Salmond demands debate place with leaders

Published on Wednesday 2 September 2009 22:02

ALEX Salmond is to demand a place in the TV debate featuring party leaders unveiled by Sky News yesterday, claiming he has as much right to take his place there as any of the leaders of the UK-wide parties.

The SNP is to write to the satellite broadcaster to get a guarantee that he would have a podium place alongside the three UK parties.

Sky announced yesterday that it would be holding the US-style debate, and warned it would "empty chair" any leader who refused to take part. Both David Cameron and Nick Clegg said immediately they would be attending, but Gordon Brown has yet to confirm his attendance.

The Prime Minister has previously backed away from such a forum, arguing that he debates with party leaders once a week during Prime Minister's Questions. However, Sky has now effectively called his bluff, and are promising to go ahead with the debate no matter what.

The broadcaster said yesterday it would deal with Scotland and Wales – where both nationalist parties are currently in power – by having separate debates for those audiences. However, the SNP is now to challenge that.

SNP Westminster chief whip Stewart Hosie MP said: "Sky must meet its obligations to audiences across the UK – and so any debate involving Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg would have to include Alex Salmond. "

A spokesman for the Labour party said only that Gordon Brown's involvement in the debate "is something we will consider in the run up to the general election".