Miliband vows to enshrine televised general election debates in UK law
Ed Miliband has delivered a blow to prime minister David Cameron by attacking his reluctance to participate in the televised general election debates with a promise to legislate the events’ necessity into UK law.
The Observer learned of the Labour leader’s plans to prevent party leaders from sidestepping the broadcast events after Cameron attempted to upend them by fast-tracking them from their scheduled allocations in April to mid-March to avoid a clash clashing with the Conservative’s election campaign.
Miliband told the Observer: “In recent days the British public has been treated to the unedifying and tawdry spectacle of a prime minister seeking to duck out of the TV debates he once claimed to support with great enthusiasm.
“Yesterday the broadcasters made it clear they would not be cowed by his tactics but it is wrong for them and the British public to have governing parties use this kind of pressure in campaign periods. It is time to ensure, once and for all, that these debates belong to the people not the prime minister of the day.”
Under the announcement, if Miliband takes 10 Downing Street in the election, he would enshrine the public’s right to have “fair and impartial leaders’ debates” in UK law for the 2020. Such a move would prevent individual party leaders who are reluctant to participate from scrapping the discussions at will.
Earlier this week Sky and Channel 4 admitted they would be willing to rearrange the televised leaders’ clash if both party leaders could agree on a date.