Six party leaders set for second BBC debate

A SECOND television debate involving Scotland’s six party leaders will be screened by BBC, it has been announced.

It will be staged the day after the already confirmed television showdown on STV.

But the BBC screening will involve the Greens leader Patrick Harvie as well as controversial Ukip MEP David Coburn, who has become embroiled in a race row.

They will join First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, Jim Murphy of the Scottish Labour Party and Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie in the debate in Aberdeen on April .

Yesterday Mr Harvie, co-convener of the Scottish Greens, said: ‘BBC Scotland’s proposed first debate is to be welcomed and it shows how out of step STV are.

‘The huge support we’ve had from the public and across the political spectrum shows that a broadcaster excluding the Scot- tish Greens is out of touch with its audience.

‘We will continue to make the case for inclusion in all TV debates in Scotland. It’s essential that voters get to hear a broad range of voices.’

Already STV has announced plans to broadcast a live TV debate involving the leaders of Scotland’s four main political parties ahead of the General Election in May.

It will be staged in Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms on April 7 and chaired by STV political editor Bernard Ponsonby.

Gordon Macmillan, STV head of news, said: ‘STV has an established track record of delivering election debates for viewers in Scotl and. This debate will give members of the audience the opportunity to put their questions to the leaders of the four main political parties in Scotland.’