TV firms propose election debates

dirtydog · 4 Oct 2009 at 14:55

Burnsy2023 said:
Sky could show it on one of their freeview channels.

We don't all have access to those channels. Any such debate should be on channels with the widest availability.

The Halk · 4 Oct 2009 at 15:04

I don't mind Sky getting one of them as long as it's replayed later on the other channels.

I hope these debates are worthwhile. I'm in two minds about them. On one hand I don't like the idea of voting for a Prime Minister, it makes our democratic process far too celebrity based. On the other hand anything that can help people choose can't be a bad thing.

I'm also in two minds about Nick Clegg being there, mainly because I don't take the LimDems seriously. On the other hand perhaps if they get elevated up to "main party" status they'll be exposed as the right wing, left wing, liberal populists they try to claim to be.

dangerstat · 4 Oct 2009 at 15:04

dirtydog said:
We don't all have access to those channels. Any such debate should be on channels with the widest availability.

How awesome would be it if we hosted it on OCUK !

The ming boggles at the pure lolz that could be had if that did happen

dangerstat · 4 Oct 2009 at 15:05

The Halk said:
I don't mind Sky getting one of them as long as it's replayed later on the other channels.

I hope these debates are worthwhile. I'm in two minds about them. On one hand I don't like the idea of voting for a Prime Minister, it makes our democratic process far too celebrity based. On the other hand anything that can help people choose can't be a bad thing.

I'm also in two minds about Nick Clegg being there, mainly because I don't take the LimDems seriously. On the other hand perhaps if they get elevated up to "main party" status they'll be exposed as the right wing, left wing, liberal populists they try to claim to be.

To be honest I wouldn't worry much, most people don't know who he is anyway, they'd probably think he was just the presenter or something

semi-pro waster · 4 Oct 2009 at 17:09

dirtydog said:
Re the TV debate, I'd be all for it if Nick Griffin were allowed to appear for the BNP as well.

A debate between three members of the LibLabCon party is rather pointless though, just theatre and giving the illusion of choice.

Why should Nick Griffin get to take part in the debate? He isn't a leader of one of the main political parties, in point of fact going purely in terms of seats in the HoC there are by my reckoning 8 parties after the main 3 who would come before the BNP.

The debate could be interesting if it is well handled and a decent set of ground rules established for how the debate is to be conducted but I hold out no more than vague hopes of that at the moment.

dirtydog · 4 Oct 2009 at 17:31

semi-pro waster said:
Why should Nick Griffin get to take part in the debate? He isn't a leader of one of the main political parties

yes he is.

LibLabCon

BNP

Lord-Jaffa · 4 Oct 2009 at 17:32

I'd love to watch a debate between the three, would be very interesting!

Needs to be heaviliy moderated though to make sure they dont waffle on about stuff thats off topic of the questions asked.

The Halk · 4 Oct 2009 at 17:33

dirtydog said:
yes he is.

LibLabCon

BNP

Perhaps when and if the BNP actually have an elected MP.

semi-pro waster · 4 Oct 2009 at 18:40

dirtydog said:
yes he is.

LibLabCon

BNP

No he isn't, at least not by conventional metrics - one possible option which I gave to you and you have seemingly ignored. The BNP already get a disproportionate amount of media coverage when you consider the level of popular support they have been able to show in polls or election results.

So again, why should Nick Griffin get to take part in the debate considering it is meant to be for the main three political parties?

dirtydog · 4 Oct 2009 at 18:55

semi-pro waster said:
No he isn't, at least not by conventional metrics - one possible option which I gave to you and you have seemingly ignored. The BNP already get a disproportionate amount of media coverage when you consider the level of popular support they have been able to show in polls or election results.

So again, why should Nick Griffin get to take part in the debate considering it is meant to be for the main three political parties?

Why shouldn't he. Otherwise LibLabCon are putting on a show where they debate between 'themselves' which is pure theatre.

36:) · 4 Oct 2009 at 18:57

mattheman said:
should be on a national tv station not on a pay as you go service, sky should be out. then again you know that the 3 leaders will profit from this financially.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8287620.stm

They will ?

Sankari · 4 Oct 2009 at 18:58

"Major channels in blatant ratings milkfest suggestion."

How unsurprising.

semi-pro waster · 4 Oct 2009 at 19:04

dirtydog said:
Why shouldn't he. Otherwise LibLabCon are putting on a show where they debate between 'themselves' which is pure theatre.

Well if the idea is to have a televised debate between the three main parties then I don't see where the BNP fit into this aside from the position of you believing they should be represented because you support their aims.

However if we're going to have a debate featuring all political parties who can claim to be "major" then we need to decide on what basis a party can be admitted to that group; BNP doesn't do very well here in terms of seats in the HoC which is one possible way to judge, they do pretty poorly in terms of local councils also, MEPs is one area where they've radically improved so maybe you'd pick that as your metric to define them as a major party? Even in terms of MEPs they would sit in joint 5th place along with the Green Party of England & Wales and the SNP so should those two parties also get involved in the debate?

dirtydog · 4 Oct 2009 at 19:05

semi-pro waster said:
Well if the idea is to have a televised debate between the three main parties then I don't see where the BNP fit into this aside from the position of you believing they should be represented because you support their aims.

The 'three main parties'... are one and the same, and its name is LibLabCon.

[TW]Fox · 4 Oct 2009 at 19:09

dirtydog said:
The 'three main parties'... are one and the same, and its name is LibLabCon.

What are you talking about? They are three different parties. Whether or not their views often intertwine is irrelevent. There is no such party as LibLabCon.

dirtydog · 4 Oct 2009 at 19:11

[TW]Fox;15024365 said:
What are you talking about? They are three different parties.

No they aren't. Except for public consumption.

[TW]Fox · 4 Oct 2009 at 19:11

dirtydog said:
No they aren't

Do you have a source for this groundbreaking peice of information?

dirtydog · 4 Oct 2009 at 19:12

[TW]Fox;15024386 said:
Do you have a source for this groundbreaking peice of information?

Witness the fact that their policies are the same on all the major issues, for a start.

dangerstat · 4 Oct 2009 at 19:14

You've got to love this talk of the BNP taking part. Lets recall the last electon results

Labour 35.3%
Conservative 32.3%
Lib Dems - 22.1 %
and the BNP.............................. 0.7% hahahaahahahaha

yeah yeah course they should be involved in this debate :rolleyes:

It'd be like having Andora in the G7

semi-pro waster · 4 Oct 2009 at 19:16

dirtydog said:
The 'three main parties'... are one and the same, and its name is LibLabCon.

I see, we're playing the game of BNP witticisms then. Ok, let's suppose for a second we go along with the facile idea of the three main parties counting as one the BNP still don't feature in the top three based on seats in the HoC, although they sneak into a joint third place based on MEPs. The problem with defining based on MEPs is that the debate (as I understand it) is going to be about the issues for the next general election, not directly issues relating to the European Parliament.