Osborne 'caught out telling the truth' on debates

Comments by the Chancellor George Osborne making clear that all parties with elected MPs should take part in leader debates at the coming Westminster election have been described as getting “caught out telling the truth.”

George Osborne was quoted saying “If you are going to have the minor parties, you have got to have all the minor parties with a presence in Parliament who attract votes at elections." 

Continuing Mr Osborne said: "The Green Party did better than the Liberal Democrats at the last national election, for the European Parliament, and they have got one Member of Parliament. So we are just making a point that, if you are going to have all these parties, you have got to have them all.”

Commenting, SNP Westminster Leader Angus Robertson said: "While the SNP is the third largest party in the UK in terms of membership, current plans would see the party excluded from General Election debates with party leaders. George Osborne has been caught out telling the truth with his remarks. It would be in no way fair or democratic to exclude parties that have far greater membership, support and elected MPs than UKIP from these debates."

"The SNP is not just the third largest party in the UK, we have a larger membership than the LibDems and UKIP combined. It would be ludicrous for the SNP to be shut out of these proposed debates and that is something that should be accepted by all involved." Angus Robertson added.