To think the 7 leaders debate will be an awful debate.

[Megatronmum]

How can you have a 7 way debate. Why are Plaid Cymru, the SNP and Greens part of it . I think it's Cameron trying to avoid a head to head with Miliband.

Ps. It's tonight on itv not sure what time.

Yep lots of sound bites and no real detail. Should've been Con, Lab, Lib, UKIP

It's going to be a huge waste of time, just as it would have been with just the four main parties. Cameron was right to resist and shouldn't have given in.

We aren't voting for a president. We aren't voting for someone who has the best debating skills. We are voting for a party we would like to govern for the next five years.

Actually we each voting for a local MP to represent us in Parliament, but people seem to forget that

I think 4 would be sensible. I have never heard of Plaid Cymru before

Never heard of Plaid Cymru?????

I agree I don't think we will gain anything from having seven people talking for a few seconds a piece.

I am intrigued as to how Nicola Sturgeon will be perceived by non-scots though. You can't escape her up here.

I know a political journalist who can't pronounce Plaid Cymru fortunately he works for a newspaper and not tv.

Agree it's going to be a shambles and is totally pointless. I actually think what this country needs is a less adversarial approach to politics currently there is too much time spent on degrading opposing policies and petty point scoring.

Although the greens should be part of it, they are whole UK and have an MP

Hypothetically speaking (or maybe not ) - if the SNP were to win more seats than any other single party, could we have a non-national party in goverment? How would that play out?

I hope we get some sensible questions about the POLICIES and not personal attacks like the last one. The last debate was diabolical and ruined by the way it was conducted. I am hoping for better tonight.

Actually I think it is good that plaid Cymru and SNP are included as it will show how they 'compare' to the main parties.

Since when have UKIP become one of the 4 main parties? The Greens had an MP long before them.

Are our memories so short? I agree it's not the best format for a debate but the Green Party should have been included from the beginning.

It's tonight at 8pm everyone.

Utterly pointless. Cameron was too scared to debate properly so everyone's time - theirs and ours - will be wasted.

Esmetha ukip got ruled a main party by ofcom. Ukip poll 15 to 18%. So to be fair they are a main party.

sassy - spot on.

I'm glad Ofcom get to decide, says a lot about our society.

Green Party membership is about 44,000 and UKIP about 42,000, so they should both be included.

Anyone that's votes green needs a reality check if I'm honest. Equal rights for rats and humans

And I don't think Cameron is scared. He's smart and doesn't want a debate where he has to defend himself from the right, ie UKIP but Miliband had no one from the left, ie the Greens.

Well the original plan was for 3 debates I think: this one with a broad range of parties, I think the second was Con/Lab/Lib and I think UKIP were included, and a Cameron/Milliband head to head. But there's been so much faffing and backtracking that we now have this and last week's effort (at which it appeared the audience were asleep for the first half and someone woke them up during the ad break).

Anyone who's seen me on the Indyref threads will know I am absolutely not a supporter of the SNP, but I think they should be included - they are clearly going to play a major part in the post-election period however the numbers of seats play out. The Greens are getting a lot more support. I don't follow Welsh politics in detail, but if you're including the SNP and the Greens then obviously you have Plaid Cymru on.

I actually think the DUP should be included as well - they have a fair few seats, they want to be included, and we already have 7, so why not 8? OK it will be a challenge for the broadcasters, but we have moved on from the days of Con/lab politics and broadcasters need to find ways to deal with that.

But the greens poll 6% so not really a major party. If by number of MPs then you should invite George Galloway it just goes on and on.

I bet they've at least heard of Plaid Cymru

I think they take into account Euro and local elections as well as numbers of seats and opinion polls don't they?

I know I am very embarrassed about that . I'm 25% Welsh as well . But I now know.

I think I'll just flip a coin, they'll all act as their predecessors if they get in anyway.