BBC and ITV say DUP’s inclusion in televised general election debate not in the public interest
The BBC and ITV have announced that it would not be in the best interests of the UK public to include the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party’s (DUP) in the 2015 general election televised leaders' debates.
Peter Robinson, first minister of Northern Ireland
In two separate letters to Peter Robinson, the first minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the DUP, the broadcasters said they would breach political impartiality obligations if they were to give preference to the DUP over Sinn Fein, the Ulster Unionist Party, the SDLP and the Alliance Party.
Tony Hall, BBC director general, said: “We would not be fulfilling our obligations of impartiality to the voters of Northern Ireland if we were to invite one of the Northern Ireland parties but not all the others, which also have substantial support in Northern Ireland.”
An ITV spokesperson added: “We take the view that these proposals best meet the objective of delivering a series of relevant and valuable political debates for viewers across the UK. We are satisfied that it is in the public interest to proceed with these proposals as they now stand.”
Both broadcasters stressed that separate debates will be televised on UTV and BBC Northern Ireland, dedicated to the nation’s five top parties.
Furthermore, the letter added that it would be “disproportionate” to have a party that 97 per cent of UK viewers, could not vote for, involved in the debate.
The broadcasters also announced their intentions to hold the debates, with or without the inclusion of Prime Minister David Cameron on the 2, 16 and 30 of April.