First ever televised prime ministerial debates

[travelin cat]

Considering how wonderful it is to watch the Parliament duke it out (makes our U.S. congress look like the weenies they are) I would love to watch these debates.

Anyone know if and where they may be shown in the U.S.?

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

I don't know about TV but it's online. Last night's debate was on ITV. Go to ITV dot com and you can watch it there.

[engine]

There are strict rules over how it all works, so it's a bit starchy. As BeeDeeDubbleU said, it's on the itvPlayer from their site.

[Matthew1980]

Hi there all,

I watched this debate last night, but I really wished as the audience could have reacted to what was being said. From what I have understood, the audience were told that to be there they had to abide by some rules, such as: No clapping or laughing, only speaking if you were asked to ask your question. Seems pretty bad if you couldn't react to what was being said.

Made me laugh this morning on Sky when the polls had come back giving Nick Clegg a pat on the back.

But yes, drop onto the itv.com website there should be some vids there somewhere.

Try: [itv.com ]

There are some more debates due soon :)

9 Million people tuned in according to Radio 2 just...

Cheers,
MRb

[Old_Honky]

Made me laugh this morning on Sky when the polls had come back giving Nick Clegg a pat on the back.

I don't know why, he was the bookies favourite and IMHO did very well. He had everything to gain and nothing to loose so he went for it.

His popularity does not necessarily translate into votes although it might. We must watch the polls. These are exciting times.

[piatkow]

The popularity will translate into votes, just not enough in any one constituency to do any good.

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

I think in most cases people's entrenched political views influence how we see this. I personally thought Gordon Brown spoke a lot of sense while David Cameron came across as his usual smarmy patronising self. He definitely overdid the make up. He looked like a Tussaud's dummy. :)

[Rugles]

From what I have understood, the audience were told that to be there they had to abide by some rules, such as: No clapping or laughing,

These are the standard rules for the audiences of debates in Canada and the US. Its a good rule, otherwise half the debate will be one side clapping the other side booing.

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

Not only that but loud clapping or jeering of any single point would influence viewer's perception.

[Old_Honky]

The popularity will translate into votes, just not enough in any one constituency to do any good.

The latest polls disagree; Cleggy boy's mob have moved up from a distant third to second in two polls and a close third in another. The projection at this level was another 40 seats for the Lib Dems and Labour the biggest party. I think it will get much worse for the two older parties - the next debate is about foreign policy and the Lib Dems are the only party that opposed the recent wars, which is currently a very popular stance. I expect them to reach even giddier heights after the next debate.

It is definitely a three horse race, and two of them are already looking like tired old nags.

[Mark_A]

The debate was so captivating that I slept through it and only woke up at the end! :-)

[ronin]

Whilst I approve of the idea of live, televised debates, I wince when I see three Prime Ministerial candidates debating head-to-head.

I thought we were supposed to have a Cabinet-led Parliamentary Democracy but you'd be hard-pressed to see any evidence for it. All the debates achieve is to consolidate in the popular imagination that the British Prime Minister is "like a President" when he or she isn't. (Regardless of how Thatcher and Blair's runaway egos liked to portray themselves).

The Prime Minister is just the First Minister in a Cabinet of Ministers.

I'd prefer to see debating teams of four or five, on each podium, with each member taking turns to respond to relevant questions.

Any chance of a revival of cabinet-led government any time soon?

[Syzygy]

Welcome to the decades-old world of personality politics, Ronin! :-)

[graeme_p]

The Prime Minister is just the First Minister in a Cabinet of Ministers.

That is how it ought to be, but the system has been twisted over the years.

The prime minister appoints and sacks the others so has always had a hold on the others. Now there are more political appointees in government jobs, replacing career civil servants, the powers of ministers have been increased (to the point where, for example, the executive can deprive people of citizenship or various rights) at the expense of the power of the judiciary and extensive use of delegated legislation have all increased the power of the cabinet (and therefore the PM).

[Old_Honky]

Sadly personality is all that matters nowadays. The issues are barely understood by most of the electorate, I think there is a good case for some sort of basic test before you are allowed to vote. We don't let criminals or insane people vote but we let stupid people, why?

Personally I love these presidential style debates, it has livened the whole thing up and generated more interest in voting so voter registrations are up. The Tory press are currently all making the big mistake of trying to vilify the Lib Dem leader which just puts his face in front of more people so the band wagon rolls on.

Tonight's debate (widely tipped by TV "experts" as the point when it could all go wrong for the 3rd party) is mainly on foreign policy. As the Lib Dem's were the only party to speak up against the Iraq and Afghan military action and the anti war brigade seem to be in the majority they could pick up even more support.

If the Tory tries to make Europe the issue he will miss the target because it is not something the majority see as a problem.

I think the key thing is going to be how Brown and Cameron respond to Clegg's ascendency, they have a real problem if they knock him too much they will look defensive and if they agree with him too much they will appear as followers not leaders. What they should do is ignore him and just be themselves, but will their spin doctors allow them to?

I predict they will all look directly in the camera and you won't hear the words "I agree with Nick" quite so often. I think the Lib Dem bandwagon will continue and after tonight's debate they will gain another 2 to 3 percentage points in the polls although whether that will translate into votes on the 6th May is another question.

I think it is great fun.

[graeme_p]

I think the key thing is going to be how Brown and Cameron respond to Clegg's ascendency

I would bet on a variation of the old "wasted vote" strategy: tell people what a bad thing a hung parliament would be.

[piatkow]

The popularity will translate into votes, just not enough in any one constituency to do any good.

The latest polls disagree;

That was how Liberal "revivals" always went in the past and my comment was made before the polls came out. The fact that it looks different this time is why the press is getting excited.

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

Kaled, you and I must have been getting too political? ;)