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Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have agreed to a proposal from the three broadcasters, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳, ITV and Sky, to hold a series of three live prime ministerial debates during the forthcoming general election campaign.

Each of the broadcasters will stage one of the debates. Each of the three leaders of the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties will take part in each programme.

The programmes will be broadcast in peak time and will be between 85 and 90-minutes long in front of a selected audience.

The format of the debate will be the same for all broadcasters and around half of each debate will be themed.

ITV will host the first debate presented by Alastair Stewart; Sky will produce the second debate presented by Adam Boulton; and David Dimbleby will present the third debate for the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳.

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ and Sky will make their programmes available to other broadcasters simultaneously. ITV will make their programme available to other broadcasters immediately after transmission.

Discussions will resume in the New Year to finalise detailed arrangements for the debates.

With regard to debates and coverage in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, each broadcaster confirmed the following:

There will be separate debates held in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland among all the main parties, which will be broadcast on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Scotland, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Wales and ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Northern Ireland and across the UK on the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ News Channel. Following the Prime Ministerial debate, all political parties which have significant levels of support at a national level will be offered opportunities across ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ output to respond to the issues raised in the debate. The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ will begin detailed planning for this in the New Year.

ITV said it would observe its obligations of due impartiality in its electoral coverage and give airtime in other programming to the views of other parties as appropriate. Discussions in this regard between the ITV licensees in the nations of the UK will continue in the New Year.

Sky News intends to broadcast separate debates to be held in Scotland and Wales among the main parties in those nations. Following Sky News' Prime Ministerial debate, all political parties which have significant levels of support at a national level will be offered opportunities across Sky News output to respond to the issues raised in the debate in line with Sky News' obligation for due impartiality. Sky News will begin detailed planning for this in the New Year.

JS/KR