Pre Election, Prime Ministerial Debate 1

[Benji]

on a side point if David Dimbleby was in control of the BBC version of this I could guarentee the debate would be 50 times better

[l444ry]

Just like Vince Fable the other week, Nick Clegg took full advantage of the free ride his opponents gave him. Will be interesting to see how Brown and Cameron approach the next two "debates". Doubt he'll be underestimated again.

[Ultra]

Unless there's a political earthquake in the next 3 weeks, there's no way Clegg will become Prime Minister.

On the basis of this performance, though, there's every chance that he and his party will decide who does enter No. 10 on May 7th.

Brown performed competently enough, and while he may not have won over many floating voters he certainly wasn't the bombscare some were predicting.

Cameron however had a shocker, being patronising and strident in equal measure. His remarks on nuking China show how dangerous he would be on a world stage. Only the most diehard of Tories could rate him as anything other than a distant third on the night.

Most polls indicate a hung parliament and this debate will have done little to change that. But the balance in some Tory/Liberal marginals may have shifted slightly, which could increase Labour's chances of remaining the largest party.

[Shrenchel]

Unless there's a political earthquake in the next 3 weeks, there's no way Clegg will become Prime Minister.

On the basis of this performance, though, there's every chance that he and his party will decide who does enter No. 10 on May 7th.

Brown performed competently enough, and while he may not have won over many floating voters he certainly wasn't the bombscare some were predicting.

Cameron however had a shocker, being patronising and strident in equal measure. His remarks on nuking China show how dangerous he would be on a world stage. Only the most diehard of Tories could rate him as anything other than a distant third on the night.

Most polls indicate a hung parliament and this debate will have done little to change that. But the balance in some Tory/Liberal marginals may have shifted slightly, which could increase Labour's chances of remaining the largest party.

Isn't the number of Labour/Lib Dem marginals quite a bit higher than Tory/Lib Dem ones? I think only 2 of the Lib Dem's top 10 target marginals are Conservative instead of Labour. If I was your boys I'd be shitting a brick.

[Daggers]

Politically bias bollocks

Hmm...

The sound of someone in denial.

[Dr The Singh]

Wasn't impressed with any of them. Nick Clegg had nothing to lose and went for it big time, but this tactic may have backfired as he has already shown his cards.

Gordon, i'm afraid looks like a turkey before thanks giving....ready to be killed. He lacks charisma and this debate shows he lacks substance aswell...........it's amazing how all these wonderful policies and reform are only going to be implemented after the election, wtf has he been doing all this time

With Cameron, I was surprised he didn;t attack either of the opposition and held back quite abit. He looks the more slick but I haven't seen any substance..

Overall, nothing's changed, I like the Lib Dems but they are never gonna win......I wa really hoping Cameron would really provide substance to win my vote. So i'm still undecided, but one thing for sure, I will not be voting Labour!!!

[Jon the Hat]

First impressions not much different from some others:

Clegg as expected looked best, not becuase he is credible or has the slightest clue what he is talking about,. but because neither the Tories or Labour want to risk making him look an idiot, becuase frankly neither can trust that he would be able to put that aside come hung parliament time. His ideas were completely unchallenged, and seemed to come down to tax the very rich and pray they keep paying, while giving everyone else a bung paid for by removing GB permanently from the world stage including the UN security council by cutting Trident. Oh and some other crap he can only pay for if we believe Vince Cable can add up.

Brown simply looked like himself, crass, smug and out of his depth, falling back on his old lines about protecting spending on the NHS, Police and education, as if these areas are not full of dross like everyone else, and as if we can really afford to overlook them in the current circumstances.

Cameron overall struggled a bit, partly becuase Brown is very hard to talk over, and he kept butting in or would not stop talking. Alistair Stewart was useless, and the format with 3 of them trying to debate was terrible. Would have worked much much better with 2. Next time round it should be Opposition Vs 3rd party first, then the incumbent Vs opposition. This will be much better on the BBC, so perhaps keeping the best until last, and having a question time type setup will play into Cameron's hands more.

