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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/09/lib-dems-considering-court-action-over-exclusion-from-tv-debate
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Lib Dems considering court action over exclusion from TV debate | Lib Dems considering court action over exclusion from TV debate |
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Move challenges BBC’s decision to only include Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn in pre-election broadcast | Move challenges BBC’s decision to only include Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn in pre-election broadcast |
The Liberal Democrats have said the party is considering court action over Jo Swinson’s exclusion from a BBC election debate between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn. | |
The corporation announced on Friday that it would host a traditional head-to-head debate between the prime minister and Labour leader on 6 December. | |
Swinson had said earlier in the week that her party would take legal action if ITV did not include her in its own leaders’ debate, scheduled for 19 November. | |
Layla Moran, the Lib Dems’ education spokeswoman and Oxford West and Abingdon candidate, said it was critical the TV debates had a remain voice. | Layla Moran, the Lib Dems’ education spokeswoman and Oxford West and Abingdon candidate, said it was critical the TV debates had a remain voice. |
She told Sky News: “We are the biggest, strongest remain party fielding candidates in all parts of the UK and actually we are the only party that can challenge Labour and the Conservatives on this. | She told Sky News: “We are the biggest, strongest remain party fielding candidates in all parts of the UK and actually we are the only party that can challenge Labour and the Conservatives on this. |
“We are in discussions with lawyers about what we are going to do with the ITV debate and we are also looking at court action for the BBC one too.” | “We are in discussions with lawyers about what we are going to do with the ITV debate and we are also looking at court action for the BBC one too.” |
Moran said it was “entirely possible” that Swinson could be prime minister. | |
“I think in this election – and no-one is saying this isn’t a huge mountain to climb, no-one is pretending that it is not – but what we did see is that in the Europeans, different electoral system I get it, but we polled higher than the Conservatives and the Labour party for the first time in 100 years. | “I think in this election – and no-one is saying this isn’t a huge mountain to climb, no-one is pretending that it is not – but what we did see is that in the Europeans, different electoral system I get it, but we polled higher than the Conservatives and the Labour party for the first time in 100 years. |
“There is something weird happening in British politics right now. It’s showing itself in the last few months . Anything is possible.” | |
Her comments come after the party said it would provide working parents with 35 hours of free childcare a week from the day their baby turns nine months old. Labour has said it would provide 30 hours of free childcare a week for every child from the age of two. | |
Under current rules, three-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours free childcare a week and lower-income parents receive extra help from when their child turns two. |