Miliband hints at allowing Farage in the televised Leaders Debates

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/ti...bates-in-2015/

Ed Miliband is right. Why shouldn't Nigel Farage join the TV debates in 2015?

David Cameron has admitted that he isn't a great fan of the TV debates, complaining that they sucked "all the life" out of the 2010 election campaign. What he really means is they cost the Conservatives seats – and maybe even a majority – in 2010.

Cameron will probably end up agreeing to debates in 2015, although he wants them to be more staggered throughout the campaign. What he's really worried about is Nigel Farage.

It's easy to see why. Even with the Conservatives' pledge to hold an In/Out referendum on EU membership, Ukip remains a force that could cost the Conservatives a lot of seats in 2015. They are actually more than a single-issue party: much of their appeal is to Conservatives disaffected with the wider Cameron project, notably on defence spending, gay marriage and international aid. And Ukip will do very well in the 2014 European elections. They have finished fourth, third and second in the last three and could come top next year. Even if they do not, Ukip will gain media attention and association with success, which will undermine the "Vote Ukip, Get Labour" card that the Conservatives will play in 2015.

For Cameron, the prospect of Nigel Farage besting him on stage on 2015, as Nick Clegg did in 2010, is a terrifying one: conceivably, the difference between remaining PM or getting a P45.

But it shouldn't be his choice. The majority of the public supports Farage appearing in the TV debates. Ukip probably won't even gain five seats in 2015, although that's not actually the point. The aim of the debates is to engage the public in the key issues of the general election, not limit the debates to a self-selecting club.

A sensible solution would be to stipulate that a party has to be consistently polling at 10 per cent in the months before the election to participate. It's far too early to decide now, and that's before you consider that the Green Party have Westminster representation and over three times as many councillors as Ukip. There could be merit in saying that one debate between the top two party leaders might be useful, but this isn't a reason to exclude Farage, or whoever is polling fourth before a general election, from the other two.

It's easy for Ed Miliband to say that he is open to Nigel Farage participating in the TV debates, knowing that Ukip's rise poses a much greater threat to the Conservatives than Labour. But it's smart politics that makes David Cameron look rather hypocritical. How can he say he trusts the people to make the right choice over Europe but not over who's granted the privilege of debating with him?

It's a win-win situtation for UKIP, if they're excluded then that'll simply feed into the notion that the establishment is running scared of them. If they are allowed, well, i'd say he'd run rings around all three and thats something I cannot wait to see. I mean really, can you imagine it?

Whether Miliband is doing this on political tactic grounds or belief in fairness, who knows. But either way, good on him.

Thoughts?

[Teabags]

definitely be worth watching.
sure they'll be a few tricky questions being thrown about that need answering.

[Kardan]

If UKIP are getting as much support as some sites suggest, it's only fair that he is allowed on the debate with the other 3 main parties.

[GommeInc]

I'd love to see him in televised debates Even if you disagree with him or UKIP, he will add entertainment value.

[Ardemax]

I'd love to see him in televised debates Even if you disagree with him or UKIP, he will add entertainment value.

We just need to have Boris Johnson "subbed" in for Cameron, Mr Blobby for Clegg and John Terry for Miliband and it would become some serious prime time telly.