The STV leaders’ debate will see SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon take on Douglas Ross of the Scottish Conservatives, Labour’s Anas Sarwar, Willie Rennie of the Scottish Liberal Democrats and Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie. But in a rally in Stirling this afternoon, former First Minister Alex Salmond claimed the broadcaster was making Scots feel that his Alba party did not exist.
He said: “We are clearly the story of the election and yet the doleful duo of Scottish broadcasting pretends we don’t exist.
“It is long past time for BBC Scotland and STV to mend their ways and to stop distorting the democratic process in Scotland.”
Mr Salmond, who launched Alba’s Lothian regional campaign today, said: “The BBC and STV operate as if they were in a self-isolated political bubble in which the initiative that everyone else is talking about doesn’t even appear on their radar.
“Not only does that involve excluding Alba from election debates but also dictates the daily mentions on all the main news bulletins.”
Mr Galloway also said he was legal action after his All for Unity party was excluded from the latest TV debate of the Scottish election campaign.
The former MP hit out at broadcaster STV for what he branded a “blatantly unlawful decision”.
Announcing the move on Twitter, Mr Galloway said that the broadcaster, which he dubbed “SNPTV”, would now “face us in court”.
But ahead of the debate, which commences at 7:30pm, some Scots claimed Mr Galloway and Mr Salmond should appear in the claiming “a variety of voices” needed to be heard.
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“We have offered the Alba Party the opportunity for Alex Salmond to take part in a one-to-one interview with Colin Mackay as part of our series of Scotland Tonight specials.”
Linda Grimes Douglas, Head of News and Current Affairs at STV, said: “It’s a hugely exciting time for Scottish politics and our team is primed and ready to bring viewers the most comprehensive coverage of Election 2021.”
