THE leader of the Wales Green Party has welcomed a BBC Wales U-turn after they initially refused to invite her to a televised Welsh leaders’ debate.

The youngest leader of any political party in the UK, Machynlleth resident Alice Hooker-Stroud, who is also lead list candidate for Mid Wales and West, was previously told by BBC Wales that she did not meet the qualifying criteria to be invited to the leadership debate on 26 April, ahead of the Welsh Assembly elections in May.

But following a Wales Green Party campaign, backed by the Electoral Reform Society Cymru, BBC Wales has announced it will now be inviting Ms Hooker-Stroud.

Ms Hooker-Stroud said: “A proper democracy requires that voters are well informed and can make a proper choice.

“Our participation in political debates ahead of the assembly elections is vital to making that happen.”

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