The broadcaster and CCHQ are also reported to be at loggerheads over the make up of the debate audience.
The Tories know no shame. It has been revealed that the party wanted to charge for entry to a BBC debate between leadership contenders Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick, and wished to impose a “small fee” of £10 per ticket.
However, the BBC has refused the request saying that it would amount to a breach of practice, leaving the Tories red faced.
Badenoch and Jenrick are the final two candidates left in the race to replace Rishi Sunak after the party’s humiliating general election defeat. The final two candidates have been invited to take part in a Question Time special, hosted by Fiona Bruce, next Thursday.
The broadcaster and CCHQ are also reported to be at loggerheads over the make up of the debate audience.
The Telegraph reports: “The BBC has insisted half the crowd must be made up of recent Tory voters, with the rest coming from other political backgrounds.
“But CCHQ wants to choose the audience itself, which the broadcaster is not prepared to facilitate.”
The Tories claim they wanted to impose an entry fee for the debate so as to reduce the number of no shows.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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