Exchange of the week Was the TV debate biased?

To The Daily Telegraph

At least five of the parties involved in the leaders’ debate last Wednesday night have no chance of being in power and were thus able to promise the Earth while never having to be accountable. It is ridiculous that this rightly termed “coalition of chaos” should have been given equal airtime to take potshots at a potential government that will actually deal with realities.

Add to this the rowdiness which is second nature to the Left, and we had a recipe for perhaps the least balanced such programme ever. This was predictable and the BBC should be ashamed. David Sheret, Leeds, West Yorkshire

To The Independent

The BBC have been accused of bias by sections of the press, regarding last week’s general election debate, after the audience saved its biggest cheers for “left-wing” policies. Has anyone considered that it just might be because they actually prefer them, left-wing or not?

I don’t know anyone who is in favour of having to sell their homes to pay the dementia tax, or slashing funding to the police service, NHS and schools. I don’t know any ordinary person who wants more cuts, low wages and zero-hour contracts. I don’t know anyone who thinks it’s a good idea that the NHS, prisons and police services are being privatised. I don’t know anyone who thinks that cuts to disabled benefits should fund tax giveaways to the already very rich.

Maybe if the Tories wanted a cheer or two, they should try producing a manifesto that is for the many and not the few. Julie Partridge, London