Andrew Neil reveals Boris Johnson is still dodging interview, with just a week until election

The BBC's Andrew Neil has revealed that Boris Johnson has still not confirmed a date for a general election interview with him.

The prime minister has been accused of trying to dodge an encounter with the broadcaster - widely viewed as TV's toughest political interrogator - ahead of the 12 December poll.

With just eight days left before election day, Conservatives insist they are "in discussions" with the BBC on a possible interview.

But asked today what progress had been made, Mr Neil replied simply: "None."

Jeremy Corbyn's half-hour interview with Neil was one of the Labour leader's most difficult moments in the eleciton campaign, as he four times avoided offering an apology for his handling of antisemitism and was challenged over his tax plans.

Neil has also interviewed the Scottish National Party's Nicola Sturgeon and is due to grill the Liberal Democrats' Jo Swinson on Wednesday and the Brexit Party's Nigel Farage on Thursday. But a potential half-hour slot on Tuesday went unfilled.

On Sunday, Mr Johnson appeared to indicate he was ready to face Neil, telling his BBC colleague Andrew Marr: "I'm perfectly happy to be interviewed by any interviewer called Andrew from the BBC."

But by Tuesday, he was still declining to fix a date, telling reporters during a campaign visit to Salisbury: “I’m going to be doing all sorts of media engagements in the course of the next few days.

“I think I’m the first prime minister to have done a head-to-head TV debate, I did Question Time, I’ve done hours and hours of phone-ins, I think I’ve fielded more questions at press conferences than any other leader. I don’t think I’ve been unscrutinised.”

In a tweet on Tuesday, Mr Neil disputed Tories' claims to be locked in discussions, saying: "There are not really any negotiations going on. We’re simply waiting on a date, time and venue. As we have for several weeks. So far - not a sausage."

The BBC’s director of news and current affairs Fran Unsworth said the broadcaster was ready to record an Andrew Neil Interview with the PM “at any time and any place”.

But she rejected suggestions that the BBC should have waited until all party leaders had confirmed their availability before recording and broadcasting any interviews.

“Party leaders, and their agendas for government, must all receive scrutiny,” said Ms Unsworth.

“We’re as disappointed as our audiences that the prime minister, unlike all his fellow leaders, has not yet confirmed a date for his Andrew Neil interview.

“The logistics of pinning down party leaders is highly complex; if we had to wait for confirmation of the date and time of every interview by every party before anyone appeared anywhere, hardly anything would get on air.

“But let’s be clear: we’ll clear our schedules and we’re ready at any time, and any place, for a half-hour interview in which Neil scrutinises Boris Johnson.”

Mr Johnson’s editor Rob Burley said there was “still time” to record an interview before the 12 December election.

Mr Burley said in a tweet: “At no stage did we tell any other party that a date for Boris Johnson was confirmed, whatever you may have read.

“We have acted in good faith throughout but ultimately, we cannot force a politician to do an interview if they don't want to do it. Still time.”