By William James
LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron said on Tuesday he had agreed with broadcasters to join a seven-way televised debate with other political leaders ahead of the May 7 election.
Months of bitter wrangling culminated earlier this month in Cameron being labelled a coward by rivals after he issued an ultimatum on the format of the debates and ruled out a head-to-head debate with opposition leader Ed Miliband.
Cameron's reluctance to take part in multiple debates, including a head-to-head, had been widely interpreted as an effort to protect his own high personal ratings while depriving his rivals of publicity before what is shaping up as a closely fought and unpredictable election.
"The broadcasters, led by the BBC, have come forward with a new offer of television programmes for the general election including a televised debate, and I accepted that deal on Saturday," Cameron said in a BBC television interview.
A senior source in Cameron's Conservative party said he had taken up an offer to participate in a single debate with six other party leaders in early April as part of a package of pre-election television programmes.
Tuesday's deal, if agreed by the other participants, represents a significant concession by broadcasters who had wanted to host two seven-way debates and a direct contest between Cameron and Labour Party leader Miliband.
It was not immediately clear whether broadcasters had dropped plans for the second and third debates. ITV (LONDON:ITV), the BBC, Channel 4 and Sky were not immediately available to comment.
The debate would pit Cameron against Miliband, Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, the UK Independence Party's Nigel Farage, and the leaders of the Green Party and nationalist parties from Scotland and Wales.
Labour said they still planned to take part in three debates, as per the broadcasters' previous proposal. Cameron's agreement to one debate represented "progress". "It is one down, two to go," a Labour spokesperson said.
The Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives' coalition partner, said they welcomed the news that there would be at least one debate and were awaiting new proposals from the broadcasters.
Cameron had previously demanded the debate be held before parliament is dissolved on March 30, slightly earlier than the time frame agreed on Tuesday.