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Election 2015: TV debates deal close, Grant Shapps says | Election 2015: TV debates deal close, Grant Shapps says |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The Conservatives are close to agreeing to new plans for pre-election TV debates, the party's chairman has said. | The Conservatives are close to agreeing to new plans for pre-election TV debates, the party's chairman has said. |
Grant Shapps said the proposals to include seven parties were "a lot more sensible" than the first plans, which only involved the Conservatives, Labour, the Lib Dems and UKIP. | Grant Shapps said the proposals to include seven parties were "a lot more sensible" than the first plans, which only involved the Conservatives, Labour, the Lib Dems and UKIP. |
"I think we are edging here towards something that makes more sense," he told the BBC's Sunday Politics. | "I think we are edging here towards something that makes more sense," he told the BBC's Sunday Politics. |
Parties have clashed over who should be included in the three debates. | Parties have clashed over who should be included in the three debates. |
The BBC and ITV each plan to stage one involving the Conservatives, Labour, the Lib Dems, Green Party, UKIP, the SNP and Plaid Cymru. | The BBC and ITV each plan to stage one involving the Conservatives, Labour, the Lib Dems, Green Party, UKIP, the SNP and Plaid Cymru. |
Sky and Channel 4's plan to host a head-to-head between Mr Cameron and Ed Miliband remains unchanged. | Sky and Channel 4's plan to host a head-to-head between Mr Cameron and Ed Miliband remains unchanged. |
Prime Minister David Cameron had refused to join the debates unless the Greens were included, arguing it was unfair for one minor party to be included but not others. | Prime Minister David Cameron had refused to join the debates unless the Greens were included, arguing it was unfair for one minor party to be included but not others. |
When asked what the party's remaining objections were, Mr Shapps said: "It's really down to the broadcasters to finalise this... I think they look a lot more sensible than the original plans." | When asked what the party's remaining objections were, Mr Shapps said: "It's really down to the broadcasters to finalise this... I think they look a lot more sensible than the original plans." |
The broadcasters have said the debates would go ahead regardless of whether any party leader refused to take part. | |
Mr Shapps suggested the remaining negotiations involved the Democratic Unionist Party, which has eight MPs but has not been invited to participate. | |
The party's deputy leader Nigel Dodds told Sky News it was a "farcical situation", adding: "I'm not convinced that this will go ahead on this basis." | |
The Liberal Democrats believe they should be represented in all of the debates. | |
Green Party leader Natalie Bennett welcomed the decision to invite her party, and said she, rather than the party's MP Caroline Lucas, would take part. | |
Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy said it was for the broadcasters to decide who to invite and that his party would take part whatever line-up they selected. | |
The proposed dates for the debates are 2, 16 and 30 April. |
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