A senior Conservative has called for Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak to face “weekly debates” during the general election campaign.
Claire Coutinho, the energy security and net zero secretary, claimed Starmer and Labour wanted to “skate through” the election campaign “without telling anyone what they really think”.
In a post on X/Twitter, Coutinho said: “We’re facing an unique set of global challenges [and] opportunities, more so than at any election in recent history. Labour want to skate through without telling anyone what they really think.
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“That’s why we should have weekly debates — so people know exactly where we stand.”
Both the Labour leader and the prime minister have insisted for months that they would be willing to take part in TV election debates.
“Bring it on”, Starmer declared at the start of the year, amid reports that he could duck the debates.
The Labour leader said in January: “I’ve been saying bring it on for a very, very long time. I’m happy to debate any time”.
There is nothing in electoral law that requires televised election debates between party leaders; and if they take place, they are a matter for broadcasters and political parties.
Since the 2010 general election, however, debates have now become an unofficial staple of Britain’s political cycle.
That said, a full six debates — one for every week of the election campaign — would set a new record.
In 2015, there was one seven-way debate with then PM David Cameron, Labour’s Ed Miliband and the leaders of the smaller parties.
In the 2017 election, Theresa May, Cameron’s successor as prime minister, simply refused to turn up to a televised debate under any circumstances. Her place was taken in one TV debate by then home secretary Amber Rudd.
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