BBC Radio 4

Tory Mark Harper said the prime minister was in favour of the debates "but not cramming them into the election campaign". He accused the broadcasters of getting "themselves into a right old mess".

BBC Radio 4

The panel has moved on to issue of the UK's net migration figures. Leader of the Plaid Cymru group at Westminster Elfyn Llwyd described David Cameron's "no-ifs-and-buts" pledge as "the greatest faux pas in the last five years".

BBC Radio 4

Minister for disabled people Mark Harper MP told Any Questions: "A number of professionals knew what was going on and significant numbers of children suffered significant abuse over a number of years. We need a dialogue [with professionals] but we need to take further steps to make sure children are protected."

BBC Radio 4

The Any Questions panel have been talking about the government's plan to bring in legislation to make teachers and others in authority raise the alarm if they think a child is being abused. The idea is that this would be an extension of the crime of wilful neglect and it follows a report about the sexual exploitation of teenage girls and children in Oxfordshire. Leader of the Plaid Cymru group at Westminster Elfyn Llwyd MP said there were enough laws in this area already. "What we need is to ensure better training for professionals such as teachers, but we should not place a burden on them by making it mandatory," he said.

Political debate continues right now from Monmouth School in Wales with the President of the Liberal Democrats Sal Brinton, Labour's Shadow Culture Minister Chris Bryant, Minister for Disabled People Mark Harper, and the leader of the Plaid Cymru group at Westminster Elfyn Llwyd. To listen live click here.

Here's a bit more from former TV executive David Elstein: "The next step on this interesting chain of events would probably be going all the way round the second seven-way debate - the BBC one - all the way to the Sky and Channel 4 head-to-head with Miliband and if he [David Cameron] can drag that forward to the end of March, and the broadcasters willing, Ed Miliband says he's willing, it's actually a bit tricky then for Cameron to say well I'm still not going to do it.

"Me feeling is that he [David Cameron] is not going to do the second seven-way debate, I think that's pretty clear, so the BBC will have a rather awkward decision to make as to whether to make it a six-way debate. I don't think Sky and Channel 4 can possibly empty chair the prime minister in a two-handed debate; it then turns into an interview with Ed Miliband, and under the Ofcom code of conduct they would then have to offer Cameron his own 90-minute interview with or without an empty chair."

Former TV news executive David Elstein said the game David Cameron and broadcasters were playing was "somewhere between tennis and chess".

He said: "Even as the broadcasters put out their fairly defiant statement, Sky and Channel 4 completely undercut it, by saying they were willing to move the head-to-head with Ed Miliband anywhere from 30 April right through to next week, that puts the ball back in David Cameron's court because what he has insisted is he is not going to do anything after 30 March.

"My guess is the way it will play out is this. The Conservatives will now try and unwrap the broadcasting cabal by going direct to ITV - who are scheduled to do the first seven-way debate on 2 April - and say look 'I'm willing to do it before 30 March you're trying to do it on 2 April why don't we compromise?' And given that the chairman of ITV happens to be a former chairman of the Conservative party you would have thought that was a conversation that might go reasonably well."

The Guardian

The Guardian, external considers the health of the SNP's election war chest, following the party's use of the site Crowdfunder to fundraise. The paper's Scotland correspondent Severin Carrell has blogged that: "Has this crowdfunding appeal flagged up an unexpected issue for the SNP? Is it running short of money, for what is emerging as the biggest and most expensive general election campaign in its history?"

Mark D'Arcy
Parliamentary correspondent

In his look ahead to next week in Parliament, Mark D'Arcy says we will see "the (likely) final Commons speeches of Gordon Brown and Jack Straw, the completion (or maybe defeat) of a myriad of private members' bills - plus a series of tussles between ministers and backbenchers over plain packaging of cigarettes, EU issues and defence spending".

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland will be able to "call the tune" at Westminster after the general election, working with Plaid Cymru and the Green Party, Alex Salmond has said. The former First Minister predicted "neither Tory or Labour will win an overall majority - neither are fit to govern". Speaking in Aberdeenshire, he said: "It is also clear that Scotland is swinging behind SNP candidates the length and breadth of the country. In that situation Scotland can call the tune in the next Westminster Parliament."

