Nicola Sturgeon and David Cameron are to appear side by side for the first time - after being drawn to stand next to each other in Thursday night's leaders' debate.

 

The highly-anticipated showdown will the first televised face off between the Conservative Prime Minister and an SNP leader.

Mr Cameron was famously called a ""big feartie" by former First Minister Alex Salmond after refusing to take part in a head-to-head during the independence referendum.

The SNP said that they were pleased with the plum spot.

"Being next to Cameron shows that we are his real opponents", a source said.

Other leaders thought to have wanted the position next to Mr Cameron include Nigel Farage, the Ukip leader.

However, the controversial Eurosceptic will be pleased at being drawn beside Labour leader Ed Miliband.

A total of seven party leaders will debate each other during the two-hour long contest, to be broadcast by ITV.

The politicians will be quizzed on four topics, and will take questions from the studio audience.

The format is design to allow enough time for the party leaders to debate each other and give an introductory pitch to voters.

Mr MIliband will hope to build on his performance in last week's televised 'Battle for Number 10' with Mr Cameron.

Labour also accused the Tory leader of running scared after he rejected a head-to-head with the opposition leader.

Instead, both men were grilled separately by former Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman and by members of the public.

The event gave a significant boost to Labour, with one opinion poll at the weekend suggesting that the party now had a four-point lead over the Conservatives.

Mr Cameron is expected to face attacks from all the parties, who have been accused of planning to "gang up" on the Prime Minister.

But Mr Miliband and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg are also expected to face tough opposition.

Many of the smaller parties, including the Greens and Ukip, are hoping to pick up votes from disaffected former Labour and Lib Dem backers on May 7.

The ITV event, ,moderated by newsreader Julie Etchingham, is the first and only full televised debate.

From left to right the full line-up is: Natalie Bennett, the leader of the Greens in England, Mr Clegg, Mr Farage, Mr Miliband, Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood, Mr Sturgeon, Mr Cameron.

Bookies have backed Mr Farage to emerge as the winner of the debate, followed by the - Tory and Labour and then Ms Sturgeon.

Ms Sturgeon will also take part on the first Scottish leaders' debate on April 7 on STV., alongside Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy, Scottish Tories leader Ruth Davidson and the leader of the Scottish Lib Dems Willie Rennie.

Mr Cameron, Mr Miliband and Mr Clegg are also due to in a BBC Question Time special on April 30, just a week before the vote.

Again they will appear separately and take questions form the studio audience.

Also scheduled is an opposition parties debate, in which the Conservatives and the Lib Dems will not take part.