Theresa May confirms live TV Brexit clash with Jeremy Corbyn on the night of I’m A Celebrity final
Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2018 7:42 am
Theresa May today challenges Jeremy Corbyn to a live Brexit TV debate, set for December 9 — the night of the I’m A Celebrity final
The PM uses an interview in The Sun to lay down the gauntlet to the Labour leader.
She wants to expose what she insists is the Opposition Leader’s failure to offer any workable alternative to hers for leaving the EU.
The primetime TV clash will now be the climax of Mrs May’s titanic two week fight to win MPs’ support to save her controversial divorce deal.
She told The Sun last night: “I am going to be going out and round the country. I am going to be talking to people.
“I am going to be explaining why I think this deal is the right deal for the UK - and yes, I am ready to debate it with Jeremy Corbyn.
The PM hopes a slam dunk of Mr Corbyn with her command of the deal’s full details will win round wavering Tory MPs.
Downing Street has set a provisional date of Sunday December 9 for the TV debate, just two days before the showdown meaningful vote on the deal in the Commons - confirmed yesterday for Tuesday, December 11.
But that clashes with the finale of this year’s ITV series I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here, also being shown on the evening of December 9.
But senior Tory Eurosceptic Sir Bernard Jenkin argued a Brexiteer should take Mr Corbyn’s place against Mrs May, saying it should not be “polarised between a Remain Labour Party and a Remain PM who has negotiated a Remain Brexit”.
Mrs May famously ducked out of appearing in any of the TV debates during last year’s general election campaign, a move that was pounced on by her critics.
Mr Corbyn held back from immediately accepting the PM’s challenge, with his aides saying he will await a formal approach from No10.
A Labour Party spokesman said: “Jeremy would relish a head to head debate with Theresa May about her botched Brexit deal and the future of our country”.