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The Green Party Not Seen As A Major Party By OFCOM

Iqbal_MIqbal_M Posts: 4,092
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30727083

Even though I am a member of the Lib Dems, I think this is unfair because this could be used to exclude some parties from the TV debates. However, OFCOM's (and the BBC's) mind could be changed because they have put the proposals out for consultation.

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/major-parties-15/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/have_your_say/peb_criteria
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    smudges dadsmudges dad Posts: 36,989
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    They've also denied major party status to the 3rd biggest party by membership. They seem to be living in the 1950s (which could be why UKIP got the status)
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    jjwalesjjwales Posts: 48,572
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    Any party which is standing a reasonable number of candidates for Parliament should be deemed a major party. Past support should be irrelevant.
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    Rastus PiefaceRastus Pieface Posts: 4,382
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    the greens party is not a major party. why the upset?

    UKIP aren't seen as a major party, yet they have twice as many MPs' as the greens, plus at the last general election, UKIP had 919,471 votes compare to the greens who had 265,243 votes.

    you can't be deemed a major party on those figures. unfair, i know, but tough luck. if the greens want to be a major party, they need to up their game in convincing more of the electorate to vote for them.
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    starry_runestarry_rune Posts: 9,006
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    I find this odd. If you think something isn't fair on TV, ie; a particular party being poorly or overly represented, you should be able to turn to ofcom. Who are they to make these rules? ALL parties in the running should be given an equal 2 party broadcasts.

    This is proof if any was needed that the election is a rigged marketing exercise and the true winners are the ones with the most money, and democracy is a thing of the past.
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    jjwalesjjwales Posts: 48,572
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    the greens party is not a major party. why the upset?

    UKIP aren't seen as a major party, yet they have twice as many MPs' as the greens, plus at the last general election, UKIP had 919,471 votes compare to the greens who had 265,243 votes.

    you can't be deemed a major party on those figures. unfair, i know, but tough luck. if the greens want to be a major party, they need to up their game in convincing more of the electorate to vote for them.

    Which is a bit difficult if you have the disadvantage of being deemed a "minor party" and thus don't get the same exposure as other parties!
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    starry_runestarry_rune Posts: 9,006
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    the greens party is not a major party. why the upset?

    UKIP aren't seen as a major party, yet they have twice as many MPs' as the greens, plus at the last general election, UKIP had 919,471 votes compare to the greens who had 265,243 votes.

    you can't be deemed a major party on those figures. unfair, i know, but tough luck. if the greens want to be a major party, they need to up their game in convincing more of the electorate to vote for them.

    ukip got more media exposure, so they are bound to get more votes
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    Rastus PiefaceRastus Pieface Posts: 4,382
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    jjwales wrote: »
    Which is a bit difficult if you have the disadvantage of being deemed a "minor party" and thus don't get the same exposure as other parties!
    ukip got more media exposure, so they are bound to get more votes

    ukip get more media exposure because immigration is a hot topic. if the green party want to be seen as a major party, then they need to get their message out there by giving their comments / reactions to the immigration debate, and then inserting into the conversation, their policy / policies.
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    BanglaRoadBanglaRoad Posts: 57,587
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    They've also denied major party status to the 3rd biggest party by membership. They seem to be living in the 1950s (which could be why UKIP got the status)

    And very likely the party with the third highest total of MPs after the GE
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    InspirationInspiration Posts: 62,706
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    I understand their frustration but I think it's one election too early for them to be included. UKIP are an exception because they won the EU elections and also have won two recent by-elections.. so they have proven support at the ballot box. Greens (if they perform strongly in the GE as predicted) should get a spot next time around.
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    BoyardBoyard Posts: 5,393
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    ukip get more media exposure because immigration is a hot topic. if the green party want to be seen as a major party, then they need to get their message out there by giving their comments / reactions to the immigration debate, and then inserting into the conversation, their policy / policies.

    They won't, because their loopy immigration policy is a vote loser.
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    David TeeDavid Tee Posts: 22,833
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    Guido reports:
    David Cameron asked about TV debates by Tom Bradby: “are you saying you are not going to go in as it stands unless at least the Greens are in?”

    PM: “Correct.”

    Of course with Labour likely to leak votes to the Greens, it's very much in Cameron's interests that the Greens are in.
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    InspirationInspiration Posts: 62,706
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    Oh dear. So suddenly DC cares about the voice of the Green party? Sounding very desperate Dave. Very very desperate.
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    jjwalesjjwales Posts: 48,572
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    Boyard wrote: »
    They won't, because their loopy immigration policy is a vote loser.

