ITV has announced that it will host the first head-to-head general election debate between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer next Tuesday, 4 June, at 9pm BST. Moderated by presenter Julie Etchingham, who has previously hosted debates in 2015, 2017 and 2019, the one-hour programme titled “Sunak v Starmer: The ITV Debate” will take place in front of a live audience.
ITV has also stated that it will be broadcasting an interview programme with other party leaders and a multi-party debate. Michael Jermey, ITV’s director of news and current affairs, commented that “millions of viewers value the election debates”, and that they provide “a chance to see and hear the party leaders set out their pitch to the country, debate directly with each other and take questions from voters.”
While other broadcasters such as BBC, Channel 4 and Sky News have yet to confirm plans for any debates, it is widely expected that there will be at least one more head-to-head debate between the two main leaders before the election on 4 July. The BBC has confirmed that Clive Myrie and Laura Kuenssberg will host its election night coverage, while Channel 4’s election night coverage team will include Rory Stewart, Alastair Campbell and Emily Maitlis, and Sky News will have Kay Burley anchor its election results broadcast.
The first debate will give voters the opportunity to hear the leaders’ perspectives on key issues and assess their suitability for office. It will also be interesting to see how the parties respond to the current pandemic, with citizens around the country closely following the developments of the past year. With the election looming in July, this will be a critical moment for both Sunak and Starmer to set out their visions for the future of the country
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More