A North Essex art gallery provided the setting for a 90-minute, 7-way election debate in front of live TV cameras yesterday evening (Tuesday 18 June).
The extended Channel 4 News special, The UK Decides: Immigration, Law and Order, was presented by Krishnan Guru-Murphy live from Colchester’s Firstsite, with politicians representing the UK’s main political parties debating a number of key election issues.
The event was held in the gallery’s mosaic space as part of Channel 4 News’ The UK Decides strand, which takes live debate out of London and follows politicians across the campaign trail.
Last week ITV hosted a similar debate night with representatives from across the political spectrum taking part as they answered questions from immigration to why the public’s trust in politicians is declining.
The debate began at 6:30pm and lasted for an hour and a half, ending at 8pm. it was broadcast on Channel 4 as a special extension of its flagship news programme.
The panel consisted of Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, Conservative and Home Office Minister Chris Philp, the Green’s Co-Party Leader Carla Denyer, the Liberal Democrats Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper, Plaid Cymru’s Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth, Reform UK’s Chairman Richard Tice and Keith Brown Deputy Leader for the Scottish National Party (SNP).
Journalist and presenter Guru-Murthy chaired the evening, with the format involving set topics, with challenges between the various politicians and audience questions in response.
Sally Shaw MBE, Director of Firstsite said: “We were delighted to host Channel 4 and provide a space for an important debate that put key issues under scrutiny, with probing questions from the local audience highlighting many of the challenges faced by society. After welcoming the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow team and audience last Friday (14 June), it’s wonderful for Firstsite to once again be involved with a national broadcast.”
She added, “It felt significant to have such critical issues debated within a creative space, surrounded by artworks from both local and international artists like which encourage us to explore new viewpoints and think more creatively. As a public service broadcast, the Channel 4 debate resonated with our objectives by offering a platform for diverse voices and perspectives to come together. These opportunities foster conversations that can lead to the discovery of creative solutions, which is at the heart of what we aim to achieve at Firstsite.”