    Their immigration policy is not that different from the main three, and people wouldn't expect them to be the sole party in govt anyway.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 248
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    https://twitter.com/tombradby/status/553218149534162944

    Looks like Cameron is using this as a way out. Never mind how about a Ed vs Nigel debate? Time to educate and inform the working class still willing to vote Labour.

    The so called party of the NHS eh?

    :kitty:
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    deptfordbakerdeptfordbaker Posts: 22,368
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    David Cameron says he will not take part in leaders' debates ahead of the General Election unless the Green Party is included.

    Sky News' Political Correspondent Faisal Islam said: "We've had the strongest indication yet that the PM wouldn't take part as the debates are configured."

    He explained: "If the Greens aren't in, he doesn't want to do the debates."

    They all should be there, so the voters can make up their own minds. I don't like quangos, media, or politicians deciding who we hear from in the debates.

    If Cameron has to suffer UKIP, Labour should have to put up with the Greens attacking their polices.
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    SanguiniusSanguinius Posts: 1,723
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    Can't blame Cameron for his stance as he would have the most to lose in a debate.

    He would be attacked from the left from Labour and the Lib Dems (I can see both leaders agreeing on some issues during a debate, remember Brown's "I agree with Nick" moments during the debates) and also attacked from the right by UKIP.

    With the Greens in a debate they would attack Labour and some of the other parties.
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    jenziejenzie Posts: 20,821
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    OFCOM overstepping their mark eh?
    and what's their remit to do such things exactly?
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    Jellied EelJellied Eel Posts: 33,091
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    jenzie wrote: »
    OFCOM overstepping their mark eh?
    and what's their remit to do such things exactly?

    Regulate broadcasting? Greens are sulking because they don't get their 2 partly political broadcasts, which is the bit Ofcom regulates. Whichever leaders are brave (or foolish enough) to end up on the Bbc show is up to them and the Bbc Trust.
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    paul2307paul2307 Posts: 8,079
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    If you give the Greens a voice in the debate then they should also give the BNP as voice , they recorded more than twice as many votes in 2010 than the Greens and came 5th overall in terms of votes gained
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    smudges dadsmudges dad Posts: 36,989
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    paul2307 wrote: »
    If you give the Greens a voice in the debate then they should also give the BNP as voice , they recorded more than twice as many votes in 2010 than the Greens and came 5th overall in terms of votes gained
    Remind me how many MPs they got.
    The BNP is a party full of racist thugs and bigots and their supporters are racist bigots.
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    paul2307paul2307 Posts: 8,079
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    Remind me how many MPs they got.
    The BNP is a party full of racist thugs and bigots and their supporters are racist bigots.

    Yet they got 300,000 more votes than the Greens , just because you don't like their policies doesn't mean other people shouldn't , personally I would like to see Labour banned from ever having a seat but it ain't going to happen
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    Jellied EelJellied Eel Posts: 33,091
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    The BNP is a party full of racist thugs and bigots and their supporters are racist bigots.

    That's the trouble with democracy. It's meant to represent the will of the people, no matter how repellent you find those people, or their political beliefs.
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    smudges dadsmudges dad Posts: 36,989
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    That's the trouble with democracy. It's meant to represent the will of the people, no matter how repellent you find those people, or their political beliefs.
    They are still entitled to stand in elections, I would never deny them that. In fact, if there were some sort of PR it is likely that they would have had an MP or two and then proper scorn could be poured on their nasty policies.
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    TelevisionUserTelevisionUser Posts: 41,417
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    Greens are 'not a major party', suggests Ofcom

    I'm a bit disappointed by this ruling and the Greens ought to put in an appeal and make sure that all MPs, peers, MEPs, assembly members and councillors are totalled up from all three of the UK's Green parties, i.e. England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

    That said, their case is weaker than that of UKIP and it depends on where you draw the line. If it were me, I'd say that the Conservatives, Labour, UKIP, Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party, Ulster's Democratic Unionist Party and the Greens have significant influence on British politics.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 248
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    Remind me how many MPs they got.
    The BNP is a party full of racist thugs and bigots and their supporters are racist bigots.

    Yeh and yet 100's of former BNP members were and are STILL allowed to join the Labour party......

    :blush:
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