Nick Clegg challenges Farage to EU debate
The deputy prime minister has thrown down the gauntlet to the leader of UKIP Nigel Farage for a "public, open debate" on the UK's membership of the European Union.
Speaking on his weekly LBC radio programme Nick Clegg said "If Nigel Farage is either listening or looking at this programme I hope he would take up my challenge to debate, once and for all."
Mr Clegg also took the opportunity to describe himself as the leader of "the party of in." The challenge comes in the wake of remarks made by the Lib Dem president Tim Farron, who warned his party they may lose all or most of their seats in the European parliament in the face of an increasingly Eurosceptic public.
A UKIP spokesman responded:
Mr Farage would like to thank Mr Clegg for his kind invitation to a debate on the great issue of Britain’s membership of the European Union.
Perhaps he could also let us know whether he has invited David Cameron and Ed Miliband too in order that the British people can see all their main political leaders argue their positions.
UKIP said Farage would answer Nick Clegg's challenge on Friday morning when he is due to appear on LBC.
The deputy prime minister's decision to debate directly with the UKIP leader may lend further support to the argument that Nigel Farage should appear in the TV general election debates.