TV Debate - who did best?

[JustineMumsnet]

So there you have it. History in the making; the UK's first live Leaders' election debate. Who do you think did best? Has it confirmed/ clarified your choice or even changed your mind?

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Thanks,
MNHQ

We have a Lib Dem MP where I live (they have a lot of constituencies in the South West) and we are therefore very well acquainted with Lib Dem party policies.

Yesterday's TV debate was an exercise in the "politics of personality" US style. People are naturally going to comment on how slick a PR job NC could pull off - he has had FAR less media exposure than GB and DC.

This will be the 8th General Election I've voted in. Have never voted yet for a party just 'cos the leader has shiny shoes and a winning smile!

MNHQ - can we get an idea of our results? See if they are the same bandied around in the papers (i.e. NC, DC, GB)

I would be astounded if DC not last on here??

I wonder if there should be a way we could test the leaders before deciding who to vote for, you know, put them on an island and see who starts crying first. Put them in a hypothetical crisis and let them get on with it with us watching from afar.

I agree with the people saying NC came across well, and with those who thought GB did ok [considering he isn't a natural] and those who think DC is a bit meh.

I know who I definately won't be voting for, but am also now more undecided between the other two.
I find it hard to cut through the rubbish and see what they are really saying iyswim, which I understand may be the point of alot of it, but makes things hard work.

I agree DC underperformed, but I think dyed in the wool Tory supporters, and people tactical voting to keep Labour out will not worry about his performance in the end. As someone else said, it's who's controlling their strings that matters - policies not personality and body language. If you are undecided then all the theatre of last night could make a difference, but do passionate labour supporters think any less of Labour because Gordon Brown finds it hard to smile in public and not like someone stuck a poker up his arse? I doubt it.

Everyone wanted their 'favourite' to do best, but if they had a favourite at all then I doubt last night changes many people's minds.

Also must add:

'I'm down with everyone, even the foreigns and the poors!' is a class line. I wish I'd said it.

I agree about DC looking like a retro knitting pattern btw, even his hair had that weird sculpted look.

I was getting a bit tired of all of them going on about 'I met a selfless martyr of a woman who runs a community centre for limbless children, in the armpit- end-of-nowheresville last week, who had been burgled 47 times blah blah.'

It's all just in case we thought they never actually left their ivory towers and mixed with the peasants, which of course, ordinarily they don't, and won't do again once the election is over.

And what was GB's obession with chefs? He must have mentioned them four times. Is every single immigrant from the last ten years seeking work as a chef or something?

Interestingly my colleague listened to it on the radio and said that Nick Clegg came across terribly when you couldn't see him.

Ooh, another thing - do you think they thought our soldiers in Afghanistan were brave?

I watched the debate with my 2 teenage daughters, one who will vote for the first time and i thought it would help her make sense of the issues for each party, franky we all got a bit bored after an hour but in unison we all pretty mucn agree that NC was unprofessional as he kept smirking and rolling hsi eyes, GB well he has just got the country into too much debt, so our house remains blue as always.

cinammontoast too bloody right our troops are brave! The politicians cannot say it enough as far as I am concerned.

Speaks as a proud RAF wife.

GB reminds me of my old headmaster - which is a good thing he is a lovely man. Thought he won on gravitas.

ROFL about the knitting pattern remark relating to DC. Spot on.

Will be voting Lib Dem where I live Labour dont have a chance and our existing Lib Dem MP active and good so glad NC did well. Do find it annoying that the consensus is that NC and the Lib Dems will never win the election. Why? If enough vote for them they will. The Liberals ran the country for years before the First World War I think [dodgy history emoticon].

I just really dont think I could bear 4 years of having to look at DC and George Osbourne that Tory boy toff Eton old boy vibe is nauseating shudder.

CaveMum, of course they are, and I admire anyone who does that job. But did you feel that it was a little mechanical last night?

I can't vote for someone who wears more make up than me so that rules DC out. I also thought he came across as surprisingly lightweight. Apparently he had been told not to go on the attack as that loses him votes but clearly that is when he performs at his best (eg PMQs.

GB performed as expected - very bright and measured but without the personality to inspire and lead.

NC was a complete revelation. I started out thinking I was watching a 6th form interloper and had revised my opinion completely by the end. He came across as credible and sincere.

We have an excellent Tory MP where we live (Theresa May). She is very good on local issues but not sure I could actually vote Tory. Our local Lib Dem council is an absolute shower so it is going to be hard to make a decision.

Wanted to punch DC every time he patronised us by telling us how his children are in a "state school"

Yeah, right, Dave a state faith school on bleedin' Kensington Church Street ie the poshest state school in the land. And don't play the religious card because if you really did choose the school on the basis of faith, why didn't you send them to one of the handful of CofE schools nearer your house?

Cheating the system and then banging on about how you're one of the masses will not win you my vote

Of course it was mechanical, but it needs to be said and often.

And preferably with some sincerity, rather than just paying lip service. They just sounded like the tabloids.

Nick Clegg was educated at Westminster and then went to Cambridge. So he's absolutely one of us, right?

His children go to a Catholic school in London. He has said he's an atheist, but it was ok to go with a religious school when it suited him. Furthermore, he has not ruled out paying for his kids' secondary education.

Yes, all soldiers were brave, and all nurses were angels, carers were unsung heros and heroines.

I particularly liked Nick Clegg's comment on needing smaller class sizes, because teachers are so busy keeping an eye on the disruptive and poorly disciplined pupils that they can't give the 'bright' children the attention they deserve!

Nick Clegg is an atheist but his wife is a Catholic, hence the schooling decision.

Our LibDem MP owns SEVEN homes. No wonder he supports more housebuilding.

I'd be interested to see if David Cameron would be so keen to send his children to state school if it had to be in an average neighbourhood in an average town. Well, of course he wouldn't, but then I doubt Gordon would either. But he can't sent them to Eton, can he now? That would be political suicide. But to bash him for his cosy choice is unfair - he's no different to Tony Blair in that regard.

He did keep having to mention it though, didn't he? The Etonian Toff thing is a real thorn in his side. I was waiting for him to say 'Did I mention we took the kiddiewinks to Maccy D's last week? Did I mention my wife reads Take A Break?'

NIck Clegg has won the debate - but Dave Cameron will make a better PM for sure. Gordon Brown is genuine and a good economist - but a not-good-enough PM - he should have never taken the job...

Why is it unfair to bash DC for his school choice because TB did it? I bashed Tony in exactly the same way at the time. It is grossly hypocritical to play the system and then tell everyone what an ordinary bloke you are

And actually Gordo (of whom I'm not generally a fan) sends his dcs to a very bog-standard "state" school. He could send them to a closer faith school, as he is obviously a genuine Christian, but has chosen not to, which ime is just masochism. But all credit to him for being the only one not to bring his kiddywinks into the debate at all

NC won yesterday IMO. However, dh who will be voting Conservative thought that DC was the most convincing. As they said on radio 4, most people who have a strong political conviction thought their own man won!

I'm a floating voter, and cannot make my mind up between Lib Dems and Tory. I am more of a liberal, but am also concerned that the lib dems are moving too far from their liberal roots. I am pro free trade, pro Europe and anti ID cards, databases and big state (but pro NHS and state education both of which I use and are vital for everyone).

forget GB or NC getting a look in now, look who DC has got on his side www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7597261/General-Election-2010-Gary-Barlow-unveiled-as- David-Cameron-backer.html