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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Oliver Milne

Tories fail to turn up at another election debate as row with Channel 4 deepens

The Conservative Party have failed to turn up at yet another debate hosted by Channel 4.

It is the second debate hosted by the broadcaster which the party has not taken party in.

The Brexit Party also declined to take part in the 90 minute 'Everything but Brexit ' debate.

Other major parties sent attendees.

Labour sent Angela Rayner the Shadow Secretary of State for Education.

She appeared alongside leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson, co-leader of the Green Party Jonathan Bartley, with the SNP represented by their Health spokesperson in the House of Commons Philippa Whitford and Plaid Cymru by leader, Adam Price.

It comes after Boris Johnson has refused to be quizzed by BBC host Andrew Neil - despite other party leaders taking part.

The space for the Conservatives was left empty (Channel 4)

The PM also dodged an earlier debate held by Channel 4 held on the topic of the environment and climate change.

He was replaced in that debate a melting ice sculpture.

The Conservative party launched a complaint with broadcast regulator Ofcom after the debate.

Mr Johnson said after that incident: "I've done plenty of debates. I can't do absolutely everything."

After Boris Johnson failed to turn up at the environment debate the channel put a melting ice statue in place (Getty Images)

On Friday the channel had to apologise to the party after a subtitling error wrongly claimed Boris Johnson had discussed whether “people of colour” should be allowed into the UK.

In a clip of the prime minister uploaded to Channel 4’s social media accounts, Johnson was captioned as saying: “I’m in favour of having people of colour come to this country but I think we should have it democratically controlled and have it done that way.”

In reality, Johnson said he was in favour of having “people of talent” come to the UK.

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