Labour leadership: Sky News to host live debate with the contenders

In a critical period for our country, who the leader of the Opposition is really matters.

By shaping the political narrative, holding the government to account and pushing key policy agendas, the next leader of the Labour Party has an opportunity – some would say a responsibility – to change the country.

That’s why Sky News is excited to be hosting a live TV debate with the contenders vying to be Labour’s next leader.

The candidates will face an audience of 100 voters on Thursday 27 February – just a week after ballots open in the contest. It will be hosted by Sophy Ridge at 8pm and will last one hour, without breaks.

Sky News has decided to hold the debate in Dewsbury, a Leave-voting seat in Yorkshire that Labour lost to the Conservatives on a 4.5% swing in 2019.

It’s exactly the sort of constituency the new leader will need to recapture if they are to lead the party to victory at the next election.

The audience will be representative of the UK population in terms of gender and ethnicity. One third will be Labour members, one third current Labour voters, and the final third will be past Labour voters who switched away in the 2019 General Election.

They will come from across the country – but with a bias towards the North of England and the voters the party most needs to recapture.

The contenders are keen to pitch to Labour Party members in order to win their votes, but the next leader of the Opposition matters for the whole country.

That’s why we are keen to hear the candidates set out their stall on live TV for everyone to hear, in a format where they can be challenged and challenge each other, and truly put their ideas to the test.

(c) Sky News 2020: Labour leadership: Sky News to host live debate with the contenders