UK PM faces flak for ducking TV grilling

Boris Johnson came under fire on Friday for failing to face one of Britain's top political interviewers as he prepared for a final head-to-head debate with the main opposition leader before next week's election.

Four other major party leaders have subjected themselves to an uncomfortable grilling from the BBC's Andrew Neil but the prime minister has so far declined to do so.

The spat comes before the second and final televised showdown between Conservative party leader Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn, of the main opposition Labour party, at 8:30 pm (2030 GMT).

Neil, a former editor of the Sunday Times, said he wanted to put questions of trust to Johnson.

After quizzing Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage on Thursday night, Neil told viewers the series of 30-minute leaders' interviews was done "on your behalf to scrutinise and hold to account those who would govern us. That is democracy.

"We've always proceeded in good faith that the leaders would participate. And in every election they have. All of them. Until this one." Corbyn meanwhile claimed in a speech in north London on Friday that he had uncovered confidential documents proving
"Ask yourself: if they hid this report what else are they hiding? How will they sell you out?" Corbyn has previously accused Johnson of cooking up a secret deal with US