New Plan For TV Election Debates: Reports

It is being reported that new proposals for General Election TV debates have been drawn up after David Cameron refused to take part unless the Green Party was included.

It is understood the broadcasters are now proposing to include not just the Greens but also the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru in two of the three debates.

The old proposals - dubbed 4-3-2 - were for one debate between David Cameron and Ed Miliband, a second with Mr Cameron, Mr Miliband and Nick Clegg and a third with all three plus the UKIP leader Nigel Farage.

Under the new reported proposals, Sky News and Channel 4's plans to host a head-to-head between the two candidates for Prime Minister, Mr Cameron and Mr Miliband, remains unchanged.

But it is understood the BBC and ITV would each stage a debate involving Mr Cameron, Mr Miliband, Mr Clegg, the Greens' Natalie Bennett, Mr Farage of UKIP, the SNP's Nicola Sturgeon and Plaid's Leanne Wood.

Asked if the 7-7-2 format would secure Mr Cameron's participation, a Conservative source said: "Further discussions are planned and we will obviously look at any new proposals presented by broadcasters."

The new proposals would be a big boost for the two nationalist parties, the SNP and Plaid, but are a blow for Mr Clegg, since the Lib Dems would lose out on a three-way debate with the Conservatives and Labour.

A Liberal Democrat spokesman said: "We have only just received these new proposals.

"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."

The parties have also been challenged by Peter Robinson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, who intends to write to the BBC and ITV identify why his party is not included, given it has more seats (eight) than Plaid (three), the SNP (six) and the Greens (one).

And the DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds said the reported exclusion of his party could not be justified.

"It is ludicrous to exclude us when parties with fewer seats and fewer votes are being included," said Mr Dodds.

But a delighted Nicola Sturgeon told Sky News: "If the reports are true, and we haven't any formal indication yet, then I very much welcome it indeed. It's welcome progress and I look forward to confirmation of this.

"I am the leader of the UK's third biggest party and we're going into an election where it could well be that parties like the SNP hold the balance of power so voters across UK have a right to hear what me and my party thinks of some of the issues which will be high up the agenda after the general election."

Plaid's Leanne Wood welcomed the expected revised proposals and said: "We have always maintained that it is an important democratic principle that people in this election should be presented with a clear picture of the choice that they face on polling day.

"This is a significant victory for the vast number of people who have campaigned for the inclusion of the anti-austerity parties in these debates.

"I look forward to taking part and making the case for Wales to have as strong a voice as possible in Westminster by backing Plaid Cymru in May."

The Greens' Ms Bennett - whose party organised a petition which attracted more than 280,000 signatures in favour of the party's inclusion - also welcomed the news.

"Thank you to everyone who campaigned," she wrote on Twitter. "We haven't yet had official notification but it looks like you succeeded."

But left-wing firebrand George Galloway - the former Labour MP who now is the sole representative of the Respect Party in the Commons - posted on Twitter: "Oi - what about me?"

Sky News' position on the debates stays the same. "The broadcasters remain committed to providing election debates in the run-up to the General Election," said a source.

"The debates played an important role in informing millions of our viewers in 2010 and we will continue to work with all the parties to ensure that they happen again in 2015."