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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| SNP fails in BBC debate court bid | SNP fails in BBC debate court bid |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| An attempt by the Scottish National Party to use the courts to ban the broadcast in Scotland of Thursday's BBC TV prime ministerial debate has failed. | |
| The party asked the Court of Session in Edinburgh to rule on whether the corporation had breached its rules on impartiality by excluding the SNP. | The party asked the Court of Session in Edinburgh to rule on whether the corporation had breached its rules on impartiality by excluding the SNP. |
| But this was dismissed by the judge, Lady Smith, after a two-day hearing. | But this was dismissed by the judge, Lady Smith, after a two-day hearing. |
| If the SNP had succeeded the BBC warned the debate may not have been able to go ahead due to technical difficulties. | If the SNP had succeeded the BBC warned the debate may not have been able to go ahead due to technical difficulties. |
| The SNP raised £50,000 to pay for the legal process. | |
| The court papers stated that the SNP was seeking an interim interdict against the BBC broadcasting the leaders' debate in Scotland if it did not feature the SNP. | |
| It said it was not trying to stop the broadcast but that the inclusion of an SNP politician was "a simple argument for fairness". | |
| The BBC's lawyer Gerry Moynihan QC said it was "completely contrary" to the public interest. | |
| He argued that the SNP had failed to take into account that, as well as being shown on BBC One, the debate will also be broadcast on the radio, the internet and Sky. | |
| The QC told the court the Nationalists had a "considerable problem" in relation to the timing of the action, claiming they had "stood idly by" when the two earlier debates were held. | |
| Earlier, SNP leader Alex Salmond said: "I think this has been one of the blackest periods in the BBC's history." | |
| The SNP plan to distribute one million leaflets which display a BBC test card transmission saying: "Except for viewers in Scotland." |