Members of the UK's Conservative Party have threatened Channel 4 with review of its broadcasting obligations after it didn’t allow Michael Gove and Boris Johnson’s father to take part in a debate on climate change and replaced the PM with two melting ice sculptures, BuzzFeed reported citing a source from the Conservative Party.
“If we are re-elected we will have to review Channel 4’s Public Services Broadcasting obligations", the source said.
The party’s spokesperson said the prime minister had been called “a coward and a bully”, accusing Chanel 4 of conspiring with Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to block the Conservatives “from making the case for tackling climate change and protecting the environment in this evening’s debate".
Commenting on Johnson’s refusal to take part in the debate, Ben De Pear, editor of Channel 4 News said ice sculptures are a “visual metaphor” for the missing poltician. The broadcaster also explained its decision not to allow Michael Gove to take part in the debate, saying he was “not the party leader”.
The news subsequently went viral and the hashtag #BorisJohnsonIsAMelt is now trending on Twitter. Social media users are divided on the issue with some saying that Johnson’s decision to skip the debate has not affected his popularity and that the Tories are going to win the upcoming general election.
Other users said the PM should have taken part in the debate on such an important topic instead of sending his father and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Leader of the Brexit Party Nigel Farage also declined an invitation to take part in the debate, which took place on the day the European Parliament declared a climate emergency and after scientists said the world would head to a “tipping point” if the climate crisis continues on its current path.