NOW WHO’S CHICKEN? Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn ‘running scared of election debates’

Labour leader JEREMY CORBYN has said he WON’T do an election debate without Theresa May – leaving the possibility of an event with TWO empty chairs.

The British Prime Minister was strongly criticised by her opponents, including the labour leader Mr Jerermy  Corbyn, for dodging the debates.

Yet astonishingly Mr Corbyn is “running scared” as the debates could now go ahead with two empty chairs.

Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: “Corbyn is running scared. He is running away from facing his opponents, he is running away from defending his policies, he is running away from leadership.

“Given he has been absent since the day he was elected as leader of the opposition, it is no surprise that he is choosing to be absent now. The broadcasters are going to have to dust off two empty chairs, the debates must go ahead.”

Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: “Faced with an open goal, Corbyn decides against even attempting to score. Unbelievable, if true.”

Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas said: “Both the Prime Minister and leader of the opposition are running scared of the TV debates.

“Our democracy deserves better than this. Theresa May should commit to doing the TV debates, and Jeremy Corbyn shouldn’t be afraid to empty chair the Prime Minister and debate with the other parties.“A failure by both Corbyn and May to appear in the television debates would be a dereliction of their duty as party leaders.”

Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said: “It is disappointing to hear that the leader of the Labour party is not prepared to take part in any televised leaders’ debates without the Prime Minister.

“By shying away from scrutiny and refusing to take part in the debates, the Prime Minister has presented the so-called leader of the opposition with an open goal. However, it seems that Labour are still too busy fighting each other to be focusing on fighting the Tories.”

Sturgeon claimed it was an own goal and Corbyn has missed an opportunityBut a source close to the Labour leader today said that a debate with just opposition party leaders would not show voters “what the real choices are in this election campaign”.He said: “If you’re talking about a debate about the possible outcomes of the election you’re talking about a debate between the Conservative party and the Labour party.

“So to have a debate amongst the opposition parties doesn’t meet that objective at all.”