THE SNP has welcomed the campaign by Sky News for an independent commission to organise the running of televised general election debates – but only if all major parties are represented fairly.

Sky News had asked the SNP to support the idea of such a commission, pointing out that no such leaders’ debates have taken place since 2010, when Sky News successfully lobbied for televised leadership debates ahead of the General Election. Broadcasters and politicians have failed to agree on terms and deliver head-to-head debates since.

Sky News said: “For the benefit of voters, there must be urgent action in taking the decision-making process out of the hands of politicians and for it to be agreed outside of any election campaign.

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“The Leaders’ Debate Commission would set the format and rules of the debates, handle moderation, outline criteria for political party participation, ensure the objectivity of audiences and steer the negotiations between broadcasters and parties.”

In reply, the SNP’s Depute Leader and campaign director Keith Brown told Sky News chief John Ryley: “The SNP is prepared to offer support in principle to such a commission, subject to agreement on fair representation for all parties in such debates. The UK is a parliamentary democracy and General Elections are not presidential style races. In recent years the UK has seen coalition, majority and minority government.

“It is therefore important that parties represented within the Parliament are properly included in debate arrangements.”

Brown reminded Sky News that they had snubbed the SNP last year: “We have of course also had concerns over the decisions individual broadcasters have made regarding the representation of parties and the degree of fairness to all parties that has been on show.

“I note Sky chose not to include the SNP in your landmark programmes at the most recent General Election as an example, despite being the third party in the UK Parliament.”

Brown added: “I would encourage any commission to consider the example in Scotland where debates have taken place featuring more than two parties, at every election.

John Ryley, Head of Sky News, said: “This is all about doing what’s best for the voting public.

“Sky News along with the other broadcasters changed the political landscape in this country by creating the first leaders’ debates eight years ago. Sadly it stands as an exception rather than the watershed it should have been.

“Political manoeuvring and failings by the broadcasters has allowed that momentum to be lost. Sky News believes an independent commission should set the terms for debates in future, to inform and engage the voting public with a head-to-head debate between the two political leaders battling it out for Number 10.”

Adam Boulton, Sky News editor at large, said: “There have been two General Elections since 2010 and no proper leaders’ debates took place in either of them. The electorate was repeatedly deprived of the most powerful live, appointment-to-view political programming that television can provide.

“Politicians are to blame for this failure. So too are the broadcasters. To ensure leaders’ debates happen regularly in future responsibility for organising them needs to be taken out of both their hands.”