Boris Johnson has backed out of another BBC interview, despite all other six leaders being signed up.
Jeremy Vine confirmed this morning that the Prime Minister would not appear on BBC Radio 2’s leader interviews.
He said the PM’s staff had constantly told his producers — until this morning — that he was “very likely” to come on.
“Today we were told he couldn’t, and no reason was given”, Vine announced on Twitter.
Andrew Neil
Johnson managed to swerve Andrew Neil in the run-up to the election and also ducked out of debates on climate change.
Despite other political leaders, like Jeremy Corbyn, Jo Swinson and Nicola Sturgeon, agreeing to be interviewed by the no-nonsense BBC broadcaster, the Prime Minister refused an interview.
Neil put out a broadcast anyway, saying:
“No broadcaster can compel a politician to be interviewed.
“But Leaders’ Interviews have been a key part of the BBC’s prime time election coverage for decades.
“We do them, on your behalf, to scrutinise and hold to account those who would govern us.
“That is democracy. We’ve always proceeded in good faith that the leaders would participate. And in every election, they have. All of them.
“Until this one.”
Hiding in a fridge
The PM also hid in a fridge this morning to escape questions from Good Morning Britain hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid.
The PM had joined an early morning milk round when he was confronted by a reporter from the show.
“I’ll be with you in a second,” Mr Johnson replied, before escaping into a large fridge.
In a video of the incident, one of the prime minister’s aides can be seen mouthing “oh for f***’s sake” after seeing Swain approaching the group.
Sources from within the party insisted Johnson was ‘categorically not hiding’ in the fridge, but instead his aides were taking a moment to prep the PM for a separate, pre-agreed interview.
Related: 10 reasons Boris Johnson isn’t fit to lead the country