Now Corbyn and TMay are scrapping over whether the BBC or ITV hosts the Brexit debate
Corbyn’s position is a bit lame in the age of catch-up TV
The BBC is reporting that both Corbyn and TMay have accepted invites to take part in a Brexit debate. Only problem is that the former wants it to be on ITV while the latter prefers the BBC.
The BBC debate would take place at 8pm a week on Sunday Saturday while ITV’s would stage it an hour later at 9pm.
“Mr Corbyn claimed he preferred ITV’s bid out of “respect” for viewers who wanted to watch the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! final on ITV the same evening – 9 December. I want to watch it myself,” he said. It is understood the BBC debate programme would start at 20:00 in Birmingham, airing after Strictly Come Dancing and replacing David Attenborough’s Dynasties on BBC One.
BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith said Mrs May had accepted this offer “because there was a view on the government’s side that the BBC would address the crux of the issue, namely the deal”.
My guess is that the real reason Corbyn wants ITV and the Tories the BBC is because LAB thinks it would be easier to widen the subject beyond Brexit. A BBC debate is more likely to stick to the detail of the deal where the Tories obviously think the PM has the edge.
Which channel is going to win? Hard to say but I think that LAB is probably more likely to budge than CON.