Sky News cancels Tory leadership debate after Boris Johnson refuses to take part
Sky News today said it has cancelled its scheduled debate between the two remaining Tory leadership after Boris Johnson refused to take part.
Earlier this month Sky unveiled plans for a head-to-head debate between the last two contenders, which was due to take place tomorrow evening.
Read more: Boris Johnson shirks Channel 4 TV debate but is ‘more than happy’ to appear on BBC version
While foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt has agreed to take part, his rival Boris Johnson has declined the invitation, leading Sky to scrap the programme.
“We stand ready to host a debate tomorrow evening if both candidates make themselves available,” the company said in a statement. “Without both candidates, tomorrow’s debate will not take place.”
Sky News said it will reissue its invitation for Hunt and Johns to debate live next Monday 1 July.
The move comes hours after Hunt used an interview with Sky News to describe his rival as a “coward” for failing to engage in public debates over the future of Brexit.
“On the question of debates, he is being a coward,” Hunt said.
Read more: ‘Don’t be a coward’ Hunt tells Boris in Tory leadership race
“It is very disrespectful to say that you’re not going to appear in any head-to-head debates in the two weeks when (party members) can see you before they’ve actually voted.”
Johnson has so far only committed to a debate broadcast on ITV on 9 July, by which time Tory members will have received their postal ballot.