Jeremy Corbyn has argued why Theresa May should join tonight’s TV election debate in an interview with NME.
Earlier today, Labour leader Corbyn announced that he would take part in this evening’s BBC 1 debate. With May deciding not to take part, the Conservatives’ home secretary Amber Rudd will represent her party at the televised debate in Cambridge instead.
Speaking with NME editor Mike Williams recently, Corbyn was asked why May won’t debate him on TV. The Labour leader replied: “Well, I’m afraid I can’t really answer that. It’s a question you got to put to her.”
Corbyn went on to add: “Listen, I’ve said from the very beginning that I think we should have a debate and that it should include [May]. Her reply was, and I asked this at Prime Minister’s Question Time when we knew the election was coming, she said: ‘Well, this is the debate.’ Well, it isn’t the debate. Prime Minister’s Question Time is MPs asking questions of the Prime Minister. I get to ask six questions, others get to ask two or one. That isn’t a debate, that’s me questioning her. I accept that’s important, of course it’s important, but it’s not a debate. Whereas a debate between us, she’s going to say this on her economic direction and I would say something very different. I think the public needs to hear that and compare that.”
Watch a clip from the interview below:
.@JeremyCorbyn – why won't @Theresa_May debate you? #GE2017 #BBCDebate pic.twitter.com/itHIfi16tW
— NME (@NME) May 31, 2017
The BBC Election Debate will air this evening (May 31) at 7.30pm (BST). The UK general election will take place on June 8.