I’ve been racking my brains about getting Theresa May to debate the other party leaders. With recent polls causing undisguised glee amongst Conservative MP’s and right-wing commentators, the perceived wisdom is that she really has nothing to gain from debating Tim, Nicola or even Jeremy and no pressure from a press led by the likes of The Daily Mail and Express to force her to do so. We need to change this.
The TV debates provide an opportunity for the PM to explain herself. If she is so sure of her approach to Brexit and the economy why won’t she take part? The answer, quoting Margaret Thatcher, is she’s “frit”. Anyone, having watched her lacklustre performances at PMQ’s, can see she is weak in debate. Forced into a corner she evades, quotes soundbites, launches personal attacks or relies on bluster from the MP’s behind her.
Given the likelihood that debates would damage her chances in the election the PM is unlikely to give in to a clamour to debate from fellow politicians. But could she resist a demand from the public?
For the first time and in order to overcome the current impasse I think that the general public should be asked to sponsor a series of prime time TV debates with pledges donated to charities such as Great Ormond Street or Help for Heroes.
The participants would be the main party leaders from across the UK. So…
Theresa May – Conservatives
Jeremy Corbyn – Labour
Tim Farron – Liberal Democrat
Caroline Lucas or Jonathan Bartley – Green Party
Nicola Sturgeon – SNP
Leanne Wood – Plaid Cymru
Each participant would be invited to take part in the knowledge that their refusal would void every donation made. This will, I believe, exert tremendous pressure on those who are minded to refuse.
There would be three broadcasts in prime time in the weeks leading up to 8th June with each network (BBC, ITV, Sky) broadcasting on a different subject; Brexit, The Economy, The NHS & Education for example.
The format of the debate itself could be a question from an audience member to one of the politicians with a time limited (60 – 90 seconds) reply. This would then be followed by a right to reply for the questioner and then opened up for a limited period of time to the other politicians taking part to debate.
So that’s my idea to secure the debates. What’s yours? I’ve become more and more convinced as the days since the election announcement that the strategy of Theresa May and the Conservatives to hide from debate, if unchallenged, could allow her to continue to cause great damage to our country unchecked. We cannot let this happen.
* Robert Coster is an ex-Labour IT geek now happy to have found a home with the Liberal Democrats.
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9 Comments
Interesting idea — perhaps ( as well as and not necessarily instead of) run an on-line petition calling on T May and J Corbyn (to avoid obvious bias) to join leadership debates? Risk always is not meany people sign up, and so would need promoting etc., but could be worth a go. Mrs May is the worst PM in my lifetime and she clearly intends to hide behind the cameras and ‘strong and stable’ blandishments to prevent the general public realising how inadequate she is.
I would push to have the debates with two empty chairs. Fptp means only two parties can win and they won’t debate, there is political value in that
There is a general lack of commitment to tv debates by those we wish to hear and observe – because most MPs are not good debaters and it is now usual for them to read statements in the HoC. Certainly, the leaders of the two larger parties are primed on every statement they make and MPs generally are rarely able to think on their feet. Mrs May sets aside the skills of debate and resembles a Dalek, wishing to exterminate all oppostion; Mr Corbyn reads from his postbag. The dedicated political observer tries to pick up small gems dropped from body language and little else.
Robert Coster does well tryng to find a way to get party speakers together but few of them have the skills of debate and they know it. A new format is needed which encourages spontaneity – otherwise gettng people together will make boringly poor television and further discourage the voters.
Tony, the picture of May as a Dalek is very appealing, especially as her voice starts to resemble one when she feels under pressure. Strong and stable, strong and stable……exterminate, exterminate. Something for the next PPB perhaps?
@ Sue Sutherland
I don’t think it is suitable for a PPB, but it would be great if someone could make a video of Theresa May as a Dalek and then get it to go viral.
@ Robert Coster
This is a great idea, but I think the debate details need removing as these will need to be agreed by the parties involved. I am concerned if there is enough time to organise three debates – one a week in weeks commencing 15th, 22nd and 29th May.
Have you set it up yet?
Michael, I saw a video of Daleks in London on Facebook today pronouncing strong and stable, strong and stable but they left out the exterminate bit. I think making fun of May is a very good way of undermining her.
Teresa May as a female Davros surrounded by Brexit Daleks saying brexit terminate is amusing but the real challenge is getting the public to demand a debate which includes all the main party leaders has to be the mission an on petition aimed at going viral might be the wake up call this election needs .
I think the solution lies with the broadcasters’ resolve. This is going to happen every election. So what the broadcasters should do with invited non-participants is to either ignore them or give them only limited coverage with perhaps satirical overtones. Before the IRA ceasefire in 1994, coverage of Sinn Fein was dubbed. I do not see any reason why the broadcasters don’t do the same with May and Corbyn. Perhaps dubbing using the silly Kids voices like in the Haribo advert.
I think a format for the debates should start with the leaders from the different parties in the first debate. The second debate should be the top 3 based on a phone vote. The third should be the top 2 final again based on a phone vote. You can even have an absolute final debate with just 1 candidate picked to debate with the audience. Ok electoral law may be a problem. But this kind of X factor style format may be quite popular. To get the Labour and Conservatives on board you need to change electoral law to mandate debates. Either that or the electorate at large have to say that they won’t support a party that does not play ball. Unfortunately that is not going to happen either. Robert Coster’s idea is quite a good one. The problem is that the Conservatives if given a choice between surely winning the election and that of earning money whilst being potentially tripped up in a debate sponsored for the little kiddies at Great Ormond Street. We all know which one they are going to pick. Perhaps that would show them up as far as the British people are concerned. I think the big problem is that they already know but do not care.
@Sue Sutherland,
‘ I think that making fun of May is a good way of undermining her Well making fun of Jeremy Corbyn seems to have worked. I would be every careful of such an approach though.
A day ago, I read an article by Matt Chorley in the Times.
‘Farron and the Lib Dems are set for six weeks packed with fun’.
It was an article using ‘humour’ to undermine. This included references to dogs. However, I don’t see how one can cry foul if one uses the same tactic. He who lives by the sword dies by the sword.
Some politicians have failed to learn an important lesson, that the ‘ anything goes’ methods they use to undermine opposing politicians, has fostered cynicism and contempt for all politicians. This I believe, is dangerous for democracy.