Corbo will engage in tonight's BBC debate

JEREMY Corbyn has announced he will take part in the live TV General Election debate tonight on the BBC, and he has challenged Theresa May to join him.
The Tories will be represented by Home Secretary Amber Rudd, after Mrs May made clear that she would not take part in a face-to-face showdown with any other party leaders during the campaign.

The Labour leader will take part with the leaders of the Liberal Democrats, UKIP, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru, and the SNP's leader at Westminster, at the BBC event, which is now being boycotted by the Prime Minister.

Mr. Corbyn tweeted:

Jeremy Corbyn‏Verified account @jeremycorbyn

.@Theresa_May come & debate me. Any time. Any place. Britain deserves to see the only two people who could be the next Prime Minister debate

Meanwhile, the Labour Party issued the following statement on behalf on Mr. Corbyn:

'I will be taking part in tonight’s debate because I believe we must give people the chance to hear and engage with the leaders of the main parties before they vote.

'I have never been afraid of a debate in my life. Labour’s campaign has been about taking our polices to people across the country and listening to the concerns of voters.

'The Tories have been conducting a stage-managed arms-length campaign and have treated the public with contempt. Refusing to join me in Cambridge tonight would be another sign of Theresa May’s weakness, not strength.'

Local election results

THE Shadow Scottish secretary and Labour's only MP in Scotland, Ian Murray, said:  'I don't think that the public see the UK Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn at the moment as being a credible party of future government in 2020.'

Last night, the Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson became the main opposition party leader at Holyrood as Labour slumped into third place in Scottish Parliament polls. 

A symbolic result in Wales, meant that Labour lost the Rhondda seat in the Welsh Assembly to Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood, and saw the Scottish National Party pull off a clean sweep of seats in its one-time working-class stronghold of Glasgow. 

Labour also lost seats in England and Wales, while avoiding the catastrophic defeat some had suggested.  There was little change for the ruling Conservatives in England and Wales.

At this stage in the life of a parliament it might have been expected that the main opposition party would be gaining seats from the governing party.

Addressing supporters in Sheffield after a dismal night for Labour, Jeremy Corbyn has confessed that the party has 'a lot of building to do'.

Despite the excitement of some in the Labour Party over Jeremy Corbyn's leadership Northern Voices' still hold to the view that the Labour as a progressive party has outlived its mission.