Cameron's references to focusing on what comes out not what goes in where good, but maybe only if like me the phrases "investment" and "real terms spending increases" from Gordon translate on the way from ears to brain into "throwing money away for another 5 years".

[Dr The Singh]

First impressions not much different from some others:

Clegg as expected looked best, not becuase he is credible or has the slightest clue what he is talking about,. but because neither the Tories or Labour want to risk making him look an idiot, becuase frankly neither can trust that he would be able to put that aside come hung parliament time. His ideas were completely unchallenged, and seemed to come down to tax the very rich and pray they keep paying, while giving everyone else a bung paid for by removing GB permanently from the world stage including the UN security council by cutting Trident. Oh and some other crap he can only pay for if we believe Vince Cable can add up.

Brown simply looked like himself, crass, smug and out of his depth, falling back on his old lines about protecting spending on the NHS, Police and education, as if these areas are not full of dross like everyone else, and as if we can really afford to overlook them in the current circumstances.

Cameron overall struggled a bit, partly becuase Brown is very hard to talk over, and he kept butting in or would not stop talking. Alistair Stewart was useless, and the format with 3 of them trying to debate was terrible. Would have worked much much better with 2. Next time round it should be Opposition Vs 3rd party first, then the incumbent Vs opposition. This will be much better on the BBC, so perhaps keeping the best until last, and having a question time type setup will play into Cameron's hands more.

Cameron's references to focusing on what comes out not what goes in where good, but maybe only if like me the phrases "investment" and "real terms spending increases" from Gordon translate on the way from ears to brain into "throwing money away for another 5 years".

Good point, I couldn't understand why the Liberals were so adamant in curbing our major defence system and deterant which is nuclear arms. The world infact is changing, nations such as Iran, N Korea, Bangladesh and many more nations are in the process of developing Nuclear technology and those with Nuclear arms are infact developing thme further..........Britain can't rely on the US forever!!

[davieG]

I doubt anyone will be changing their mind on who they'll vote for as can be seen from many of the comments on here, the Tory and Labour voters on here see what they want to see and will not change the Lib Dems, others and the don't knows are probably still thinking the same.

I didn't learn anything more about their policies than I already knew, not that there's been any more in-depth discussion on them in the media since it's all been about who won the looks/personalty contest in the style of Miss World rather than what they can deliver and what is best for the people and the country.

The media are the biggest winners, ITV will have racked up some decent advertising revenue and the others will be able to fill hours/pages with bullshit, like who had the best suit/tie/shirt on, who didn't know what to do with their hands and who looked comfortable or not.

[davieG]

Good point, I couldn't understand why the Liberals were so adamant in curbing our major defence system and deterant which is nuclear arms. The world infact is changing, nations such as Iran, N Korea, Bangladesh and many more nations are in the process of developing Nuclear technology and those with Nuclear arms are infact developing thme further..........Britain can't rely on the US forever!!

Are they doing it because they see we and others have got?

[Dr The Singh]

Are they doing it because they see we and others have got?

It depends on where you see Britain is on the world stage and where Britain is going to be.

Unfortunately Britain has been at the forefront of 2 recent majors wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The legacy of those war is that Britain is a weakened nation, the fact that Britain was well under equiped it's tactics flawed has given weaker nations the confidence to not just try and bully Britain but challange Britain eg the Argentines. The wars have also made us a much hated nation, with our current enemies and our new enemies, Britain must be at the forefront of technolgy and the development of arms as a deterant!!

At this moment China, Russia, Israel, US and western european nations have long range nuclear missiles. India, Pakistan, N Korea, Iran are devoloping the same. Smaller nations from ex soviet, Bangladesh, Egypt, Syria have plans for nuclear technology.

The technological differences between west and east are dramitically changing, due to recession and wealth involved, western nations are much more willing to sell arms and technology. For example France have recently sold it's top of the range rafael fighter jets, a 1 billion dollar deal to Egypt. And you have nations like China, who have not ethical boundaries and would sell any of it's arms to any nation.

The arms race is still on, it's not just US and Russia, rising super powers like India and China are a major driving force and then you have all other nations which have issues with others. Iran has set a precentance, all other nations will follow......................

