The Second Debate Should Be On Terrestrial TV

TV debates have already become part of the furniture of British elections. I have often said that it is quite right that a democracy such as ours has televised debates between party leaders. They are a crucial part of engaging the electorate in the political arena.

Plenty of people I'm speaking to on the doorstep are telling me that they will be watching the final two debates as they decide who to vote for. People in the shops of Sacriston and Chester-le-Street, where I was canvassing today, were talking about the debate to come on Thursday with a fair degree of anticipation (a good example of how debates are crucial to the process of re-engaging the public in politics).

What quite a few people don't realise is that the second televised debate isn't actually going to be on terrestrial television. As the scandal of test match cricket being shown only on Sky has shown, events not being televised on terrestrial TV gain far smaller audiences.

It surely isn't too late for BBC or ITV to reschedule some programmes and put the second debate on terrestrial TV. It is only right that such an important event is broadcast to as wide an udience as possible.