POLITICAL parties including the SNP and the Greens have banded together to protest at their exclusion from next year's scheduled General Election televised debates.

The parties have the support of a number of peers, including Baroness Helena Kennedy, the Labour peer; and Paralympic champion Tanni Grey-Thompson, as well as Labour MP Paul Flynn.

In a letter to the new head of the BBC Trust they say that more than a quarter of a million people have signed a petition calling for the Greens to be included, while membership of the SNP is at record levels.

"There is clear public support for broadening out the Leaders' Debates," the letter said.

"Regardless of their politics, most people have a strong sense of what is right and fair.

"Whilst we welcome the BBC's recent decision to consult on its draft election guidelines, we believe that the corporation's public service remit makes a clear case for wider representation than is currently envisaged."

SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson MP added: "The broadcasters have the cheek to say that their proposed format factors in 'changes in the political landscape' to justify including UKIP.

"This entirely ignores the fact that the SNP are now by far the third largest political party in the UK in terms of membership."

SNP membership surged to record levels in the wake of September's independence referendum.

Indeed, the SNP overtook the Liberal Democrats as the UK's third largest political party last month.