Cameron: I’ll only take part in TV debates if Greens can too
DAVID Cameron last night said he would not take part in any TV election debates unless the Greens were included in the line-up.
His comments delighted the Greens but infuriated the Nationalists and led to accusations he was ‘running scared’ from Labour.
They also plunged the future of the debates, scheduled to take place before the General Election on May 7, into doubt.
At present there is to be one debate with David Cameron and Ed Miliband – the two realistic contenders for Prime Minister – another including Nick Clegg, and a third including Ukip leader Nigel Farage. Mr Cameron told ITN: ‘The Greens are polling ahead of the Liberal Democrats – to me that makes them a serious party.
‘If we’re going to have other parties into these TV debates, you’ve got to have those parties represented in the Commons. You can’t have one minor party without having another minor party.’
Asked if he would pull out if the Greens were not included, Mr Cameron replied: ‘Correct.’
Mr Cameron is believed to want the Greens to take Leftwing votes from Labour and the Lib Dems as Ukip splits the Tories’ vote on the Right.
Mr Miliband and Mr Farage said it was a sign of a weak Prime Minister.
The Labour leader said: ‘It’s not for the Prime Minister to choose who is in the debates.’
Mr Farage said: ‘Looks like Mr Cameron is a chicken running scared over the debates.’
The SNP suffered a blow yesterday as Ofcom named the Tories, Labour, Lib Dems and Ukip as the major UK parties.
That means the Nationalists will not have an automatic right to two election broadcasts on UK television and radio channels.