Conservative leadership candidates invited to take part in TV debate

A TV debate will be held to quiz the candidates in the running to be the next Conservative Party leader and prime minister.

The BBC announced 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 June 7.

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.