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.”
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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