Downing Street has accused Jeremy Corbyn of running scared over a Brexit debate with Theresa May.
Amid continued wrangling between the sides, the latest spat erupted after Corbyn said on Saturday that he was happy to accept Downing Streets preferred option of a BBC debate, on the condition that it was a straight head-to-head discussion between the two leaders.
Previously the Labour leader had indicated his support for a rival ITV proposal based on a simple head-to-head format, rather than the BBC offer which would also involve the leaders taking questions from a wider panel.
A No 10 spokesman has made clear they are determined to stick to the original BBC plan, claiming that if Jeremy Corbyn doesnt agree to the plan currently on offer, the public will rightly conclude hes running scared.
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The spokesman said: A week ago, the PM challenged Jeremy Corbyn to a head-to-head debate. He accepted.
Since then, in order to accommodate his confected demands, weve moved our preferred day, accommodated the addition of social media questions at Labours request, and agreed there should be maximum head-to-head time, while still including voices from employers and civil society in the debate.
A Labour Party spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: As she did during the general election campaign, Theresa May is running away from the scrutiny of a real head to head debate with Jeremy Corbyn.
Why else would she not accept ITVs offer of a straightforward head to head debate, as Jeremy has done?
Instead, her team are playing games and prefer the BBCs offer, which would provide less debating time and risk a confusing mish-mash for the viewing public.
Meanwhile, Liberal Demcorat leader Vince Cable believes the proposal for a debate between only on the leaders of the Labour and Conservative Parties, both of whom support Brexit, means other views are excluded.
In a letter to the BBC, ITV and Sky, Sir Vince claims he is an advocate for a so-called peoples vote in a second referendum.
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He said: The principal alternative to the Withdrawal Agreement is for the UK to remain as a full and influential member of the European Union.
All the evidence suggests that there is now a majority in the country for doing so, and a substantial majority for a peoples vote. Yet neither Jeremy Corbyn nor Theresa May supports this route.
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