Debate debacle

WiTH the General election just a few months away, TV programmers will be turning their attention to televised political debates.

i hope steps will be taken to avoid a repeat of the disgraceful scenes the BBc allowed to happen in the second televised debate between Alistair Darling and Alex Salmond.

There was clearly orchestrated heckling and shouting down of Mr Darling, aimed at drowning out his points. Televised debates should be held without a studio audience and questions should be invited in advance.

There could still be viewer participation by way of phone-ins, texts or emails. This would allow panellists to make their points without interruption from ill-behaved audiences.

As a result, the debate would hopefully be more substantive without relying, when in difficulty, on the old distraction tactic of attacking Westminster, the Tories, bankers, Margaret Thatcher and the poll tax, all guaranteed to whip the baying mob into a frenzy.

Programme makers should invite people with knowledge and gravitas to sit on the panels and avoid socalled celebrities and comedians who are there f or cheap l aughs and self-aggrandisement.

Political debates are supposed to be for the enlightenment of the viewers and there is no place for the type of audiences we see on Question Time, The X Factor and Strictly come Dancing.

DONALD LEWIS, Gifford, East Lothian.