Nigel Farage Offered Coveted Slot In Tv Election Debate.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2790595/nigel-farage-offered-slot-tv-election-debate-broadcasters-urge-cameron-miliband-clegg-sign-up.html

If Cameron, Clegg and Miliband can be persuaded to join Farage in a pre election 4 way debate, could it prove a winner for ITV, and attract more views than the BBC's 'Great British Bake off', or am I asking too much of the British TV audience's viewing preferences?

[anotheoldgit]

That should read 'viewers'.

[Baldric]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1371938.html

[jno]

one seat in parliament and you get invited to the debates? The Greens have had an MP all parliament and the media have resolutely ignored her.

[anotheoldgit]

jno

The difference being, how many know who she is?

[BlackadderV]

One seat in parliament so far. The debates will not take place till next April.

[jno]

if she got a tenth of the coverge Farage gets, they'd know her, that's my point. But Farage is an ex-public school boy and commodities trader, so his face fits right in with the establishment.

[naomi24]

Nonsense! He's saying what a lot of people want to hear - that's why he's in the news so much - and yes, I think such a debate would prove very popular viewing.

[BlackadderV]

There have been 17 general elections in my lifetime, 14 of which I have memories, being too young for the others. I can confidently say that the 18th will prove to be the most interesting of all.

[jno]

the Greens are saying what a lot of people want to hear too - from the International Business Times:

" the Green Party have been excluded from the plans, despite having had as many seats in Parliament as Ukip (one) and repeatedly polling with the same level of support as the Lib Dems (7%).

The party received around 1.3 million votes in the European elections, more than the Lib Dems' 1.1 million. They also came third in the London mayoral election, ahead of the Lib Dems"

I can't see any justification at all for excluding them from the debates.

[naomi24]

jno, but they're not talking about the things that really concern people in their everyday lives.

[jno]

I don't know what they're talking about, since the media won't touch them; none the less, the polls show they have as much support as Ukip, and in my view that entitles them to a place in the debates just as much as Farage.

[Svejk]

/// the polls show they have as much support as Ukip///
no way!

[jno]

see the (independent) quote I cut and pasted above, Svejk.

[Svejk]

you can find any bunkum you like on the internet. I repeat, no way. ;)

[ChillDoubt]

the polls show they have as much support as Ukip,
-------------------------
I'd seriously like to see THAT link! LOL

[agchristie]

Anyone denying the rise of UKIP's popularity is being green.

The stats on paper compare on the number of seats, so far, but one party is on the rise the other isn't and a TV debate won't change that for the Green's.

[SirOracle]

How about other parties with many more seats eg the SNP.

[tonyav]

Heres what Dave thinks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29592424

[TonyV]

Part of politics is how you use the media Farage is brilliant at it. Any publicity only gets you noticed

[Gromit]

Is it not just a proposal at the moment. Cameron hasn't agreed to any debates at the moment, he is clearly cool on the idea and could say No.

I don't think something this important should be left to television companies to decide. Farage may be good for their ratings, but that should not be at the expense of other parties who have more MPs than UKIP.

And I can't see how they can omit the nationalists and the Green, if UKIP get a place. The SNP have far more MPs than UKIP.

The who thing looks a mess and badly thought out.