Ofcom’s decision not to classify the Greens as a “major party” has wider consequences than just the debates
Guardian's @patrickwintour on Ofcom decision not to classify Greens as "major party" for GE15 http://t.co/BYOYE7Uu57 pic.twitter.com/0HRwgv9cnX
— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) January 8, 2015
This morning’s Ofcom ruling on what should be the “major parties” for the general election will impact on the overall amount of TV and radio coverage the parties get during the offical “short” election campaign which starts at the beginning of April.
UKIP, following its Euro2014 triumph and now having 2 MPs, always look set to be included but the Greens, who won their first ever seat in 2010, clearly presented a problem for the regulator and haven’t made it.
Given the much longer than usual formal election campaign this could make things harder for the Greens as they try to build up a national presence.
As for the impact on the debates it gives the Tories, who are not said to be enthusiastic, another reason to drag their feet. Cameron has been playing up the Greens in recent days because the blue team think that the party can take votes from LAB.
Where the Green vote has been coming from. Data from Dec '14 round of @LordAshcroft CON-LAB marginals polling pic.twitter.com/i1KsQPaJFu
— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) January 8, 2015
My reading of the polling is that some of the ex-LD supporters who have previously been saying LAB have now moved to the Greens. Also the table above shows 3% of 2010 LAB voters in these key seats now saying Green.
Update – looks like the debates are doomed
David Cameron will refuse to take part in TV debates if Greens not included, says @bbcnickrobinson
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) January 8, 2015