexit minutiae on Sunday evening. Instead the BBC will go ahead with its scheduled programming of David Attenborough documentary Dynasties and ITV with a celebrity edition of The Chase.
Channel 4 look the winners of the TV politics arena that night, following their decision to go for an “alternative” debate. The station is instead hosting four voices, one supporting Theresa May’s deal, a hard Brexiter, a soft Brexiter and a proponent for a People’s Vote (Remain.)
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Judging by the last two weeks of shenanigans, it looks like Sky News are right to suggest televised debates should be organised by an independent commission. Their petition to establish one now has more than 100,000 signatures.
