United Kingdom

ITV will be hosting their own seven-party debate on May 18 when they will be inviting party leaders.

Research for the Electoral Reform Society found 56% of voters, rising to 71% among 18-24 year-olds, regard TV debates as important in helping them decide how to cast their ballots. And almost half (46%) think all major party leaders should commit to take part, against just 23% who said there was no

The leaders of the Scottish National Party and the Scottish Green Party have taken to social media to voice their opinion on the Greens being left out of the upcoming STV live leaders debate.

STV is to host a live television debate with the leaders of the four main political parties in Scotland in the run-up to the General Election.

In a speech in London on Thursday Carwyn Jones will call on Theresa May to go head-to-head with him on the issues of the campaign.

When asked whether Mr Corbyn would attend a debate with the other party leaders if the Prime Minister is not taking part, the Labour spokesman said there "would be no point" because the "only choice in the election is a country led by Jeremy Corbyn or Theresa May".

Our PM says she wants to “unite Britain”, to bring every part of the nation together. But how does she even begin to do that if halfway-proper debates – scoring over 7 million then over 8 million viewers in 2015 – are off the agenda? Debates attract healthy audiences because they seem to be special

Mrs May said she wanted to spend the election campaign meeting voters and that she already takes part in debates with Jeremy Corbyn on a weekly basis in the House of Commons in the form of Prime Minister's questions.

Mr Rennie said the Scottish people had the "right to hear from their political leaders" and criticised the Prime Minister's decision not to take part in a TV debate.

Prime Minister Theresa May has faced criticism for refusing to take part in televised debates in the run up to the General Election. There have been calls for TV broadcasters to "empty chair" Mrs May after she said she would not debate the frontmen and women of the opposition.