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Friday 31 October 2014

Broadcasters must think again on TV debates

Following recent polling showing a surge in support for the SNP and Labour’s vote in free-fall, Deputy Leader Nicola Sturgeon has tonight demand broadcasters think again on General Election debate proposals which would exclude the Scottish National Party. Ms Sturgeon said that the proposals are “unacceptable”, telling broadcasters that “it would be a failure in your duty of impartiality” if the debates go ahead as currently planned.

Two polls published yesterday found a substantial SNP lead over Labour for the UK General Election. An Ipsos Mori poll put SNP support at 52 per cent, with Labour trailing far behind at 23 per cent. A YouGov poll found another substantial lead for the SNP at 43 per cent compared to 27 per cent for Labour.

The YouGov poll also found Nicola Sturgeon had the strongest trust ratings by far at 48 per cent – more than double those of David Cameron, double of Jim Murphy, and more than triple those of Ed Miliband. The SNP say there is still much work to be done ahead of the General Election, these polls are extremely encouraging.

At tonight’s event in Dumfries – the second date of her booked out tour of Scotland – Ms Sturgeon also announced that if she becomes First Minister, the Scottish Cabinet will meet in Dumfries in the early of next year. This will be the first meeting there since 2008.

At tonight’s event in Dumfries, Ms Sturgeon said: “It is a pleasure to be in Dumfries this evening. I spoke at a packed meeting in this very hall during the referendum campaign and I'm delighted to be back tonight speaking to an even bigger audience. Doing this tour gives me the chance to do what I enjoy most in politics - getting out and about, speaking to people in different parts of the country and hearing what matters to you. It's what we have done as a government since 2007, by taking the Cabinet to different parts of Scotland. The Cabinet last met here in Dumfries in 2008. I can tell you tonight, that if I am First Minister, the Cabinet will meet again in Dumfries in the early part of next year.”

On the General Election TV debates, Ms Sturgeon said: “We are - without doubt - Scotland's party of social democracy. The party of aspiration and opportunity. The party that knows that a strong economy and a fair society must to go hand in hand if everyone in our country is to get a decent chance in life. And, crucially, a Party with the freedom of thought and action to fashion a policy programme to support that vision. Which makes it all the more remarkable, does it not, that any broadcaster would even think about excluding us from General Election TV debates? I want to send a direct message to the BBC, ITV, Sky and Channel 4.

“To exclude, not just the SNP, but also the Greens and Plaid Cymru, would be to wilfully ignore the reality of the political landscape that exists, not just in Scotland, but across the UK. And it would be a failure in your duty of impartiality. If you didn't realise already that your proposals are unacceptable - not just to us, but to every democrat in our land - then surely yesterday's opinion polls puts the matter beyond any doubt. It is time to think again. Be in no doubt - in the General Election, the SNP will be seen and Scotland's voice will be heard.”