WITH Theresa May having agreed to appear in a live BBC debate on Brexit a week on Sunday, two days before MPs are due to vote on her proposed deal for leaving the European Union, the ball is now in Jeremy Corbyn’s court.

The Labour leader is yet to confirm his willingness to appear opposite the Prime Minister, but having criticised Mrs May for failing to appear in similar debates in the past, it would be hypocritical in the extreme for Mr Corbyn to refuse to take part.

Given the importance of the ongoing Brexit discussions, a live television debate is to be welcomed. As things stand, however, it does not look as though it will encompass all sides of the argument.

For a live debate to be genuinely informative and representative, a broader panel is required than merely the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

For all that they are set to vote on opposite sides on December 11, Mrs May and Mr Corbyn actually agree on many of the fundamentals behind Brexit. They both voted Remain in the referendum, and have pledged to deliver some form of Brexit.

It would surely be better to broaden the discussion and invite both a passionate Brexiteer and a committed Remainer who wants another referendum on to the TV panel.

If we are going to debate Brexit, we cannot ignore those who would advocate a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, or those who would argue passionately for a ‘People’s Vote’. Neither Mrs May nor Mr Corbyn falls into either of those camps.