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EU referendum: Vote Leave furious as ITV announces debate between Nigel Farage and David Cameron Boris Johnson's chilling threat to ITV: You'll face 'consequences' for excluding us from TV debates
(about 9 hours later)
Vote Leave have reacted with fury at news that Nigel Farage has been invited to take part in a live EU referendum debate with David Cameron on ITV.  Britain’s main commercial broadcaster has been warned by the official Leave campaign that it faces “consequences for its future” after scheduling a debate between Nigel Farage and David Cameron in the run-up to the EU referendum.
The campaign, which was designated at the official Leave campaign by the electoral commission, has attacked the broadcaster for the decision to invite the Ukip leader - who is affiliated to the rival camp Leave.EU. In an extraordinary statement issued late last night Vote Leave accused ITV of “lying” over its plans to invite Mr Farage to take part in the debate instead of Michael Gove or Boris Johnson.
“Cameron and Farage Live: The EU Referendum” will be broadcast at 9pm on Tuesday 7 June ahead of the vote on 23 June. They suggested ITV News’ respected political editor Robert Peston was biased in favour of the EU and accused the organisation of “secretly stitching up a deal” with Downing Street.
The format will be similar to the Leader’s Debate held before the 2015 general election. “ITV has effectively joined the official IN campaign,” said a Vote Leave statement to journalists.
Mr Cameron and Mr Farage will make their pitches before answering questions from the audience.  “There will be consequences for its future - the people in No10 won't be there for long.”
A senior Vote Leave source said: "The Establishment has tried everything from spending taxpayers money on pro-EU propaganda to funding the IN campaign via Goldsman Sachs.  This morning a spokesman for Vote Leave refused to back down from the threat of “consequences” for ITV but refused to say what they might be.
"The polls have stayed fifty fifty. They're now fixing the debates to shut out the official campaign. Mr Cameron is widely expected to be forced to resign if he fails to win the referendum with Mr Johnson most likely to take his place. He will now be under pressure to say what those “consequences” might be.
"ITV is led by people like Robert Peston who campaigned for Britain to join the euro.  The row started after ITV announced it was going to hold an hour-long live programme on June 7 in which David Cameron and Nigel Farage would in turn answer questions from a studio audience of around 200 people.
"ITV has lied to us in private while secretly stitching up a deal with Cameron to stop Boris Johnson or Michael Gove debating the issues properly.  While Mr Farage is perhaps the most prominent anti-EU campaigner in the country he is not directly connected to Vote Leave the officially designated anti EU campaign group run by Mr Johnson and Mr Gove.
"ITV has effectively joined the official IN campaign and there will be consequences for its future - the people in No10 won't be there for long". But Downing Street are determined that Mr Cameron is not seen directly debating his fellow Tory colleagues as they fear that would enflame internal tensions in the party – and could backfire on the Remain campaing.
They have threatened to take the news channel to court over the decision. Vote Leave campaigners fear that ITV agreed to Mr Farage appearing in order to get the Prime Minister to take part.
According to Ofcom guidelines, broadcasters should remain neutral when reporting on politics. In an extraordinary statement issued last night to media organisations they wrote: “They (Downing Steet) are fixing the debates to shut out the official campaign. 
There is fierce division between Vote Leave, Leave.EU and Grassroots Out over the best way to fight the campaign for Brexit.  “ITV is led by people like Robert Peston who campaigned for Britain to join the euro. ITV has lied to us in private while secretly stitching up a deal with Cameron to stop Boris Johnson or Michael Gove debating the issues properly. ITV has effectively joined the official IN campaign and there will be consequences for its future - the people in No10 won't be there for long.”
Vote Leave - headed by former Mayor of London Boris Johnson, Justice Secretary Michael Gove and Ukip’s sole MP, Douglas Carswell - has focused on the economy and the restrictions on growth it claims the EU creates.  But Nigel Farage's Spokesman accused Vote Leave of running a campaign designed to exlude the Ukip leader from taking a role in the debate.
But Leave.EU, supported by Nigel Farage, and Grassroots Out, have focused attention on the impact of immigration from Eastern Europe.  “Once again sadly we see Vote Leave seeking to exclude Nigel Farage and UKIP from this referendum campaign,” he said.
Separately it was announced that Sky News has booked Mr Cameron to appear on a special EU referendum programme on 2 June.  “It is deeply disappointing that rather than rallying behind Nigel Farage for what will be the biggest one-on-one debate of the referendum campaign, Vote Leave are instead threatening court action to stop Nigel from taking on the Prime Minister.
It will also broadcast a programme featuring Mr Gove, but on a separate night.  "All on the Leave side must put their egos to one side and support Nigel as he prepares to take on the Prime Minister in what will undoubtedly be the defining moment of the referendum campaign."
It has been reported that there have been "tense" talks between broadcasters and No 10 over debates over the last month.
Downing Street has insisted Mr Cameron will not take part in a "blue on blue contest" - meaning debating with a member of his own party - which has led to accusations of cowardice. 
A spokesman told the Sun: "This is not simply an argument in the Conservative Party. The Stronger In campaign is a broad coalition of many political parties.
"We want to demonstrate the breadth of the debate rather than focus on a narrow issue in the Tory party."
ITV also hit back at the accusations and the legal threat saying: "Ukip polled 3.9 million votes a year ago and finished third in the General Election.
"ITV thinks viewers have a right to hear what the Ukip leader has to say on referendum.
"Prominent members of Vote Leave, including Boris Johnson, have been invited to take part in the two hour TV debate on June 9th."
The former Mayor of London previously said he did not want to get involved in any TV debates as part of his membership of Vote Leave but in an interview with the Spectator last week he said it would be "wet" not to participate if asked.
The latest polls show a small lead for the Remain side, but experts say the result could go in Leave’s favour if turnout is low.