Alex Salmond has offered to drop his threat of legal action to block a series of televised leaders' debates during next year's general election campaign if broadcasters agree to give him a prominent role as a pundit.
The first minister warned last week that he would challenge plans by the BBC, ITV and Sky News for the debates between Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg.
He accused the BBC of breaching its obligations to impartiality and fairness by excluding the Scottish National party from talks on the debate. Plaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party, also threatened action.
Salmond, claims he could use electoral law to prevent the corporation broadcasting such a debate in Scotland, where the SNP is the party of government.
But senior