This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/04/nigel-farage-tv-election-debates-ed-miliband

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Nigel Farage entitled to take part in TV election debates, says Ed Miliband Nigel Farage entitled to take part in TV election debates, says Ed Miliband
(about 5 hours later)
Nigel Farage should be entitled to take part in the televised general election debates, Ed Miliband has said, adding that David Cameron was trying to "wriggle out" of them. Nigel Farage should be entitled to take part in the general election television debates, Ed Miliband said on Sunday as he accused David Cameron of seeking to "wriggle out" of them.
The Labour leader made his comments as he sat next to the Ukip leader at the end of the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1, and after a No 10 source was quoted as saying that Farage should be included in just one of an expanded series of debates. The Labour leader made his comments as he sat next to the Ukip leader at the end of Sunday's Andrew Marr Show on BBC1 following a report that No 10 believes Farage should be included in one debate in an expanded series that would be held in the runup to the general election.
The source raised the possibility of a "two-three-five" formula, in which there would be one head-to-head debate between Cameron and Miliband, a three-way debate including Nick Clegg, and a five-way debate including Farage and the Green MP Caroline Lucas. The Sunday Times quoted a source close to the PM as raising a possible "two-three-five" formula for the debates. This would involve one head-to-head debate between Cameron and Miliband, a three-way debate including Nick Clegg, and a five-way debate including Farage and the Green leader Natalie Bennett.
Miliband said the proposal was a spoiler. "David Cameron is doing everything he can to wriggle out of them," he said. Miliband said the proposal was a spoiler. He told the Andrew Marr Show: "David Cameron is doing everything he can to wriggle out of them [with] more briefings and confusing messages. It's up to the broadcasters who they invite, whether they invite Nigel. My main desire is the debates go ahead. I think the PM doesn't own these debates. The British people own these debates and he can't wriggle out of them."
The Labour leader dismissed the idea of having a debate with Farage before the European parliamentary elections, and said he was confident he would beat the Ukip leader. Miliband said his focus was on the general election debates. "If the broadcasters want to invite Nigel that is fine by me," he said. The Labour leader dismissed the idea of having a debate with Farage before the European parliamentary elections, and said he was confident he would beat the Ukip leader. Miliband said his focus was on the general election debates but said he would raise no objections if Farage were invited. "If the broadcasters want to invite Nigel that is fine by me," he said.
Miliband's position has changed since the beginning of April, when he said Farage should be excluded from the debates and backed the previous "three by three" formula – three debates involving the leaders of the three main parties during the three weeks of the election campaign. The mixed signals from No 10 have prompted Miliband to adapt his position. In early April he called for a repeat of the so-called three-by-three debates – three debates involving the leaders of the three main parties during the three-week general election campaign – which would exclude Farage.
He said at the time: "I think our best chance of getting Cameron into the debates is to say we are going to have the same format as we had last time." The Labour leader told the Guardian at the time: "I think our best chance of getting Cameron into the debates is to say we are going to have the same format as we had last time."
Downing Street insisted on Sunday that it remains committed to the debates. A source said: "The prime minister said he wants to the TV debates to happen. But the talks do not need to begin on this until the autumn."
Farage said he was sceptical of the idea that Cameron would welcome him in one TV debate. He said: "Until you read the small print and then it doesn't really make a promise like that at all. No I think what David Cameron does very often is he makes these promises, vague promises, and then doesn't actually deliver afterwards. I don't think he's got any intention of allowing me into any of these debates."