Britain’s Second Election TV Debate
Last week the Brits were able to see a first for their nation as the candidates for Prime Minister debated on national television. Tonight a second debate was held.
This is an amazing contest. Consider that if Mr Brown wins, it will be a record-breaking fourth consecutive victory for Labor.. If David Cameron wins for the Conservatives it will be with the biggest swing to the party from Labor in the past 60 years. If neither big party manages to get an absolute majority, it will mean the first hung parliament since February 1974, and only the second since 1929. That might give Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, the power to determine whether Mr Brown stays on or Mr Cameron takes over from him. Amazing fun!!
This was an intriguing contest in which the leaders bounced between agreement and aggression in the blink of an eye. Cheeky (often pre-prepared) jibes were replaced in seconds by razor sharp thrusts, and some brief flashes of anger.
After the edge-of-the-seat excitement of the opening debate, this wasn’t quite as gripping a piece of political theatre. And it felt like a much more even contest.
Of course, Nick Clegg was always going to come under more sustained attack and scrutiny. But other than on Trident, it was hard for Mr Cameron and Mr Brown to “gang up” on the Lib Dem leader. So he never really found himself under serious fire on two fronts at once.
But neither did Mr Clegg find it quite as straightforward as last week to present himself as a fresh voice on one side, opposing the “two old parties” on the other. Perhaps, his position in the centre of the stage did not help in this regard.
Last week, Mr Clegg was able to announce his political arrival in pretty stunning fashion. This debate was never going to allow one candidate to burst to sudden prominence. But the Lib Dems believe their leader put in another very good performance.
Gordon Brown’s team will feel that he delivered what he promised at the beginning. “If it’s all about style and PR count me out,” said the prime minister in his opening statement. As the debate went on, Labour believe their leader got stronger.
Team Cameron think their man delivered a much more assured performance than last week. He was more willing to get stuck in, and seemed considerably less awkward. But was it enough of an improvement to change the dynamics of the election?
