PMQs today was dominated by the debate about debates. After a few statesmanlike questions about the aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks, Miliband started to needle Cameron about his reluctance to take part in TV debates while Labour MPs made chicken noises.
Cameron claimed that he was happy to take part in TV debates as long as the Greens were included and accused Labour of being ‘chicken when it comes to the Greens’; he seemed to back one 5-way debate and one head to head between him and Miliband. Downing Street believes this to be a perfectly defensible position but Cameron is taking a risk by setting it out so clearly because those running the Tory campaign would really prefer no debates at all. But if the broadcaster now did invite the Greens, Cameron would find it hard to say no. (Though, the SNP might lend him a helping hand. If they blocked the debate from being broadcast in Scotland, If SNP blocked debate from being shown in Scotland, Cameron could refuse on the grounds everyone in the UK should be able to watch the debate)
I suspect, though, that Cameron didn’t mind debating the debates at PMQs; better that for him than the NHS crisis.
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