Theresa May vs. Jeremy Corbyn: how would TV debate play out?

Theresa May is to challenge Jeremy Corbyn to a televised debate on the details of her Brexit deal, according to reports.

The Daily Telegraph claims the prime minister plans to go head-to-head with the Labour leader in the run-up to Parliament’s vote on the withdrawal agreement. The vote has been scheduled for 12 December, after the European Union agreed yesterday to back the proposals.

The TV debate would be the culmination of a two-week national tour by May, “who will leave Downing Street to attempt to convince voters across the UK of the benefits of her deal”, says City A.M.

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The Telegraph adds: “If the Labour leader declines, she will hold a Question Time-style session with a TV audience hosted by David Dimbleby.”

However, a Downing Street source told The Times that a televised debate was unlikely, although no final decision had been taken.

All the same, it appears Corbyn is up for the challenge. “Jeremy would relish a head-to-head debate with Theresa May about her botched Brexit deal and the future of our country,” a Labour spokesperson said last night.

Labour’s thinking is “pretty clear”, says Politico’s Jack Blanchard. Party aides reckon Corbyn’s poll ratings “tend to improve the more people see of him rather than reading about him through the filter of the dreaded mainstream media”, Blanchard explains.

And Corbyn would probably “seek to broaden the debate at every opportunity into a discussion on austerity and the past eight years of Tory-led government”, he adds.

Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald appeared to confirm that theory on BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour.

“It sounds like an attractive offer,” he said. “Jeremy’s asked for debates in the past, so I strongly suspect he’d like to do that... This is a real good opportunity. I’m surprised at Theresa May offering herself for a TV debate. She hasn’t really done particularly well in those sorts of environments in the past.”

But some commentators are questioning the suitability of such a forum, since the public will not be able to have a say directly on any Brexit deal.

The Guardian’s Peter Walker tweeted: “Not sure I understand the idea behind a May v Corbyn TV debate on Brexit deal. What’s at stake for the public? They have no say, beyond – at best – lobbying their MP to vote one way or other. Seems odd given No 10 insist neither election or 2nd referendum are on the table.”

Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer told Sky News that it appeared the PM might be shifting towards general election territory.

The general election theory has also been picked up by some commentators, with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg describing No. 10’s strategy as “a bit like an election, except May is only candidate and MPs are the voters”.

Election or not, the New Statesman’s Stephen Bush believes the touted TV debate is unlikely to happen.

“Essentially I would back Corbyn to win handily if it is a broad QT-style debate on the whole range of domestic issues,” Bush tweeted. But “if it is on the detail of the withdrawal agreement, I would back May to win. My guess is that as neither will want a debate on the others’ terms, [it] won’t happen.”