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Robinson: Omission of DUP unacceptable

DUP leader Peter Robinson has written to the communications regulator to complain about his party's exclusion from pre-election TV debates in Britain.

The first minister, pictured, has described BBC and ITV's decision not to invite the DUP to take part in the live debates as "unacceptable". Mr Robinson's letter came as Sinn Féin indicated that it would be prepared to join a TV election debate.

The DUP is unhappy because the SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Greens - all of who have fewer MPs than the DUP - have been invited by the broadcasters to line-up alongside the Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems and UKIP for an election debate.

In his letter to Ofcom, Mr Robinson described the failure to invite the DUP as "inexplicable".

He said a debate involving only those who could credibly become prime minister or a party with substantial support and MPs could be defended, as could a debate including all the significant regional political parties. "What is not

acceptable is a situation where the largest party in Northern Ireland is to be excluded while regional parties from Scotland and Wales, with fewer seats in parliament than the DUP, are to be included," the DUP leader wrote.

Pointing out that the DUP is the fourth largest party in the House of Commons, he said the party's exclusion had "already provoked a negative response" in the north. "Please rest assured that the DUP will not accept being excluded while parties like Plaid Cymru and the SNP are included," he warned. "We will avail ourselves of all suitable remedies to ensure that Northern Ireland is not treated differently to the other regions and the Democratic Unionist Party is not treated differently to parties with less support at Westminster."

A Sinn Féin spokesman said the party would challenge any attempt to discriminate against us". "Sinn Féin will take every opportunity to present and promote its policies and positions," he said.

John Manley