LONDON -- The UK general election campaign just got a lot more interesting. Seven parties could be taking part in televised debates after the four major broadcasters announced their plans Friday.
Revised proposals from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky are now offering one debate between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, as well as two debates involving the leaders of the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, the UK Independence Party, the Scottish National Party, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru.
It's the first time this many party leaders have been invited to take part in a televised debate. Leaders of three parties took part in the first ever televised leaders' debate during the previous general election in 2010.
The debates would take place during the general election campaign, with proposed dates of April 2, 16 and 30. One of the seven-party debates will be hosted by the BBC and another by ITV. Channel 4 and Sky will host the two-party debate between David Cameron and Ed Milliband.
The party leaders have been officially invited to take part in the debates by the broadcasters, if any decide not to participate the debate will still go ahead with those who accept.
The broadcasters put forward proposals in October, but "following meetings with the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and UKIP representatives, it has not been possible to come to an agreement," they said. David Cameron had refused to take part unless the Green Party were included.
They said they had monitored the electoral landscape and expressions of public support for the debates, and for a wider range of parties to be included.
Update: Lab lead at 2 - Latest YouGov / The Sun results 22nd Jan - Con 31%, Lab 33%, LD 7%, UKIP 17%, GRN 8%; APP -23 http://t.co/LlkjseCfei— YouGov (@YouGov) January 23, 2015
Even with seven parties involved, some felt left out. Before the announcement, Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party said it would be "grossly unfair" if they were excluded.
Sinn Féin, the SDLP and Alliance Party have all expressed similar sentiments, while George Galloway's Respect Party is taking legal advice, the BBC reports.
Galloway said there was "simply no logic or rationality" to the scheme, adding "you cannot possibly justify having the Welsh nationalists and the Scottish nationalists but not the Northern Ireland unionists."