Halfway through tonight's debate I tweeted that whatever else has happened tonight, Nick Clegg has shown he is in the same league as Gordon Brown and David Cameron.
But it was better than that. Nick Clegg was the clear winner of the debate. He was the most responsive to the audience and got in far more policy than David Cameron, who just did just did not have enough to say to fill 90 minutes.
Meanwhile Gordon Brown came over like a well-meaning speak your weight machine.
My chief memory of the night will be Brown's sheer incomprehension when asked a question about the need for more liberal education.
The other thing I should, say given that I was a debate sceptic, is that it was more entertaining than I expected. The presence of three leaders made it more fluid and spontaneous than the American Presidential debates.
A little more noise from the audience might have helped - Ask the Chancellors hardly ended in a riot - but no doubt the broadcasters will take it slowly.
If Labour and the Conservatives agree to more debates after this experience, that is.
4 comments:
It was actually shown on Spanish TV. My comments: http://lavengro.typepad.com/lavengro_in_spain/2010/04/the-british-political-debate.html
"Meanwhile Gordon Brown came over like a well-meaning speak your weight machine."
I disagree. I don't think he was at all well meaning - especially not when he lied about the numbers of unemployed like me!
I was certainly well impressed by Clegg though, the hands-down winner. He made me really think about my stance on constitutional reform (although I am certainly no convert to PR). Fully agree with your comments on conversion from debate sceptic.
OMG
Cameron sometimes doesn't have enough to say to fill 10 minutes. Since he will have rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed for the debate, if he runs the country he will need several clones in order to be able to keep up with his job.
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