TV debates must include women, says McKelvie

The leaders of the SNP, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru should be included in TV debates so women are represented in the run-up to the General Election, according to SNP MSP Christina McKelvie.

Speaking at a Holyrood breakfast briefing on the future of Scottish politics, McKelvie said: “We have got three women in three parties across this country, including the third largest party across the UK in the case of the SNP, who we need to put on that platform. If the men are feart of that then just let the women get on with it.” 

She added: “The debates have got to be much more gender balanced. The televised debates are important because the leaders of the parties are the ones who may be kingmakers, or queenmakers, and the general population has to hear what they have got to say.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat convener Craig Harrow backed the inclusion of the SNP and the Greens, saying: “The Prime Minister is using the Greens as a human shield to protect himself against doing the debates. If you look back, the first time it was raised in the sixties, Harold Wilson was asked to debate he refused, because I don’t think it is in an incumbent Prime Minister’s interests to do so.” 

Broadcasters have now released proposals which would include the Conservatives, Labour, the Lib Dems, UKIP, the Greens, the SNP and Plaid Cymru, and have threatened to ‘empty chair’ any leader who does not appear.