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ConHome's expert panel give their take on tonight's debate

DEBATEREACTION

ConservativeHome assembled an expert panel of political commentators to give readers their take on tonight's debate. Here's what they have to say:

Michael Brown 2009 Michael Brown - Independent columnist and Conservative MP between 1979 and 1997

Without hearing any other TV pundit or listening to any opinion poll my immediate reaction is that Nick Clegg scored over the other two. He did this by one very simple trick. He looked straight into the camera throughout. Cameron and Brown both concentrated on looking at the audience which meant that to the viewer they looked more shifty. No great clanger was dropped by anyone. It was less stilted - although repititious - than I expected. I predict the Lib Dems will get an immediate poll bounce.

Michael Dobbs Michael Dobbs - Author, journalist and former Deputy Chairman of both the Conservative Party and Saatchi & Saatchi

I was a sceptic about the value of these leadership programmes - and remain so.  It wasn't a debate of any sort, but a series of statements with very little interchange, and no real pressure, no revelations, no knockouts blows.

It won't have helped many people make up their minds.  It felt particularly artificial without any audience feedback.  Brown's tactics are clear - to argue as though he's an opposition leader without any responsibility for the last 13 years.  Law and order, immigration, MPs' expenses, education - the current position is unacceptable: we must do more! Sadly, he wasn't nailed for his repeated claims that he's given the armed forces everything they wanted in Afghanistan.

Clegg inevitably had a soft ride - the framework suits third parties, but Cameron came on particularly strong at the end with his appeal to hope over Brown's offering of fear.  More of that, please!

Sheila Gunn Sheila Gunn - Political consultant and former press adviser to John Major

Well, were voters swayed? Was anything new said by any of them? Maybe not.  All three played true to character most of the time. Cameron coped best, as expected.  Brown survived, while Clegg thrived. 

And it was Nick Clegg who looked like the key beneficiary for the first part.  Then it started to look like there was barely a sliver of difference between him and Brown, almost to the point where he appeared to be the PM’s eager young protégé.   Clegg was sharp enough to sense the danger and unearthed a few reasons for disagreeing with Brown.  Maybe Conservative canvassers could resurrect the highly successful `1992 election line that “a vote for the liberals is a vote for Labour”?

Then halfway through Brown clearly forgot all that training from Campbell and Mandelson and reverted to type, giving long lists, hammering away at arguments, a few nasty jibes.  His words were like invisible particles of volcanic ash clogging up a plane’s engines. Exhausting, depressing and debilitating.  Bring on the next one!

Picture 3 Nick Wood - Managing Director of Media Intelligence Partners and former Press Secretary to William Hague and Iain Duncan Smith

A score draw. But one with a winner. Nick Clegg is now a national figure, having started the night as leader of an insignificant party most of the media and the political class could safely ignore. A hung Parliament is even
more likely.

Cameron was assured and well briefed. Gordon made a joke and looked quasi-human. But Clegg was allowed to play with the big boys - and took his chance. Dave will have to take the gloves off - and soon. Less detail - more oomph.

Charles LewingtonCharles Lewington - Managing Director of Hanover Communications and former Press Secretary to John Major

Cameron needed to be mature and statesmanlike and he pulled the trick in ways that I suspect the debate polls won't immediately confirm. Clegg did well bustling in with his 'honest' (though dishonest) politics but he looked like a boy and it's not enough to deliver a serious third party vote in a big change election on May 6. Gordon wasn't a train crash but people stopped listening to him and his 'net inward migration' numbers long ago. DC's final 'work hard and we'll stand behind you' entreaty was pure Sarkozy and I loved it.

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