Cock-a-doodle-doo! The dust is being blown off dressing-up boxes and any minute now a Tory worker dressed in a chicken suit will likely be strutting behind Sir Keir Starmer.

Rishi Sunak has gone public with a challenge to face off in six TV debates, one a week, between now and the general election. The Labour leader retorts that he’s agreed to only two, on the BBC and ITV, just like in 2019.

The Tory big guns have opened with party chairman Richard Holden making headlines with charges that “Spineless Sir Keir” needs to “grow a backbone.” Holden might be better employed finding a seat to stand in in this election, but that’s another matter.

TV debates may be a routine feature of campaigning in dozens of countries, from Iran to the United States, but they have only taken place properly in one general election here: in 2010, when debates left the electorate better informed about the policies and the personal style under pressure of their would-be-leaders.

To declare an interest I was part of the Sky News team which brought about the 2010 “Leaders Debates” between Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg as a public service for all broadcasters. It took tough tactics including the threat to “empty chair” any leader who wouldn’t take part.

Crucially Sky fixed it all long before an election was likely to take place. That prevented the question of debates becoming a political football between self-interested political parties and TV channels, as is happening once again this year.

We have been here before. With........

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