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Tory leadership candidates threaten to BOYCOTT BBC TV debate

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Tory leadership candidates threaten to BOYCOTT BBC TV debate

Tory leadership candidates threaten to BOYCOTT next BBC TV debate after the ‘biased’ corporation failed to vet imam who made anti-Semitic comments

  • The BBC debate on Tuesday night was widely condemned by Tory contenders 
  • Complaints that the format made the hopefuls look like an aging boy band and 
  • Candidates are now threatening to boycott another planned special in campaign

By James Tapsfield, Political Editor, For Mailonline

Published: 04:19 EDT, 20 June 2019 | Updated: 13:16 EDT, 20 June 2019

Tory leadership hopefuls were today threatening to boycott a BBC TV debate after the first showdown descended into a shambles.

The special programme featuring five would-be PMs has been widely condemned after it emerged one of the ‘ordinary voters’ posting questions was an imam who had previously posted vile tweets about Israel.

Another was a former Labour staffer. There was also fury about the format – which contenders complained made them look like an aging boyband – and how presenter Emily Maitlis weighted into the exchanges.

The debacle has cast serious doubt on a proposed Question Time-style debate between the final two, which would be hosted by Fiona Bruce. 

Tory leadership hopefuls are threatening to boycott a BBC TV debate after the first showdown (pictured) descended into a shambles 

A series of vile posts by Abdullah Patel, pictured posing his question on the BBC debate, were unearthed moments after the programme aired

A source on Johnson’s team said the controversy ‘hasn’t helped the case’, while other campaigns also warned that they would be looking more carefully at what was put forward. ‘It’s got to be better than that,’ one said.

Julian Knight, a Conservative member of the culture select committee, said: ‘People look up to the BBC but the format and editorial failings were such that they actually produced a much worse debate than Channel 4. 

‘The greats of the past like Robin Day and Richard Dimbleby will be doing full 360 degree spins in their graves at this shambolic execution by the BBC.’

James Cleverly, a Brexit minister who is supporting Mr Johnson’s campaign, tweeted: ‘I love and value the BBC, but stuff like this makes it really hard to defend you from critics. Didn’t you think it relevant to inform viewers that Aman (one of the members of the public who asked a question to the candidates during the programme) had been Labour Party staff?’

BBC chiefs refused requests from Tory leadership candidates for lecterns to stand behind during the television debate. 

The contenders appeared uncomfortable as they sat awkwardly on high stools for the duration of the hour-long showdown.

Ahead of the debate, the candidates had asked the BBC for lecterns but were told it was too late to change the set.

A source on one of the campaign teams revealed that as they left the studio they were shocked to discover a line-up of lecterns outside that could have been used.

The source said: ‘The candidates were left bewildered as they looked like an old boy band on stools rather than future prime ministers.’

Contenders complained the BBC format made them look like an aging boyband – and some on social media clearly agreed

One campaign source added: ‘The BBC could not even manage the basic task of vetting just 12 individuals, allowing an anti-Semite and a Labour employee to grill Tory leadership candidates. It is beyond incompetent. I think all of the candidates would expect an apology.’

The BBC is planning to hold a Question Time special with the final two candidates in the last few weeks of the contest.

It also wants them to take part in one-on-one interviews with Andrew Neil.

Both ITV and Sky News have put forward their own proposals for head-to-head debates with the last two contenders.

ITV has offered a prime time slot for the programme that will be hosted by news presenter Julie Etchingham. Kay Burley will front the Sky News show.

A BBC spokesman last night declined to comment on the request for lecterns. 

Abdullah Patel, who probed the contenders on Islamophobia, was yesterday suspended from his job as deputy head of a Muslim primary school over tweets he sent blaming women for rape, praising Jeremy Corbyn and attacking Jews.

Mr Patel has also been suspended by the Masjid e Umar mosque in Gloucester.

Aman Thakar, who questioned if the candidates had a democratic mandate, has also been suspended from his law firm Leigh Day after it emerged he said the most harmful part of Hitler’s legacy was his ‘abuse of nationalism’ in a tweet.

He was also unmasked as a Labour HQ worker who was brought in to investigate anti-Semitism. The BBC said it knew that Thakar worked for Labour but failed to explain why they didn’t tell viewers.

The corporation also refused to apologise for the Imam’s inclusion, insisting the tweets were ‘not visible’ when they vetted him – however he was tweeting from the account just two days before the debate.

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