Millions of Brits set to tune into tonight’s ITV election debate between party leaders in London

Millions of Brits to tune into tonight's party leaders debate on ITV

Millions of Brits are set to watch the first UK party leaders’ debate on ITV1 tonight November 19 at 8pm.

It is the first in an extensive schedule of televised showdowns between now and polling day, December 12.

The debate between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn will take place at the InterContinental London – The O2 who will separately pitch their plans at the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) annual conference.

Tonight presents an opportunity for Mr Corbyn, currently trailing Johnson in opinion polls, to close the gap between him and his rival.

Mr Johnson called a general election because he felt a new Parliament is needed in order to break the political impasse over Brexit. By going to the polls, he hopes to secure a working majority.

With Mr Johnson presenting himself as the politician who can achieve Brexit, he hopes to attract leave voters who see Labour and the Liberal Democrats as proposing to delay Brexit further.

Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson has been shut out after remainers failed in a bid yesterday to force ITV to expand the election debate to include minor party leaders. 

A judge at the High Court in London ruled that the ITV event can go ahead without Ms Swinson and Nicola Sturgeon.

Lawyers for the Lib Dems had argued that Brexit is the ‘dominant’ issue in next months’ general election and that ‘the voice of Remain has been excluded’ by ITV’s decision to only include the Labour and Tory leaders. 

But two leading judges decided there was ‘no arguable breach of the Broadcasting Code.’

The next general election debate is on Sky News on Thursday November 28, while the BBC election debate is on Friday November 29.

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Written by

Shirin Aguiar

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