Was Boris Johnson Right To Make Veiled Threats To Itv?

[sp1814]

Boris Johnson is unhappy that ITV have scheduled a debate on the referendum between David Cameron and Nigel Farage.

He feels that they are being blocked.

But surely Farage as leader of the only party with a stated aim of leaving the EU is a better guest than Johnsonny Come Lately?

Why is there such a fundamental schism in the 'leave' campaign?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/eu-referendum-vote-leave-furious-as-itv-announces-debate-between-nigel-farage-and-david-cameron-a7025226.html

[Old_Geezer]

It is foolish to make such threats and does not show him in a good light. It's not as if the leave faction wasn't going to be represented. That stated it was probably unwise to offer the leave support in the debate to someone not so involved with the official leave group. A faux pas it seems.

[ToraToraTora]

No, Bojo is the defacto leader of the out campaign the main parties are all split on this subject, it is not a party political issue. The debate really needs to be between Dave and Bojo.

[Ken4155]

Totally wrong to issue such threats - veiled or otherwise. Christ, they don't like the Beeb because they consider them left wing and now they think they have a bone to pick with ITV. Spitting dummies out of prams, springs to mind.

[youngmafbog]

But Camoron refused to debate with Bojo, probably because he knew he would loose and therefore loose credibility as a leader. That is if he had any in the frst place.

[EDDIE51]

There were 3 'leave' campaigns each hoping to be designated the 'official' one that got the £7 million funding from the government. Farage is leader of one of the 'losing' campaigns.
I think it is the correct thing to do, Boris only decided in the last few hours which side he was going to back,in the end he decided to back 'leave'.
Now he realizes that he has made a poor choice.
Farage on the other hand has never held any other view, and leads the only political party that has getting the UK out of the EU as it's main aim. UKIP also has the only British EuroMPs who are dedicated to getting the UK out of the EU.
All in all a far better bet than someone who only decided to back 'leave' at the last second and for purely selfish reasons.

[EDDIE51]

Also remember that if it was not for Farage and his party UKIP we would not be having a referendum at all!

[ToraToraTora]

it is a travesty that the leave campaign seem intent of fighting among themselves rather than fighting the anti British enemy, we'll never get this chance to free ourselves from tyranny and I for one will never forgive those selfish &*^$h0les if we lose.

[sp1814]

youngmafbog

Do you think that Bojo (not keen on that contraction) is more likely to win a debate than Farage?

I would've thought Farage was the bigger threat to Cameron.

And I suspect that the grounds given in the article (Cameron not wanting to encourage even more splits in the Conservative Party by arguing with Johnson) sounds quite reasonable.

[jourdain2]

EDDIE has it. If it were not for Farage, UKIP and people like me who voted for them (purely on the basis of this issue)we would not be having a referendum.

Rights or wrongs about 'veiled threats' apart, DC is scared of facing a real heavyweight opposing his argument. He is going for Nige because he knows that he is the least of his opponents - and even then he will not face him directly. Cowardice, plus a knowledge that many of his points are so weak that they will be torn to shreds by a 'big beast'. I would like to see Dave face Gove (a logical machine), but it won't happen - Dave is too scared.

[Gromit]

Not really ITVs fault if the Leave side are not united and squabbling like cats. Garage is the obvious choice of an anti EU talking head. Boris is a Conservative minister, so two Tories would not be a balanced debate.

[ToraToraTora]

"two Tories would not be a balanced debate. " - you seem incapable of seeing that on this subject they are opponents gromit. Parties are irrelevant here.

[naomi24]

If I were Boris I'd be clapping my hands at the prospect of a debate between David Cameron and Nigel Farage. Nigel will make a far better job of it than Boris ever could.

[jno]

as Eddie says, it was Farage who got the referendum on the road. I dislike him, but I think he's earned the right to appear.

[Hypognosis]

Nigel caught a disease off Alistair Campbell. He needs to appear on Teleeveezeon every 63 hours or else he goes into a complex medical state which threatens to increase his BUPA premiums to a level which will siphon his bank account in less than 4 months.

So there!

[Svejk]

Nigel would slaughter Cameron in a 'real' debate and Cameron knows it.

[Hypognosis]

You can't say that on the radio

[Hypognosis]

Or (farm animal) in a poke.

Not in this context.

[Jackdaw33]

Cameron scared? Too right he is. He took a gamble hoping the dice would fall in his favour. Now he knows that if his gamble does not pay off, by 24th June he will join the list of former PMs.

[mikey4444]

Not sure why Farage and Dave having a debate together is such a bad idea.

Afteral, UKIP is the only Party that actually wants to comes out of the EU, and dave wants us to stay.....what's not to like ?