My DW wants to know why Nick Clegg is attracting female votes: She just does not get it.

[BeenBeta]

My DW has asked me to post this as she is very interested in politics and often asks what the MN vote is thinking. She is not a party worker or candidate but just interested.

It is said that Nick Clegg is bringing young people, public sector workers and women over to Lib Dem from Labour.

DW is neither young nor public sector but want to know why as a woman she should be swayed.

We aren't actually trying to impress you, Monkey. Just talking amongst ourselves. And men do actually talk about the sexuality of female politicians - all that horrible sneering at Anne Widdecome, for starters.

The X Factor election, that's exactly right BeenBeta.

Watched the PEB last night from Lib Dems, how can he afford to do all he is proposing without making massive cuts elsewhere or hiking up taxes?

Take the class sizes thing, he proposes that they'll cut class sizes to 20 in Primary schools. That would cost a blooming fortune to implement, extra staff, extra space needing to be created in schools etc.

Impractical.

AvadaKedavra - The Lib Dems have published their figures, the other parties haven't. So, glass houses.

WilfandWilma - I'm absolutely staggered that only 25% of the population think that deficit reduction is a priority. No wonder Labour are still polling as high as 26% or whatever they're on now.

And anyway, why do we compare three party leaders having a debate to the X Factor? Would it have been better to have had no debates at all, then - to fight elections using expensive billboards that shout at us, and by calling in political editors one by one to give them smears?

Three people on a podium - it's just so rotten and manipulable, isn't it? Daring to use body language and to brush your hair - shocking. Writing down slogans! Remembering names! The list of crimes goes on and on.

edam - apologies if that came out wrongly, I'm not looking to be impressed or to criticise people for discussing things in any way they want. And I agree with you about men and female politicians, my point is that it voting should be about policy and ethics rather than image.

I do worry that, as others have said here, the election could be turned into an X Factor-type poll - based on image rather than policy. Although at least the TV debates (I am watching the Scottish one right now)are getting more people interested.

It would be good to hear from other parties though.

Image rather than policy has been a factor for generations though. It's what boosted Kennedy after the TV debate with Nixon - people who heard it on radio thought Nixon had won, those who saw it on TV reacted to Nixon looking grim and unshaven compared to Kennedy's youth (and nous in actually putting on make up to appear on TV).

Should have said, thanks for the apology and glad to hear it was mistakes in translation rather than anything else.

Monkeydaddy, it's clear from Facebook groups that the younger generation look up policy as if it's the most natural thing in the world (and they know how to argue it, too). People on here look up policy. Those who aren't as online as much watch the debates.

In all groups, however, I think this election has brought a major increase in how much effort people are putting into learning about policies. Just think what the norm used to be - people voted totally tribally, or on the basis of what the Sun told them etc.