UK General Election

Dude, if the boss can have a laugh about it, maybe chill?

Interesting. Would the broadcasters go ahead and empty chair May?

What we might get are leader debate with each leader. Sky did this with the EU ref etc
If you live in Scotland we/there have nay trouble having these. STV will be pushing for one big time as it ticks a lot of boxes

I seem to remember the broadcasters having much the same discussion when Cameron fought shy and - in the end - didn't do the BBC one, so it wouldn't be without-precedent for the PM to skip one or more.

There's only 1 month since the possible dissolution of parliament and election day. Therefore if there was going to be a debate, it would only be 1 and would have to be either full on BBC or a joint BBC/SKY/ITV/ITN (Channel 4/5) programme similar to the American election debates where representatives from the networks would ask the questions.

A lot has changed since the last election, where do you start with leaders debates? Just May vs. Corbyn? Or with the SNP, Greens, UKIP, Lib Dems? Do you still include UKIP given that they have no MPs? Lots of questions.

At the very least, an interesting time for TV presentation.

Here are what the debates looked like last time:

BBC: http://tvlive.org.uk/features/elections/general-elections/uk-general-election-2015/bbc-election-debates-2015/

ITV network: http://tvlive.org.uk/features/elections/general-elections/uk-general-election-2015/itvstv-election-debates-2015/

Ch4/SKY http://tvlive.org.uk/features/elections/general-elections/uk-general-election-2015/election-debates-skychannel-4/

The other change is that OFCOM have changed the rules slightly. There used to be a concept of "large parties", under which OFCOM published a list of parties that met a certain threshold, and who were thus entitled to party election broadcasts and should be invited to take part in programmes. That has all changed now, much much vaguer guidance.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-2/broadcast-impartiality-accuracy-and-elections-rules-review

One of my colleagues is a freelancer who also works on SNGs - he arrived at work at 11.45 today, and had already had at least one call enquiring about his availability.

PM on Radio 4 started with Arthur today, and David Dimbleby will on later.

So the question now stands will David Dimbleby be back (for at least the overnight part of the coverage) or will be Huw Edwards from start to finish.

Bloody hell - not very often C4 break into programming for such a statement.

No surprise at all - despite crippling the country for 5 years the Tories came back stronger in 2015 and now they've wrecked the countries future by gambling it on Brexit thanks to pathetically weak opposition they'll come back even stronger once again. Only a clear stance by Labour to revoke Article 50 would give them any chance - and that's not happening.

When the Lib Dems are the best hope of an upset you know the country is screwed.

(And back to broadcasting, circumstances means it'll be rather uninspiring - just a repeat of 2015.)

A: Wrong place

B: Unnafected