BORIS Johnson's party leader in Scotland has said the Prime Minister ought to agree to an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Neil.
Jackson Carlaw said he wouldn’t be "afraid" of being quizzed by Mr Neil, who last night issued a direct challenge to the Prime Minister to take part in a 30-minute interview.
Mr Neil said he wanted to ask about trust, and said the PM would be expected to stand up to world leaders like Presidents Trump and Putin, so he should be able to cope.
Mr Johnson has been criticised for failing to take up the offer after Jeremy Corbyn, Nicola Sturgeon, Jo Swinson and Nigel Farage all submitted to a tough, forensic grilling.
After a speech to party activists in Edinburgh, Mr Carlaw was asked if he was troubled by Mr Johnson”running away” from an interview with the veteran journalist.
He said: “I think if I were him I would do the interview.
“But he’s been interviewed by Andrew Marr, he’s been interviewed by Robert Peston, and he’s appearing in another television debate tonight where members of the public will have the opportunity to question him directly.
“They don’t need to go through Andrew Neil to do it. They can look him in the eye and asked him the question themselves.
“My view would be if I were him I would do it. But that’s for the Prime Minister. I don’t know what his diary is.”
Asked if he thought Mr Johnson had an honourable reason for not doing the interview or was just afraid, Mr Carlaw replied: “He’s obviously not afraid to do interviews because he’s done plenty of them already.
“I certainly wouldn’t be afraid of being interviewed by Andrew Neil. I can’t imagine the Prime Minister is either.”
Asked at a press conference today about his refusal to be interviewed by Mr Neil, Mr Johnson said he was doing “not one, but two head-to-head debates” with Mr Corbyn.
He said: “I’ve done 118 sit down interviews with journalists. I’ve fielded innumerable questions. He jokes: "There’s a guy called Lord Buckethead who wants to have a head-to-head debate with me. Unfortunately I’m not able to fit him in.
“We cannot accommodate everybody.”
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