SNP loses BBC debate court battle

The Scottish National Party (SNP) has lost a legal bid to force the BBC to allow its leader Alex Salmond to appear on tomorrow night's final prime ministerial debate.

After raising £50,000 in under 48 hours, the SNP lodged papers at Edinburgh's Court of Session yesterday in a last-ditch effort to influence the debate format.

In its legal petition, the SNP asked the judge to force the BBC to give Salmond a presence alongside Gordon Brown, Nick Clegg and David Cameron on the BBC One debate.

The party also called for an injunction to block the debate programme from being aired in Scotland if the corporation failed to meet its demands.

However, the court rejected the SNP's legal bid and instead supported the BBC's case that it had not breached guidelines on guaranteeing fairness and impartiality.

Speaking to reporters outside the Edinburgh court, SNP deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon said: "We are disappointed that the debate on Thursday night will go ahead without any substantial participation from the SNP.

"We believe it is wrong and unfair and all the points we have made until now still stand."

In a further blow, Ofcom has rejected a joint complaint from the SNP and Welsh national party Plaid Cymru about ITV1's opening televised debate on April 15.

The parties argued that the programme broke broadcasting rules, but the media regulator's specially-assembled election committee today dismissed the complaint.

In its ruling, Ofcom said: "Having considered all the submissions and evidence before it under the relevant provisions of the Broadcasting Code, the election committee decided that both complaints should not be upheld.

"The committee found that the broadcast of the first debate on ITV1 complied with the requirements of the Broadcasting Code and that no remedial action was required on the part of ITV licensees."