The debate will be shown live tonight on ITV from 8pm to 10pm, featuring the leaders of the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, UKIP, SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party.
Each leader will address questions posed by an audience of 200 selected by polling company ICM; 20% of these are ‘undecided’ voters.
Four ‘substantial’ election questions will go to the panel, say ITV, with each leader given an uninterrupted one-minute answer followed by 18 minutes of debate between them.
The leaders will not see the questions before the debate kicks off.
Lots have been drawn to determine the podium order, and the leaders will appear on screen, left to right as follows – Natalie Bennett, Nick Clegg, Nigel Farage, Ed Miliband, Leanne Wood, Nicola Sturgeon and David Cameron.
Michael Jermey, ITV’s Director of News and Current Affairs said: “The programme will provide a fair forum for a proper debate between the party leaders.
“It’ll be an opportunity to hear the leaders directly challenge each other and discuss face-to-face some of the big election issues facing the country.”
It will be moderated by ITV News’ Julie Etchingham.
The broadcaster is going multiplatform, streaming the debate live on its ITVPlayer, through its app, and on the ITV News YouTube channel.
You can follow the programme on Twitter using the hashtag #leadersdebate.
