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June 7, 2017updated 08 Jun 2017 10:46am

Channel 4’s Jon Snow says Theresa May first PM to refuse him an interview in seven general elections

By Freddy Mayhew

UPDATE 14:45 – Theresa May’s team has offered a five-minute interview to Channel 4 News, according to the broadcaster’s editor, who said Jeremy Corbyn has continued to rebuff requests to appear on the bulletin. 

Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow has said that Theresa May is the first serving Prime Minister to refuse him an interview in seven general elections.

Snow (pictured) said on Twitter yesterday: “In 7 General Elections as anchor @Channel4News, after weeks of requests,Theresa May is the first serving PM to refuse me an interview why?”

The programme’s editor Ben De Pear said: “We’ve made multiple requests, said we will be anywhere but @theresa_may team say they can’t make time for @jonsnowC4 before polling day.”

Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murphy tweeted: “Theresa May has refused to sit down with any #c4news presenter this election campaign. And Jeremy Corbyn hasn’t done one yet since manifesto.

“May and Corbyn did short, out and about campaign interviews with Gary  [Gibbon] and Michael [Crick] but neither has yet done wide ranging presenter interview.”

The post prompted LBC radio presenter Iain Dale to reply: “Jeremy Corbyn has refused to sit down with any LBC presenter this election campaign. And Theresa May hasn’t done one yet since manifesto.”

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The party leaders also declined invitations to appear on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning.

Presenter John Humphreys said: “Jeremy Corbyn and indeed Theresa May they have both declined to appear on the programme to be interviewed. First time I can remember a leader of the Opposition, of the Labour Party or whoever, not being prepared to do so.”

Jeremy Vine also tweeted today: “For the record, this is the first election in 40 years where the Prime Minister has not appeared to be interviewed on @BBCRadio2.”

The leaders have appeared in a number of interviews over the campaign, including sitting down with the BBC’s Andrew Neil and most recently in front of a studio audience for the Question Times Leaders Special which aired on BBC One on Friday.

Both also appeared on the Channel 4 and Sky News programme May v Corbyn Live: The Battle for Number 10, which included questions from a studio audience, moderated by political editor Faisal Islam, and a one-on-one interview with Jeremy Paxman.

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