DEBATES EXCLUDE THREE COUNTRIES

DEBATES EXCLUDE THREE COUNTRIES

SCOTLAND, WALES AND N IRELAND COMPLETELY IGNORED

Commenting on the statement from Sky, ITV, the BBC and the Tories, Lib
Dems and Labour regarding televised election debates, SNP Westminster
Leader and Moray MP Angus Robertson said the current proposals announced
today exclude three of the four nations comprising the UK.

All three debates are planned to take place in England, and it would be
outrageous if the people of Scotland were misled and not properly
represented.

Questioning the attitude of the broadcasters – the BBC in particular – and
UK parties towards the people of Scotland, Mr Robertson said:

“It is unacceptable for the people of Scotland to be short-changed in this
way. The broadcasters – in cahoots with the Tories, Lib Dems and Labour -
are attempting to exclude entire countries from these leaders’ debates.

“All three debates are proposed to take place in England, completely
ignoring Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland despite being broadcast in
these nations.

“By definition these debates as currently proposed are incapable of
reflecting what’s happening in Scotland – this is exemplified by the
planned domestic issues programme, which will almost entirely be based on
what’s happening in England.

“Along with the broadcasters, the Tories, Lib Dems and Labour are trying
to mislead the people of Scotland, shackle the governing party at Holyrood
and ignore the reality of devolution.

“The SNP does not want to prevent these debates from happening, we want to
participate in them, but if these debates go ahead as currently proposed,
the views of Scotland’s voters and the interests of the people of Scotland
will be ignored and excluded.

“The behaviour of the BBC, in particular, is shameful. They have abandoned
any pretence of being the UK’s broadcaster and breached their own Code of
Conduct by agreeing the principles of the proposed debates with the
London-based parties before even contacting the SNP.

“The proposed format of the debates borders on the ridiculous, with the
audience gagged and prevented from having any meaningful participation.

"With the latest poll from MORI putting the SNP neck and neck with Labour
in the polls for the Westminster election, and polling nearly double the
Tory support and three times the Lib Dem support, it would be outrageous
if these debates are broadcast in Scotland without involving Scotland’s
party of government, the SNP.

“In Scotland 60% of voters are opposed to the exclusion of the SNP from
these election debates, yet the other parties have simply ignored their
opinion.“

Notes - A YouGov poll conducted on the 12th-13th January of 1013 Scottish
adults asked voters if they agreed or disagreed with the following
statement: “The televised leaders’ debates due to take place in advance
of the election should NOT include the leader of the Scottish National
Party.”

* 59% of respondents disagreed with excluding the leader of the SNP,
endorsing the argument that excluding the SNP from debates that are
broadcast in Scotland is unfair to Scottish voters. Only 31% agreed – a
majority of some two-to-one.

* The poll also found that 62% of Scots believe that the SNP should get
the same level of TV coverage as the London-based parties (another 9%
think the SNP should get more coverage).

Ipsos/Mori Poll published Monday, 1 March surveyed 1,006 respondents between
18-21 February 2010.

* Westminster voting intentions (change since 2005 General Election in
brackets):

SNP: 32% (+14)
Lab: 34% (-6)
Con: 17% (+1)
Lib Dem: 12% (-11)
Other: 5%