Party leader debates announced

Party leaders will lock horns in a series of televised BBC debates ahead of the Holyrood election in May.

The first debate is to be held at BBC’s Pacific Quay headquarters on March 24 – the day after Parliament is dissolved.

It will feature Nicola Sturgeon (SNP), Kezia Dugdale (Scottish Labour), Ruth Davidson (Scottish Conservatives), Willie Rennie (Scottish Lib Dems), Patrick Harvie (Scottish Greens) and David Coburn (UKIP Scotland).

The BBC’s second leaders’ debate takes place on May 1.

Ukip will only feature in the first debate, but the Scottish Greens will appear in both. The move was welcomed by the Greens, who have appealed a decision by the broadcaster to list it as a small party.

A spokesman said: “It’s great to hear that the BBC in Scotland will include the Scottish Greens in all its TV debates. We’ve been in Parliament since 1999 and are on course to achieve a record result, so viewers quite reasonably expect to hear from us.”

STV are holding a televised leaders’ debate on March 29 in Edinburgh.