Party chief executive Nick Martin says broadcaster should acknowledge increase in support for Greens in past two elections

The Green party has written to the BBC to appeal against a decision not to allocate it time to screen party political broadcasts.

Nick Martin, the party’s chief executive, wrote to the director general, Tony Hall, and David Jordan, the BBC’s director of editorial policy and standards, on Tuesday to complain about the initial ruling.

In December, the broadcaster awarded Ukip three party political broadcasts a year outside election time, saying it was taking into account the party’s level of support in the country and its role in the upcoming EU referendum campaign.

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The broadcaster ruled that the Greens would not get any party political broadcasts (PPBs) even though the party and Ukip each have one MP. The latest ICM/Guardian poll put Ukip on 10% and the Greens on 3% of the vote.

A BBC spokesperson said: “The allocation of PPB’s is based on criteria set down by the BBC Trust following a public consultation. The criteria are clear and reflect parties current and previous electoral support. The Green party has lodged an appeal against the allocation in England and there is now a formal process to hear their arguments.”

In the letter, Martin said the pattern and direction of electoral support in England should be recognised, arguing that the party’s backing had quadrupled over the past two general elections. He also questioned the decision to give the Liberal Democrats three broadcasts.

Natalie Bennett, the Green party leader, said the BBC had failed to recognise the direction of travel in British politics. “The political landscape is fracturing as more and more people demand real change to deliver a safe climate, a public NHS and a fair economy,” she said. “These proposals fail to recognise that, increasingly, people are rejecting the Westminster status quo and want to hear more about Green values and policies.

“This is the year that we turn the ‘green surge’ into Green seats. We are a vibrant, united party committed to our values and driven forward by our passionate members and supporters.

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“In 2016, we are looking forward to increasing our number of seats on the London assembly, putting in our best performance in the London mayoral contest, gaining a seat on the Welsh assembly and growing our representation on councils across England and Wales.”

In December, the BBC Trust relaxed its rules to allow parties with one MP to be considered for party political broadcast slots on BBC1 and BBC2. Previously, a party had to have at least two representatives, meaning that neither Ukip nor the Greens qualified for a broadcast.

In the run-up to May’s general election, the BBC ruled that the Green party should not be given major party status, which would have qualified it to take part in televised debates. Bennett later took part in a debate with all party leaders after David Cameron refused to participate unless she was included.