Miliband: I’ll do debates with or without Cameron

Labour campaign chairman Douglas Alexander confirmed in a letter to broadcasters that Mr Miliband was prepared to appear in the debates, due to take place in April.

The BBC, ITV, Sky and Channel 4 have said they will stick to their plans for three debates during the election campaign, and urged the Prime Minister to “reconsider” his refusal to take part in these shows, including a head-to-head showdown with Mr Miliband.

Mr Cameron‘s director of communications Craig Oliver said the broadcasters’ response was “disappointing” and restated the Prime Minister’s “final position” was for a single debate to take place in the week starting March 23.

In his letter, Mr Alexander said: “Like you, we hope that David Cameron and the Conservative party will take this opportunity to conclude that these debates are in the public interest and that not showing up will not just be damaging to the Conservative party but to our democracy as well.”

The current plan is for a seven-way debate involving Mr Cameron, Labour’s Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg of the Lib Dems and the leaders of the Greens, Ukip, Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru on ITV on April 2, followed by a second show on BBC featuring the same line-up on April 16.

A final head-to-head debate between the Tory and Labour leaders would be broadcast on Sky News and Channel 4 on April 30 – exactly a week before the May 7 election.

In a letter to Mr Oliver, the broadcasters made clear they were ready to go ahead with the debates even if Mr Cameron decides not to take part – effectively “empty-chairing” the Prime Minister.

But Mr Oliver replied: “I made the Prime Minister’s final position clear in my last letter – he is willing to do a seven-way debate in the week beginning March 23. Clearly it is disappointing that you are not prepared to take him up on that offer.

“I am ready to discuss at your convenience the logistics of making the debate we have suggested happen.”