[l444ry]

Each of the three leaders did well and the content and style of the debate was a credit to the men, their parties and our democratic system.

Of the three, Gordon Brown performed the best although this wasn't what the audience thought (according to the polls). He was more rigorous in his debating style, he got the only joke in and for him, he looked very relaxed. Unlike Cameron whose frown was popping off his forehead every time the camera caught him getting frustrated at what his opponents were saying. Nick Clegg has a tendency towards sounding self-righteous. He is a leader who can turn what on paper looks like a rousing call to arms into what sounds when uttered like a sub-6th form debating club rant, in which every other word is emphasised.

But the audience took a differing view. I suspect that part of the reason why he scored so well in the polls and focus groups is that so many of the public are (sadly) so uninterested in politics that the novelty of seeing someone other than Brown and Cameron meant that he picked up an amount of support disproportionate to the quality of his arguments or his debating style

[James.]

Of the three, Gordon Brown performed the best

You're so painfully, stubbornly, blinkered in your support for Labour that this quote is not the least bit suprising but utterly ridiculous.

FYI - I thought Brown was better than Cameron but it's not exactly an engaging choice is it. Like choosing a shit sandwich over a pint of wee.

[Babylon]

Gordon Brown performed the best

Who'd of guessed you would say that.

[davieG]

Intransigence is the cornerstone of party politics so it's not surprising that those who are staunchly Tory or Labour will have viewed Cameron/Brown as coming out of the debates best.

[purpleronnie]

Didn't see it of course, but read various reports online, very happy Clegg did well.

[Lillehamring]

The media are the biggest winners, ITV will have racked up some decent advertising revenue and the others will be able to fill hours/pages with bullshit, like who had the best suit/tie/shirt on, who didn't know what to do with their hands and who looked comfortable or not.

exactly, they were showing it on our main tv station this morning....

i watched for a bit, before realising that they were (still) as bad as each other, so i turned over to watch 'Allo 'Allo....

[davieG]

exactly, they were showing it on our main tv station this morning....

i watched for a bit, before realising that they were (still) as bad as each other, so i turned over to watch 'Allo 'Allo....

In the words of Officer Crabtree we should all have "pissed on this".

[l444ry]

You're so painfully, stubbornly, blinkered in your support for Labour that this quote is not the least bit suprising but utterly ridiculous.

FYI - I thought Brown was better than Cameron but it's not exactly an engaging choice is it. Like choosing a shit sandwich over a pint of wee.

Can't stand New Labour actually. But I make no apologies for playing devil's advocate and contesting the stereotype image that his herd mentality critics trot out.

I maintain that Brown is head and shoulders intellectually over Clegg and that lightweight Cameron.

[Bellend Sebastian]

... like a sub-6th form debating club rant, in which every other word is emphasised.

I'm glad it's not just me that thought that

Like choosing a shit sandwich over a pint of wee.

I'll have a pint of wee please, Jim

[Daggers]

Is there any wee left?

If Bellend has grabbed the last glass I'm going to be mighty annoyed.

[Bellend Sebastian]

I'm sure we can rustle some up.

I have been eating asparagus though

[Jon the Hat]

Can't stand New Labour actually. But I make no apologies for playing devil's advocate and contesting the stereotype image that his herd mentality critics trot out.

I maintain that Brown is head and shoulders intellectually over Clegg and that lightweight Cameron.

He might well be, but sadly he has shown to be shite at using that intellect to do anything effective.

[breadandcheese]

I'll be honest, I got bored of the debate in the end. It was very stale, with neither side wanting to attack the others' points for fear of appearing too aggressive to the viewing audience.

Now, I don't want to see a full style royal rumble, but I would like to see some attacking of policies to see how rigorous they are to debate.

The only real point of interest to me is how Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems unfold over the next two debates. Clegg put in a good performance, which will have made a number of people think again about voting for the two major parties. As a result, I expect the Lib Dems to be treated as a more credible party and be placed under more scrutiny by the media.

[purpleronnie]

I'm glad it's not just me that thought that

I'll have a pint of wee please, Jim

Having tried one, I wouldnt recommend it.