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| Election 2015: Cameron agrees to just one TV debate | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron has said he will take part in only one televised debate ahead of the general election, featuring seven party leaders. | David Cameron has said he will take part in only one televised debate ahead of the general election, featuring seven party leaders. |
| The announcement rules out a head-to-head clash with Labour leader Ed Miliband ahead of the May 7 poll. | The announcement rules out a head-to-head clash with Labour leader Ed Miliband ahead of the May 7 poll. |
| Downing Street said it was a "final offer" and criticised the "chaos" of the negotiating process. | Downing Street said it was a "final offer" and criticised the "chaos" of the negotiating process. |
| Mr Miliband has accused the PM of "wriggling" out of the three debates proposed by broadcasters. | |
| On Twitter, Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told Mr Cameron people wanted the debates to go ahead. | |
| He added: "Stop holding them to ransom by trying to dictate the terms." | |
| The broadcasters said they would respond to the Conservatives' proposal in due course. | |
| 'Muddy water' | |
| Under Mr Cameron's proposal, one 90-minute contest would take place before 30 March, when the general election campaign is likely to start. | |
| Downing Street said the Democratic Unionist Party should also be considered for inclusion. | |
| It follows fierce debate over how the debates should be organised, | |
| BBC deputy political editor James Landale said that with the Conservatives' ultimatum, "water that was pretty muddy has just got muddier". | |
| Broadcasters have proposed a total of three debates. | |
| The BBC and ITV were to hold two, both involving the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, UKIP, Plaid Cymru, the SNP and the Greens. | |
| A third debate - hosted by Sky and Channel 4 - would feature a head-to-head between Mr Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband. | |
| Mr Cameron has previously said the debates should take place before the start of the election campaign, and has voiced concern about the exclusion of first the Green Party and then the DUP. | |
| Broadcasters 'committed' | |
| Earlier, during Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons, Mr Miliband accused Mr Cameron of trying to "avoid" their one-on-one debate. | |
| Sky and Channel 4 then offered to move the event to a different date if the leaders could agree. | |
| In a joint statement, broadcasters said: "The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky have received an email from the prime minister's office with a proposal. | |
| "The broadcasters are committed to providing our audiences with election debates. | |
| "Twenty two million people watched the debates in 2010 and we believe the debates helped people to engage with the election. | |
| "The broadcasters have set out their proposals and continue to talk to all the relevant parties on an equitable basis. | |
| "We will respond to the Conservatives' proposal in due course." |