The third, and final, leaders’ election debate aired on the BBC on Thursday 29th April.  Tell us what you thought of it. Who handled it best and why?

I actually don’t bother to watch the debates. Too much about politics of personality and too Americanised (may as well just read about them in the papers although I know the papers are horribly biased), plus I haven’t actually voted for any of those three parties - I voted Green - so I also see it as unfairly limited a choice.

By the way, how I choose who to vote for is by reading and comparing side by side the policies of all the parties.

I also didn’t watch the final leaders debate I actually just watched the highlights on the news afterwards and I’m currently watching Question Time because I find they go more in-depth and it’s less stylised.  However regardless of how the party leaders do on the leaders debate I will still be voting Labour because for me their manifesto is fairer than the others.  However I would agree that neighter the Lib Dem’s, Conservertives or Labour are telling the truth about the spending cuts they will have to make in order to tackle the budget deficit.

Seems I’m the only one that did see all of the debates. Nick Clegg had that new-boy edge in the first debate but gradually David Cameron seems to have come out on top over the three programmes - not that it will affect the way I will vote though. In the final debate, Brown was just a joke - all he did was constantly mention the Tories scrapping the Child Tax Credits and shake his head every time Cameron spoke. I got nothing from him except despondency and dispair. Clegg and Cameron were more up beat and positive, but whether they are right or wrong is another matter.

BUT, not one of them really tackled the deficit and debt issue. How on earth are we going to pay it all back? £800+ billion in debt, increasing by £167 billion per annum. And all they did was quibble over £6 billion. Like me worrying about the postage stamp on my £50,000 credit card bill. We are in for a lot of pain people, no matter who gets in. Shame I can’t vote Monster Raving Loony Party in my constituency - at least they admit they are mad and we’ll all have a laugh before UK Plc is repossessed.

Why won’t any of them actually give a straight answer to anything that they are asked?  Drives me mad. Feel like I’m just hearing the same old default responses from all three of them now and it’s getting really tedious.

KingK - 30 April 2010 10:52 AM

Why won’t any of them actually give a straight answer to anything that they are asked?  Drives me mad. Feel like I’m just hearing the same old default responses from all three of them now and it’s getting really tedious.

All these debates were ever going to be about was presentation style with rehearsed soundbites and speeches already prepared.There was never going to be any real cut and thrust debating as it was potentially too risky for any of them to let loose and answer any questions honestly and directly.

The debates have made no difference me as I was always going to vote Labour. I know they’re not perfect but the thought of the Lib Dems in power is laughable and the thought of a David Cameron Tory government is frightening - George Osborne in charge of the economy,  no thanks!

HoddinottM - 30 April 2010 09:58 AM

Seems I’m the only one that did see all of the debates. Nick Clegg had that new-boy edge in the first debate but gradually David Cameron seems to have come out on top over the three programmes - not that it will affect the way I will vote though. In the final debate, Brown was just a joke - all he did was constantly mention the Tories scrapping the Child Tax Credits and shake his head every time Cameron spoke. I got nothing from him except despondency and dispair. Clegg and Cameron were more up beat and positive, but whether they are right or wrong is another matter.

BUT, not one of them really tackled the deficit and debt issue. How on earth are we going to pay it all back? £800+ billion in debt, increasing by £167 billion per annum. And all they did was quibble over £6 billion. Like me worrying about the postage stamp on my £50,000 credit card bill. We are in for a lot of pain people, no matter who gets in. Shame I can’t vote Monster Raving Loony Party in my constituency - at least they admit they are mad and we’ll all have a laugh before UK Plc is repossessed.

I completely agree on the head shaking… it drove me bananas.  Stop shaking your head man!  We should be inspired to vote, not fearful of voting.  For me, Brown turned into a scare-mongering b*****d last night, constantly mentioning the threat of a “double-dip recession”.

I’m not pro-Conservative or Lib Dem either, so what to do next Thursday….?  Think I’ll read-up on the Greens - I’m sure they’re not just a load of eco-warrior hippies really…

At the end of the debate i warmed to the liberal democrats as some of their policies were more appealing.However i found that neither of the parties were definite in where they were going to make spending cuts, however nick cleggs idea that all the parties should come together to look at where we need to decrease out overspending was a good one.The debates is a good forum to listen to all the parties at the same time, but more participation by the audience was needed.

I know it’s a cliche - but no matter who you vote for, the government will still get in.

These people have no real concern for the likes of you and me. They will continue lining their own pockets and doing exactly what the big bankers and corporations tell them to do.

If politicians really cared what we thought, we wouldn’t have gone in to Iraq.