Independent parliamentary candidate for MyStroudMP, Rich Wilson, has created an online petition calling for all parties to be represented at the Stroud BBC election program which takes place tonight.

It came in response to the exclusion of both Mr Wilson and Caroline Stephens of UKIP from the BBC Gloucestershire radio debate at Stroud High School this evening (April 14).

Those included in the debate, which will focus on planning and housing, are incumbent MP Neil Carmichael (Cons); David Drew (Lab); Sarah Lunnon (Green) and Adrian Walker-Smith (Lib).

Rich Wilson said: “This is the most high profile pre-election event taking place in the Stroud constituency; and has a huge potential impact on the decisions listeners to the programme will take at the ballot box.

“Just as it was essential to have all seven candidates represented at the national debate, it's vital that all six candidates for the Stroud constituency are represented at this event.

“By not giving all candidates the same platform the BBC are undermining the fairness of the election in Stroud.”

The e-petition has so far received more than 100 signatures.

UKIP parliamentary candidate Caroline Stephens said: “Thousands of people tune in to these radio debates and they will want to hear the opinions of parties across the political spectrum.

“Seeing as UKIP are polling even with the Green Party and came second here in the European elections in 2014, it seems really unfair to exclude us from the debate, especially as the issue of local planning and house building is something I’m deeply passionate about."

Mark Jones, Assistant Editor at BBC Gloucestershire, said however that the circumstances were different as they were recording a radio show and not holding a public hustings.

“To comply with UK broadcasting laws and guidance from the regulator the BBC Trust, we are required to proportionately balance appearance of parties across series of programmes based on previous voting patterns in the county,” he said.

“The guest list for this radio programme was based on those regulations.”

“The debate programmes forms just one part of our election coverage and both UKIP and the MyStroud MP candidates have and will receive proportionate coverage elsewhere on the radio station.”

The debate will be chaired by BBC Gloucestershire’s David Smith at 7pm tonight and broadcast on Wednesday, April 15.

You can listen to the debate on BBC Radio Gloucestershire on 104.7fm, 95fm, 95.8fm, 1413AM, DAB and online.

For more information visit: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/ensure-all-parliamentary-candidates-represented-at-stroud-bbc-election-debate