Cameron puts another roadblock in way of TV Debates

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30999055

Debates - on or off?

David Cameron is setting new conditions for taking part in the TV debates

Debates - on or off? David Cameron says he wants to take part in TV election debates and that he thinks a deal can be done but... he's also setting new conditions for taking part.

The PM told the BBC this morning that the Northern Ireland parties should be included now that the SNP and Plaid Cymru have been invited.

What's more, he repeated that he wants election debates to take place not during the election campaign itself, as the hullabaloo they generate distracts from the real issues.

So, what now? The broadcasters have traditionally treated Northern Irish politics as different to the rest of the UK because the big parties are not serious players there (Labour does not put up candidates as it is allied to the SDLP. The Tories do but they are not competitive).

Some would argue that if you invite the biggest party - the DUP - you should also invite the others - Sinn Fein, SDLP, Alliance and Ulster Unionists as well.

The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky will have to decide whether they blink again - as they did over the Greens taking part - in an effort to get Cameron on board or hold firm.

Debates about debates

So, what's David Cameron up to? He knows he may need the support of the DUP's nine MPs in a hung parliament so he's very happy to be seen fighting their corner. It's an investment in the future.

He knows that his call will delay negotiations again and strengthen his hand for what I think he wants to do next.

My hunch - and it really is a hunch and not something I've been told - is that he'll keep the debates about debates going as long as possible until, at the last possible minute, offering to take part in one debate with multiple leaders just before the campaign begins.

He'll claim that the media's obsession with the story has proved that he is right to warn that debates during the campaign would crowd out the real issues.

Finally, he'll calculate that whilst many voters will conclude that he's, well, a little bit chicken, it won't bother them enough to change how they vote.

Not happy with the four-way set up between the parties nationally polling of signifigant level and showing it in by-elections, he then demanded the Greens be included: which then led to the SNP and Plaid being added for a seven-way debate.

Now he's still not happy, leading him to demand a 12-way debate. What an absolute joke, it's ALMOST as though he doesn't want them to happen which is very strange because he was very keen on TV debates in 2010 and right until last year when it transpired that Farage would be included too. What a strange and sudden change of mind you may say. How long before he demands the inclusion of the Socialist Workers Party, the BNP and Respect?

Thoughts?

[FlyingJesus]

Can't the others just sort out a private event to do a debate that won't be a complete free-for-all shambles? idk why the extras have even been considered let alone actually put into what's supposed to be a chat between the biggest leaders

[AgnesIO]

He's right, sort of. Plaid Cymru and the SNP should never have been included - but if they are, it seems wrong to exclude the others.

[dbgtz]

He's just trying to water down the debates so you only hear about 5 minutes per person. It's painfully obvious and his tactic seems to be paying off.

[GommeInc]

Why should there be a debate including Plaid Cymru, SNP, NI parties and the Greens? They all lack significance in the wider issue of British politics (esp. the Greens who killed off any hope of gaining seats thanks to the Sunday Politics discussion). Let them debate in their respective countries, but for the UK it is completely pointless.

[Chippiewill]

The issue is it's incredibly difficult to include the greens without including the SNP (Even on a national scale their polling rates and projected seats are pretty damn high). Once you include the SNP you lead the way to including all the regional parties.

This is just more proof that Cameron is running scared and trying to stop the debates, he was pretty happy until he realised he would be sharing stage with Farage and thought the green block would work, except he clearly didn't expect them to include him in two debates effectively mitigating his attempt to sideline Farage.