Downing Street has insisted the Prime Minister is only willing to take part in one televised leaders' debate before the General Election after four major broadcasters repeated they were planning to stage three.
David Cameron's spokesman was responding after Sky News, Channel 4, the BBC and ITV said they were sticking to their plan of hosting one head-to-head contest between the Prime Minister and Labour leader Ed Miliband and two pitting seven party leaders against each other ahead of polling on 7 May.
Earlier this week, Mr Cameron issued an ultimatum to the organisations, saying he would only agree to take part in a single debate involving seven party leaders in the week beginning 23 March and before the election campaign.
Labour has accused Mr Cameron of trying to "bully" broadcasters into dropping plans for a two-way contest - which Sky News and Channel 4 plan to host.
The four organisations have said this debate needs to take place - as well as the two seven-way debates of a minimum of two hours each, involving the leaders of the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Greens, UKIP, SNP and Plaid Cymru.
But in a response to the broadcasters, spokesman Craig Oliver said: "I made the Prime Minister's final position clear in my last letter - he is willing to do a seven-way debate in the week beginning 23 March.
"Clearly it is disappointing that you are not prepared to take him up on that offer. I am ready to discuss at your convenience the logistics of making the debate we have suggested happen."
Mr Miliband said: "It is make your mind up time for David Cameron. He can keep running from these debates with me and show himself to be a weak leader running from his record.
"Or he can agree to the debates which the British people deserve and that our democracy needs."
Mr Cameron said he would agree to one 90-minute debate of at least seven leaders, and possibly also the DUP in Northern Ireland, before the end of March.
He said: "What I have done is unblock the log jam that I am afraid the broadcasters help to create and said 'let's have the debate that gives everybody a say and let's get on with it before the campaign'."
The Downing Street ultimatum earlier this week was made in a letter sent to Sue Inglish, the chair of the broadcasters' leaders' debates committee, by Mr Cameron's communications director Mr Oliver.
But the broadcasters want their three debates to take place on 2 April (ITV), 16 April (BBC) and 30 April (Sky News and Channel 4) and are urging the Prime Minister to appear in all of them.
They wrote a letter to Mr Oliver, saying: "We have consistently set out our intention to hold three debates during the unusually long formal election campaign period - 30 March to 7 May 2015.
"We spaced the planned debates two weeks apart, twice the length of time between debates as compared to 2010. The dates - 2 April, 16 April and 30 April - were first published in October 2014 and have not been changed.
"We believe that the formal election period is the right time to hold election debates.
"It is the point at which the parties have published their election manifestos and the point at which the electorate as a whole is most engaged with discussion of election issues and the public debate about the future of the country."
Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg called on him to take part in three contests, tweeting: "Come on @David_Cameron you haven't got your own way so accept it and take part. #tvdebates."
UKIP leader Nigel Farage said: I am pleased the broadcasters have stood firm at last. Would have been better to stick to the original proposal which included fewer parties. Nonetheless accept the challenge."
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said: "I will debate David Cameron anytime, anywhere, and on any number of occasions - but a Tory Prime Minister simply cannot be allowed to dictate terms to everyone else."
Peter Robinson of the DUP told Sky News: "I wonder who the broadcasters think they are, that they just set down a diktat and we all follow."
However, he added: "No politician, in my view, if they are given that offer of having that airtime to speak directly to the electorate, will want to miss that opportunity. Certainly I don't."
Sky News and Channel 4 have already said they are prepared to hold the two-way debate on a different date if the leaders of the Labour and Conservative parties can agree.
All four broadcasters said in a statement: "Some 22 million people watched the leaders' debates in 2010 and there is a public desire and expectation for them to happen again in 2015.
"The broadcasters proposals have come after extensive work over the last six months to ensure the public have the opportunity to watch televised election debates once more.
"The group have worked in an independent, impartial manner, treating invited parties on an equitable basis. They have listened to the views expressed by all parties and adapted the proposals to take into account electoral support."
They added: "The broadcasters will continue to work closely with all parties invited to take part in the televised debates to bring them to their millions of viewers across the UK.
"The heads of news of all four broadcasters would welcome the opportunity to meet Mr Cameron, or his representatives, to discuss the debates."
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