The three party leaders debate on television in the 2010 election (Jeff Overs/PA)

TELEVISED leaders’ debates during the general election campaign will not take place, two senior government figures have declared, after the broadcasters refused to change the plans to invite seven parties to participate.

The BBC, ITV, Sky and Channel 4 have written to the parties to confirm they want to hold three debates in April, one featuring David Cameron and Ed Miliband.

The other two would also include Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, Nigel Farage of Ukip and the leaders of the Green party, Plaid Cymru and Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish National party leader.

But senior sources on both sides of the coalition said the broadcasters had “totally screwed up” and made “a massive strategic error” by refusing to tweak their 7-7-2 plans.

The April