The television leader debates were hanging in the balance this morning after the broadcasters bowed to David Cameron's demand to include the Greens in the line-up. Nick Robinson, the BBC’s political editor, said it appeared the broadcasters wanted to "call Cameron's bluff".
The broadcasters are proposing two televised debates with seven party leaders including Nigel Farage of Ukip, Natalie Bennett of the Greens, the SNP and the Welsh Nats Plaid Cymru. A third debate would be a head-to-head between the only two leaders likely to be the next prime minister, David Cameron and Ed Miliband.
The Cameron camp has yet to approve the new 7-7-2 format and is clearly playing for time.
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It is well-known that Cameron’s election strategist Lynton Crosby doesn’t want him taking part at any cost: the theory is that Cameron should not debate with Farage because he would be in danger of throwing away the “incumbent advantage” of being Prime Minister and give Ukip the chance to attract even more Tory voters. (Though Chris Patten, the former Tory party chairman, put forward the minority view at the weekend that it was Miliband he was trying to avoid.)
In the meantime, a Tory spokesman has said: “Further discussions are planned and we will obviously look at any new proposals presented by the broadcasters.”
Needless to say, the new plan immediately sparked complaints from other minor parties. George Galloway, ‘leader’ of the one–man Respect Party, tweeted: 'Oi - what about me?' The Cornish Nationalists also complained about being excluded, leading some to suggest the broadcasters might have to include the Monster Raving Loony Party.
More serious complaints were raised by the Democratic Ulster Unionists, which could in turn lead to demands by Sinn Fein for a place. DUP leader and Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson said the proposed debates were "a farce", with the DUP being "excluded from the national debate".
And right on cue, the Lib Dems objected to being excluded from the two-way head-to-head debate between Cameron and Miliband. A Lib Dem spokesman said: “We have always been clear that, as a party of government, we must be able to defend our record in all the TV debates. We will continue to make that case in our discussions with the broadcasters.”
So the big questions are: Will Cameron relent? And will anyone want to watch a debate involving seven party leaders, some of whom won’t have candidates running in the viewers’ constituencies? The risk of further voter disillusion with politics is very high.
