Second general election leaders debate announced by ITV

Senior figures from across the political spectrum are set to go head-to-head in a General Election debate hosted by ITV later this June.

The multi-party debate on June 13 will feature “leaders or senior representatives” from the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, SNP, Reform UK, Greens and Plaid Cymru. The 90-minute programme will be moderated by Julie Etchingham, who led the ITV election debates in 2015, 2017 and 2019.

Michael Jermey, ITV’s director of news and current affairs, said: “ITV’s debate programmes will allow millions of viewers to see and hear the politicians debate the big issues facing the country. Many of our viewers tell us they greatly value the TV debates.

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“We’re pleased that ITV will be able to provide a forum in which voters can question the political leaders and in which the politicians can debate directly with each other.”

It will come after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer face-off in the first televised leaders’ debate on June 4, also to be moderated by Etchingham. The one-to-one will be followed by an ITV Election Interviews show presented by Anushka Asthana.

ITV has said that leaders of the Liberal Democrats, SNP, Reform UK and the Greens have been invited to take part. An interview with the leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth, will also be aired that evening in Wales.

Elsewhere, Sky News said it will host a “leaders’ event” on Wednesday June 12 in Grimsby, a key marginal seat the Tories won with a majority of 7,331 in 2019. Sir Keir has agreed to take part, with talks ongoing with Mr Sunak’s team, according to the broadcaster.

A spokesperson for the Conservative