Public blame David Cameron for TV debates stalemate

British people tend to blame David Cameron rather than the broadcasters for the breakdown in talks over the TV debates – but are divided over empty chairing the final debate

YouGov research has consistently shown a strong public appetite for TV debates in the run up to the general election in May. In our latest polling for the Sunday Times, 69% say debates should be held, and 57% say they are good for democracy. But this week a breakdown in talks between the broadcasters and David Cameron over the format of televised talks has jeopardised what many (39%) see as a useful way of helping them decide who to vote for.

David Cameron’s director of communications Craig Oliver had written to the broadcasters proposing his “final offer” of one 7 person debate in the week of March 23, after the broadcasters had settled on two 7 person programmes and one head to head between the Prime Minister and Ed Miliband. But on Friday the broadcasters defiantly chose to press on with holding three debates in April.



Mr Oliver suggested the collapse was the broadcasters’ fault for not consulting the government on the format, excluding the DUP and scheduling the debates during the election campaign itself, however British public opinion is not on his side. People tend to say David Cameron (38%) is to blame for the breakdown in talks, rather than the broadcasters (13%). 23% say they are both equally to blame.

Rather than having a genuine reason for not wanting to participate in the three debates, people tend to say David Cameron is scared of standing against the other leaders, by 50-32%. The percentage believing the Prime Minister is actually trying to avoid a debate has also risen from 51% in January to 62%.



There are, however, now legitimate concerns over the legality of allowing the final head to head debate to be empty chaired. Strict regulations around political coverage during election campaigns could potentially rule out a free hour slot for Ed Miliband. Generally, most people (55%) think the debates should go on without David Cameron, however there is division regarding the final programme. 41% say if David Cameron does not show up then Ed Miliband should be interviewed instead, but 39% say there should be no programme.

In their statement on Friday the broadcasters said they “would like the prime minister to reconsider taking part in all of these debates. 22 million people watched the leaders’ debates in 2010 and there is a public desire and expectation for them to happen again in 2015… The group have worked in an independent, impartial manner, treating invited parties on an equitable basis. They have listened to the views expressed by all parties and adapted the proposals to take into account electoral support”.

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Chicken Dave

Is it that he doesn't believe in his debating skills or that he's got something to hide?

Cameron can not be frightened of debate with Miliband, after all he trounces him almost every time in PM's questions. If anything, he would be frightened of UKIP!

nicko wrote:Cameron can not be frightened of debate with Miliband,  after all he trounces him almost every time in PM's questions.  If anything, he would be frightened of UKIP!

Of course he is frightened of debate with Farage!
Shall I tell you why? Because whether or not you like his policies, Farage speajs from the heart which is why his speeches and image are not polished and pompous.
He doesn't mince words and isn't afraid of the public knowing he is far from perfect.

Most party leaders aren't like that.

Disagree Eddie, Farage is always laughed at on QT and booed.. Cameron has said that he will join the debate where all 7, including Farage are one, the one he won't do is against Ed. And he won't do it, because Ed remains calms and sticks to the point, whereas Cameron goes red in the face, overshouts and refuses to answer in PMQs, he can't do that in a televised debate.

risingsun wrote:Disagree Eddie, Farage is always laughed at on QT and booed..  Cameron has said that he will join the debate where all 7, including Farage are one, the one he won't do is against Ed.  And he won't do it, because Ed remains calms and sticks to the point, whereas Cameron goes red in the face, overshouts and refuses to answer in PMQs, he can't do that in a televised debate.

People that are laughed at aren't necessarily wrong sassy, just different.

Imo if a politician stands there and has "all the answers" and isn't at least a little human....I don't want to know!

Put it this way, if I was voting for a person and not a party......I'd vote Farage as he is more human than any of the others:
Cameron - floundering fool
Milliband - robotic drone
Clegg - seemingly somewhere in between Farage and someone else

He's laughed at because he's a fool. I don't expect people to have all the answers, it's impossible, but he changes his mind so many times about so many things he trips over his own ideas every day. And if you had seen the UKIP people on the programme, something like meet the kippers, who were his political activists, it was a debacle and hilarious. He's a caricature of himself.

