Lord Grade: 'No divine right to have TV election debates'

Former television executive and Conservative peer Lord Grade has criticised the organisers of the televised election debates as breaching impartiality rules.

Lord Grade said the debates were not a political requirement.

"There is no divine right to have election debates, they are voluntary exercises, there's no statutory on politicians," he said.

He added that the idea broadcasters can threaten politicians with "empty chairs" was "completely unacceptable" and that broadcasters' organisation of the debates had been a "shambles" and "embarrassing".