We have been asking for your views on today's political events, here's a selection of some of them:

Jamie Page:

Talk about the BBC getting too high an opinion of itself. Very unedifying. Do not pretend you are pushing ahead with your debate plans on my behalf because you most categorically are not.

Jim Quaife:

There is a fundamental question. When did it become acceptable for the media to call the shots? In the current climate of openness one is sometimes reluctant to go against a trend because it might appear to be negative, but regretfully on past performance the level of debate is uninspiring - more akin to a "television show" than serious debate.

Richard Le Vesconte:

Cameron and Milliband. Neither of them would say anything worthwhile. How about two empty chairs?

Keith Davey:

Cameron's bluff called - imagine he will now pull out entirely. Not a satisfactory way to treat the 22 mlln [sic] people who had enough commitment to the democratic process to watch last time. Tories showing contempt for the electorate if they think people are so gullible to believe their justification for just one debate - just running scared - more honest to say so. Suggest viewing PM Questions each week if you need further examples of contempt for the democratic process and valid questions simply ignored if raising inconvenient issues - see immigration target pledge and PMs response earlier this week.

You can get in touch by clicking on the "Get Involved" tab above.

Ross Hawkins
Political correspondent, BBC News

The Green Party has voted to support free universal education and childcare for children aged one to six. The policy was proposed in a motion from the leader Natalie Bennett at the party conference in Liverpool. Despite her support, it does not automatically become a manifesto commitment - instead it will be one of the party's long term aims listed on its website.

BBC Radio 4

Stay with the Politics Live page for the latest political news and comment. At 20:00, we'll be tuning in to Any Questions. Jonathan Dimbleby will be at Monmouth School in Wales with:

• President of the Liberal Democrats Sal Brinton

• Labour's shadow culture minister Chris Bryant MP

• Minister for disabled people Mark Harper MP

• Leader of the Plaid Cymru group at Westminster Elfyn Llwyd MP.

Tweets, external: This is why Plaid Cymru should never have been invited, external to #tvdebates. 1/7th as popular as SNP

Image source, TWitter

Jonathan Levy, speaking on behalf of the broadcasters, said: "The debates will go ahead with the leaders that turn up and the invitation will remain open to the prime minister should he wish to reconsider his position."

He added that the group would welcome the opportunity to discuss its proposals with the prime minister.

If you've just joined us, a key story which broke an hour ago is that the broadcasters say they will press ahead with their plans for three TV election debates even though David Cameron has said he will only take part in one. Downing Street says it's "disappointing" the broadcasters have rejected its proposal for the prime minister to debate with six other party leaders. BBC political correspondent Carole Walker says there is a "tense stand-off" between the Conservatives and the broadcasters, "with neither side willing to step down".

The leader of the Labour party said: "I think these debates should happen whether David Cameron agrees to them or not, but I think it will be judgement day on the prime minister if he refuses to turn up to these debates because I think people will conclude that he's running from his record, that he can't defend what he's done in government, he can't explain what his future plans are and he's a Prime Minister running scared."

BBC Radio 4

"I think the broadcasters are getting above their station," according to Tory MP Philip Davies. He told Radio 4's PM: "I think the broadcasters have got to be responsible here, and given that we don't have a presidential system in this country... I don't really see why the broadcasters should turn it into one." He also said that he would be happy to debate with Ed Miliband, saying "No more empty chairs".

James Landale
Deputy Political Editor, BBC News

Away from the TV debates reaction for a second..."Sometimes we forget just how far UKIP has come in a relatively short space of time," James Landale writes in a profile of the UKIP leader Nigel Farage.

The Countryside Alliance magazine's, external spring issue will reportedly, external include a piece by David Cameron which includes a pledge that: "The Hunting Act has done nothing for animal welfare. A Conservative Government will give Parliament the opportunity to repeal the Hunting Act on a free vote, with a government Bill in government time."