Westminster. Image: Flickr/ Oliver Duquesne
The skirmishing started before the election, but few took it seriously at that point: after all, the chances of the Tories actually winning in May seemed remote to all parties, and the BBC spent some time during the campaign speculating (as did most of the press, for that matter) over the nature of possible post-election coalitions.
Then came the debates. Perhaps the BBC assumed that Cameron was unlikely to remain Prime Minister after 7 May, even of a coalition government, and felt able to go public with statements that came close to ultimatums in pressurising Cameron to take a full part in the debates the broadcasters were planning. There was even talk of empty chairs. A former BBC chairman, Lord Grade (a late arrival on the Tory benches, but speaking as an ex-broadcaster) chided the BBC over its tactics: you just do not threaten Prime Ministers with empty chairs – not unless you are foolhardy as well as arrogant.
