The election debate could be back on... online. That's the latest "compromise" offered by David Cameron, and a clear slight at the broadcasters that have threatened to empty chair the prime minister for not agreeing to their preferred debate format.
Earlier this month, the PM welched on the proposed TV debates ahead of the May 7th vote, including a final head-to-head confrontation with Labour leader Ed Miliband. The broadcasters reacted by moving ahead with the debates, which could be broadcast without Cameron's participation.
David Cameron during an interview with Jim Waterson of Buzzfeed UK, as part of BuzzFeed Brews, at Millbank tower, central London
Speaking to in an online interview with BuzzFeed on Monday, Cameron indicated that he would be prepared to take part in a "multi-party" debate next week hosted by the website if they could get the other party leaders to agree to appear. He suggested that he was also sympathetic to a proposal put forward by the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian and Google - which owns the YouTube website - for an online debate involving the six main UK party leaders.
"I'm up for a debate, I'm up for a multi-party debate, whether it is you, whether it is another digital debate, whether it is the TV broadcasters, that matters less to me than having a multi-party debate before the campaign gets under way," he said. "Everyone's got to agree to it but I've said very clearly - multi-party debate before the campaign, where do I sign?"
