Third Leader's Debate - BBC 29th April

[CatherineHMumsnet]

In anticipation of tomorrow's TV debate, MN will be launching a fifth poll of Mumsnetter voting intentions as soon as the debate finishes. Can Cameron regain the ground he's lost? Will Clegg continue to build on his success following the first and second debates? We'll have to wait and see - but in the meantime, we've put together a handy table showing how your voting intentions and attitudes towards the party leaders have changed over the past four polls

Wubblybubbly - yes I realise nothing is straightforward. But I am always suspicious of initiatives that are focused on one particular populist measure. They almost always backfire in unforeseen ways. Just look at the ridiculous target for every GP patient to get an appointment within 48 hours. For many people, including my father who was suffering from acute high blood pressure and was undergoing heart investigations, it still means they can't get an appointment at all because they don't get through on the phone in time on the day.

I am liking JSP on QT

brockyg, "I think I want Labour's (family friendly) policies but with another leader."

Just had to say, I loved your post. It was 'wicked sick'. Nuf said.

gaelicsheep, it might be populist because it saves lives! At my local hosptial, my initial appointment included getting the biopsy results on the same day! In the almost 7 weeks since I first presented to my GP I've CT scans, bone scans, MRI scans, surgery and am about to start on chemotherapy. I think that's amazing.

I take your point re GPs. I've heard many complaints about getting a GP appointment, I guess it's much worse in some areas than others, but I don't know why? I think the idea of having to call on the morning you want an appointment is ridiculous.

I can see a GP the same day, so long as I don't mind who I see or I can call for an appointment days or weeks ahead. If I just want to talk to a specific GP, they'll happily call and chat to me.

It's very wrong that some people are not getting a decent service from their surgery.

This is interesting on the tory promise re new cancer drugs. So where is the money coming from then?

Sorry to bang on about it but it seems that Labour are trying to reduce the 2 week referral to just one week see here

Good GP service my way...excellent..and I live in greater london. Same day GP, emergency clinics...

gaelicsheep thankyou for explaining so clearly the issue with inheritance tax. I've been trying to explain to people why I think IT threshold should go up but I never seem to sum it up properly and end up being accused of being a rich toff (because all rich toffs live in 2 bed terraces in Suffolk you see)

If IT is not put up as a whole I think houses should be taken out of the equation. I've heard so many stories of people who have been forced to sell the family home in order to cover the IT bill and it seems many farming families are getting caught out too.

midnightexpress - nice one.
Was shocked by the ASDA checkout workers being called 'scum' in such a reasonable tone of voice as though he was saying 'ladies'!!

'well how are they going to prove they have been here that long, there's no records

I think that's part of it Atlantis; the onus is on them, to prove it so with residential details, bills etc. It'd prettu much self screen the ones whoa ctually ahve some semblance of a life and apper trail tbh, although I don't think it will touch the criminal pop as he thinks as theya re the ones without that paperwork. Shame though: have been unfortunate enough to have ahd a tiny brush with that world this year and it's horrid.

OMFG at that vid ME

Don't trust David Cameron
How can the Tories stand there after the miners strike and the selling off of British Rail like a bunch Russian carpetbaggers and say they care about the poor?

Nick Clegg. Hair dyed too dark, bit smarmy, unelectable.

Gordon Brown. That smile is so vile that I hate him. I hate him for the way our country has been dominated by his personal ambition since 1997. It was never what was best for the country it was always me me me. imo. How can he claim to be safe hands for the ecomomy while he sat back and let the banks do what they wanted and only popped in to kiss their arse cheeks.

And what about the mumsnet founders shmoozing up to him and his sleb kissing wife at the mumsnet celebration do? (Photos on this website) I thought that was a bit lame of them although I have massive respect too, it was a blip I forgive but can't quite forget!

last night it became clear that there will not be a hung parliament and that Cameron won on immigration and taxes, it was a bunch of platitudes half truth and contradictory statements but it sure won the popular vote

also in between the lines on his economic proposal there is a clear understanding that unemployment will rise quite significantly because it is a consequence of the measure he wants to implement I expect they will work to the extent that he wants them to but that will be one of the biggest costs and quite soon too

sfxmum - not according to the Angus Reid poll's figures on undecided voters. It found 32% of undecideds were now more likely to vote Lib Dem after last night's debate, 18% Conservative and 15% Labour.

It also found that 46% of undecideds were less likely to vote Conservative after the debate, 37% less likely to vote Labour and 20% less likely to vote Lib Dem.

Of course, it depends on whether the still-undecideds actually vote. But Cameron was largely preaching to the converted there.

Why do people want a huge parliament? Do they actually know it mean we will almost certianly have another election within 12 months.
Nothing will be done to tackle the deficit.
The politians will just bicker and make secret deals and we will still have Peter Bloody Mandelson involved in running our country.

Why would anyone want that????

I think many people want a hung parliament to force through the issue of electoral reform, ronshar.

Moleaworth, that is my feeling.

Yes. I'd much rather have a Lib Dem majority, but I'm not bothered by a hung parliament as such.

@wubblybubbly Re. Labour pledge for 2 week turnaround on referrals for cancer cases. I work for a cancer charity and can confirm that this was also promised in their manifesto prior to the last election- but it didn't happen...

and yes, ronshar, I'm very worried by the deficit too, but I'm not in favour of major cuts in the next 12 months. Just as long as a proper deficit-cutting plan is in place for after that (which I don't trust Labour to do if given free rein).

I see. And I do understand that things need a shake up.
However is electoral reform the most important thingf we have to worry about at the moment?

We are a nation that instinctively works with a majority government. Every time in the past coalition govs have crumbled and havent been very sucsessful.
We are not like the swedes. Unfortunate as I would love blonde hair

I think the reason electoral reform matters is because I feel would make people more engaged and that their vote actually matter
of course the reform can be mucked up royally too

I don't like huge majority governments they act without proper accountability particularly when the going is good
and sometimes that majority does not even represent the majority of the actual votes

I have just seen an advert for a Come dine with me special for election night.

Looks a beauty

Sxf. I agree. It stinks.