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5 months ago
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Senior Tories are angry at the BBC's scheduling of a key election programme, set to feature Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, on the same night as a big Euros football match.
The PM and Labour leader have been invited to appear on a BBC Question Time special on 20 June, which will also feature the Lib Dem and SNP leaders.
But that is the same night as England play Denmark in Euro 2024, which will be a crunch fixture for Gareth Southgate's national side.
A senior Tory source voiced gloom about the election programme's viewing figures given the clash with the football. 'No-one will be watching,' they told MailOnline.
The Question Time show on 20 June is due to be among a series of TV debate programmes between the UK's top politicians before polling day on 4 July.
The first head-to-head debate between Mr Sunak and Sir Keir is happening on ITV tomorrow, with both leaders having spent the weekend frantically preparing.
Mr Sunak is expected to use Tuesday night's debate - to be moderated by host Julie Etchingham - to accuse Sir Keir of pursuing 'power for power's sake'.
But Sir Keir is poised to hit back and focus on '14 years of Tory chaos'.
Senior Tories are angry at the BBC 's scheduling of a key election programme, set to feature Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer , on the same night as a big Euros football match
The PM and Sir Keir, pictured, have been invited to appear on a BBC Question Time special on 20 June, which will also feature the Lib Dem and SNP leaders
England play Denmark in Euro 2024 om 20 June, which will be a crunch fixture for the Three Lions and captain Harry Kane (pictured)
When are the general election TV debates?
Tomorrow, 9pm, ITV - Head-to-head clash between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer
Friday 7 June, 7.30pm, BBC - Debate between leading figures from Britain's seven biggest political parties
Wednesday 12 June, tbc, Sky News - PM and Sir Keir invited to take part.
Thursday 13 June, 8.30pm, ITV - Debate between leading figures from Tories, Labour, Lib Dems, SNP, Reform UK, Green Party and Plaid Cymru.
Thursday 20 June, 8pm, BBC - Question Time Leaders' Special involving leaders of Britain's four biggest political parties
Wednesday 26 June, 9pm, BBC - Head-to-head clash between PM and Sir Keir.
Deputy PM Oliver Dowden posed as Sir Keir during Mr Sunak's debate preparations on Sunday.
And policy adviser Tom Webb, said to have a knack for doing impressions, played the role of the PM in the Labour leader's own preparations.
Tomorrow's hour-long debate will take place at 9pm in front of a studio audience.
A senior Tory source told The Times: 'Starmer is going to talk about the past. It is all he talks about.
'This will be an opportunity to talk about the difference between the two. He [the PM] will argue that Starmer doesn't have any convictions, he doesn't have any principles.
'This might be the first time people tune into the campaign. It is an opportunity.'
A senior Labour source told the newspaper Sir Keir would be 'the prosecutor in the debate' and 'Rishi will have to stand there in the dock having to defend 14 years'.
England play Denmark on 20 June in their second group game of Euro 2024, with the match to kick-off at 5pm and be broadcast on the BBC.
The two-hour BBC Question Time special, to be presented by Fiona Bruce from York, is then due to begin at 8pm.
It means many voters could still be in pubs celebrating - or commiserating - England's result when the election programme begins.
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