Conservative leadership hopefuls set to take part in TV debates on BBC and Sky News

Candidates expected to square off in series of televised events during mid-June

Conservative Party leadership candidates will go head-to-head in a string of TV debates, it has been announced.

The BBC has revealed plans for a debate to take place in mid-June, which will be moderated by the journalist Emily Maitlis.

The final two candidates will also be invited to take part in a special edition of Question Time, where they will be asked questions by an audience.

Fran Unsworth, BBC news and current affairs director, said: “Although the final say will fall to Conservative party members, it’s firmly in the public interest for audiences to question and hear from the next potential prime minister.”

On Friday, Prime Minister Theresa May announced she would be standing down as Tory leader on 7 June.

Under the timetable set out by Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis and the 1922 vice-chairmen, nominations for leader will close in the week beginning June 10.

The party hopes to have elected a new leader by the start of Parliament’s summer recess.

Meanwhile, Sky News is also set to host a live head-to-head debate as part of the Conservative leadership election.

The two final candidates will take part in a live debate with a studio audience made up of Conservative voters presented by journalist Kay Burley.

John Ryley, head of Sky News said: “We’ve consistently pushed the agenda for leaders’ debates for over a decade, this will be another key milestone in the unprecedented political turmoil we’ve been able to witness.”

Press Association