Cameron: 'I Want To Take Part' In TV Debates

David Cameron has said he wants to take part in televised debates ahead of the General Election and progress has been made towards agreeing a format.

Speaking after a speech about tax and austerity in Southampton, the Prime Minister said: "I was told that it was appalling and outrageous that I had suggested you couldn't have one minor party without having the other minor party and I'm delighted the broadcasters have gone away and thought again.

He joked: "They've actually come up with rather more minor parties than I had in mind, but I'm sure they've thought it all through and they know what they're doing."

The Prime Minister suggested he would back the inclusion of the Democratic Unionist Party, which has eight MPs, more than three of the parties included in the latest proposals from broadcasters.

He said: "I don't quite see why Northern Ireland seems to be missing out because, as far as I'm concerned, it's as important a part of our United Kingdom as Wales or Scotland."

He added: "I want to take part - I said they needed to do the minor party thing and they've certainly done that... I want these debates to go ahead and that's good progress."

The Prime Minister was speaking after broadcasters put forward revised plans - and made clear the debates would go ahead without any party leaders who could not agree to the format.

Sky News, Channel 4, the BBC and ITV last week confirmed plans for a 7-7-2 format .

Two debates hosted by the BBC and ITV would feature the leaders of Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, UKIP, the Greens, Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru.

The third, on Channel 4 and Sky, would pit David Cameron against Ed Miliband in a head-to-head.

The proposed dates for the debates are April 2, 16 and 30.

Nigel Farage has condemned the plans, the Liberal Democrats want Nick Clegg to appear in all three debates and the Democratic Unionist Party has sharply criticised its omission from the list.

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds told Sky's Murnaghan programme on Sunday: "Once you begin to involve regional parties, then you have to invite all regions of the UK to participate."

The Prime Minister also addressed Syriza's resounding election victory in Greece , saying it reinforced the need for governments to have "an economic plan that works".

Speaking in the key election battleground of Eastleigh - currently held by the Lib Dems - he insisted there was an economic, moral and practical case for tax cuts following the election.

But he did not spell out how the Conservatives would pay for a promised £7bn in income tax cuts.

Mr Cameron confirmed plans for a further £30bn in spending cuts if the Tories win a majority in May - including £13bn from Whitehall department spending and £12bn from welfare.

He said: "After the security of a job, the next best thing we can do is to cut people's taxes and let them keep more of their own money to spend as they choose. That's our aim."

His boasts about his tax proposals sparked a spat with the Tories' Liberal Democrat coalition partners, with Nick Clegg accusing the PM of a "brazen attempt" to steal the credit for his policy of increasing the personal tax allowance.