David Cameron denies ‘running scared’

British Prime Minister David Cameron has denied putting obstacles in the way of televised leaders’ debates ahead of the general election, after Labour accused him of “running scared” of a head-to-head showdown with Ed Miliband.

Miliband said Cameron was “cowering from the public”, after Downing Street rejected broadcasters’ proposals for three TV debates during the election campaign and made a “final offer” of a single 90-minute show featuring at least seven party leaders to take place before the official start of the campaign on March 30.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said he was willing to take the prime minister’s place in the one-on-one debate with Miliband, if Cameron refused to turn up for the clash, scheduled to be shown on Sky News and Channel 4 on April 30 — exactly a week before the May 7 election. Labour dismissed the suggestion as “ridiculous”, suggesting that the deputy prime minister should instead debate with its deputy leader, Harriet Harman.