Sky News and Facebook have confirmed details of a joint question and answer session with the leaders of Labour, Liberal Democrats and the Greens – but David Cameron’s participation is in doubt.
The Stand Up and Be Counted: Ask the Leaders live event will be hosted at Facebook’s London HQ next Monday (2 February) and anchored by Sky News political editor, Faisal Islam.
David Cameron, accused by Ed Miliband of trying to wriggle out of the proposed TV leader debates, has been invited to take part, but organisers said he had not yet confirmed his attendance with only five days to go.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage was also invited but is unable to attend because of commitments in Strasbourg, said the broadcaster.
Questions will be put to Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg and Natalie Bennett from a 60-strong studio audience, with further contributions from Facebook.
The event is part of Sky’s Stand Up and Be Counted campaign to give young voters the chance to “speak out, share ideas and be heard”.
It will be show live on Sky News and Facebook as well as the Sky News website and its YouTube channel.
David Cameron criticised broadcasters’ revised proposals for TV leader debates on Tuesday, saying they should take place before the official election campaign and with the inclusion of parties in Northern Ireland.
The prime minister said the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky had got into a “bit of a muddle” with the proposals, and accused the media of being obsessed with the issue of the debates.
Northern Ireland’s two biggest parties, the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Féin, are separately considering legal action over their exclusion from the proposed head to heads.
Sky News director of newsgathering Jonathan Levy said the Stand Up and Be Counted event was a “perfect opportunity for young people to hold the party leaders to account and ask the questions they care about”.
Downing Street had not commented at the time of publication.
