SIR KEIR Starmer has been branded as a “Knight afraid to fight” by senior Tories demanding he commit to six telly debates.
The Labour leader is facing calls to sign up to the head-to-head TV spectacles for every week of the election campaign.
The Tories want to use every tactic possible to close the 20-point poll lead and convince the public of the record after 14 years in office.
The Prime Minister’s inner circle are looking to lock in dates for viewers after Mr Sunak made the surprise election announcement yesterday.
A senior Tory campaign source said: “He is the Knight who is afraid to fight.”
Another source close to the PM added: “Rishi Sunak is up for debating Keir Starmer as many times as he likes.
“And if Starmer doesn’t want to do it, what is he hiding? If he has all these great plans, why doesn’t he come out and say what he wants to do?”
Signing up to six telly debates would be more than any leader has signed up to since they were introduced in 2010.
Mr Sunak kick-started the campaign with a rain-soaked address in Downing Street where he declared it was time for Britain to “choose its future”.
The Labour chief was asked if would “duck” debates back in January when the issues was raised.
He hit back: “Well, that report is just nonsense. Look, I’ve been saying ‘Bring it on’ for a very, very long time. I’m happy to debate any time.”
But the TV debates will have to be scheduled around football matches involving the home nations at the Euro football tournament.
The group stage has televised matches every evening in the group stage between June 14 to June 26.
