Line-up confirmed for first BBC election debate

Penny Mordaunt and Angela Rayner will go head to head in the first BBC election debate on Friday night, featuring representatives from the seven biggest parties in Great Britain.

The Conservative Cabinet minister and deputy leader of the Labour Party will be joined by Daisy Cooper for the Liberal Democrats and Nigel Farage on behalf of Reform UK.

Stephen Flynn will appear for the Scottish National Party, the Green Party will be represented by co-leader Carla Denyer and Plaid Cymru by leader Rhun ap Iorwerth.

Presented by Mishal Husain, the debate will be broadcast from 19:30-21:00 on Friday 7 June on BBC One and BBC News in the UK.

During the face-off, members of the public and audience will be given the opportunity to ask questions to the participants.

At the end of the debate each of the participants will be invited to give a 30-second closing statement.

The debate kicks off a series of BBC programmes covering the election.

On 20 June, the leaders of the country’s four biggest political parties will be involved in a two-hour Question Time programme presented by Fiona Bruce.

Sophie Raworth will then moderate a debate between the prime minister and the Labour leader on the 26 June, which is likely to be the final head to head clash between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer before polling day.

There will be additional dedicated debates in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales.

Nick Robinson has also invited each of the leaders of the seven biggest political parties to be interviewed for Panorama specials across the next four weeks.

All of the programmes will be broadcast on BBC One, BBC News, local radio across the country and will be available on BBC iPlayer.

British Sign Language and subtitles will feature on the two leader debates and the Question Time special, as well as throughout the election night.

There will also be full live online coverage.

More information about the BBC’s approach to debates during the election period is available by clicking here.

The election takes place on 4 July.