LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Conservative Party is complaining to the nation’s broadcasting regulator about Channel 4’s decision to put Earth-shaped ice sculptures atop podiums in place of Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage after they declined to appear for a climate-change themed debate.

The party complained to broadcasting watchdog Ofcom over what it called “a provocative partisan stunt,’’ in the Thursday debate ahead of next month’s election to fill all 650 seats in Parliament.

Johnson is being accused of running scared of scrutiny after he declined to take part in the debate alongside his main opponent, Jeremy Corbyn of the Labour Party, and other party leaders. Johnson has also refused to commit to a one-on-one TV interview.