Milly certainly wasn't a drone on TV last night, and neither was his wife, they both came across as highly intelligent and passionate about what they believe in.

risingsun wrote:He's laughed at because he's a fool.  I don't expect people to have all the answers, it's impossible, but he changes his mind so many times about so many things he trips over his own ideas every day.  And if you had seen the UKIP people on the programme, something like meet the kippers, who were his political activists, it was a debacle and hilarious.   He's a caricature of himself.

Milly certainly wasn't a drone on TV last night, and neither was his wife, they both came across as highly intelligent and passionate about what they believe in.

Do you think because you're a labour supporter that you may be biased?
Most people on here and flap, have a definite party they follow - and tbh, I think it makes them biased and slightly blind to the faults of the party leaders.

I have absolutely no party I follow, I never have. I'm not sure I've even voted for the same party twice? I see with unbiased eyes I think.

Farage changes his mind. I like that. Means he isn't too sure - which means he's open to better or other suggestions? I change my mind a lot about certain issues becasue nothing is black or white.

Troubled with some of you hard-right or hard-lefts is this:

You're very closed-minded and becasue your party says so, you tend to agree.

My mind simply cannot work like that! I like left views and right views and sometimes none of them.
There's simply no party that offers a bit of "hmmm not sure but let's try this and of it doesn't work I'll say fuck it and we will try somethjng else pretty quick"

And yes sassy, all the party's leaders all go on like they have all the answers.

I don't know who to vote for but it won't be labour or conservatives as both leaders appear to be different sides of the same coin.

Looking at them from a totally human view point, Cameron is a weak chinned, small mouthed bully, Farage is the kind of person I would cross the road not to have to talk to, and in a pub I'd pour a pint of beer over his head, Clegg is someone who's heart used to be in the right place, but got swayed by power, Mili used to come across as weak but is gaining confidence and growing into himself and seems to have a lot more backbone than originally thought.

There's none so blind as will not see!---------------Who said that?

risingsun wrote:Looking at them from a totally human view point, Cameron is a weak chinned, small mouthed bully, Farage is the kind of person I would cross the road not to have to talk to, and in a pub I'd pour a pint of beer over his head, Clegg is someone who's heart used to be in the right place, but got swayed by power, Mili used to come across as weak but is gaining confidence and growing into himself and seems to have a lot more backbone than originally thought.

That's a fair enough post.
I like Clegg - I agree with your views on him

Might still vote for the libdems

Why don't we all tell the truth, the lot of em are f---ing useless, all in it for what they can get!!!!

nicko wrote:Why don't we all tell the truth, the lot of em  are f---ing useless, all in it for what they can get!!!!

+10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

risingsun wrote:He's laughed at because he's a fool.  I don't expect people to have all the answers, it's impossible, but he changes his mind so many times about so many things he trips over his own ideas every day.  And if you had seen the UKIP people on the programme, something like meet the kippers, who were his political activists, it was a debacle and hilarious.   He's a caricature of himself.

Milly certainly wasn't a drone on TV last night, and neither was his wife, they both came across as highly intelligent and passionate about what they believe in.

yup....

less freedoms, more "drones"

everything and anything remotely effective or enjoyable legislated out of existance to increse the power of the "nanny state" all at the begest of noisy minorities

nothing done is considered from the point of view of "good governace"

that is to say that any law should be proportionate (and something else...)

they forget this every time....

like the hand gun ban cos one nutter misused it

like banning creosote cos a few nutters misused it

like banning old and effective tretments for minor wounds (thinking acriflavin and gentian violet) cos a few nutters misused it

likw NOT allowing neomycin spray for minor wounds....becasue they are scared that a few nutters might misuse it...despite the fact its readily available in many other countries....over the counter...

like part P of the building regs...becasue a few idiots couldnt get things right(oh and btw THIS was introduced on an outright lie by a labour MP....grrrrrrrr)