A deal has been reached...

 

Live Q&A session with David Cameron & Ed Miliband (separately) on Sky News + Channel 4 (26th March)

Leaders debate featuring the 7 parties previously mentioned on ITV (2nd April)

Opposition leaders debate featuring the 5 non-governing parties on BBC One (16th April)

Primetime Question Time special with the 3 main party leaders (appearing separately) on BBC One (30th April)

FFS!

So, Miliband gets to appear in four debates, Cameron three and Clegg just two (including one which is so crowded that no leader will face any real examination). How does that satisfy impartiality rules?

Sounds good to me. Stops Leaders scoring points off each other, and might be good to actually share their policies instead of trying to bat each other down.

Sounds good to me. Stops Leaders scoring points off each other, and might be good to actually share their policies instead of trying to bat each other down.

But will the people chairing these debates actually ask some difficult questions? Or will they just bow and scrape before Cameron in their usual way?

Sounds good to me. Stops Leaders scoring points off each other, and might be good to actually share their policies instead of trying to bat each other down.

I agree, hopefully it gives a chance for them to discuss policies properly. I'm extremely tired of every politician attacking the other parties, it's boring and does nothing to help me decide where my vote is going.

But will the people chairing these debates actually ask some difficult questions? Or will they just bow and scrape before Cameron in their usual way?

 

The presenters are David Dimbleby (BBC), Julie Etchingham (ITV), Jeremy Paxman and Kay Burley (Channel 4 + Sky News).

 

Dimbleby and Paxman have a proven record in the political world of course, Burley's get a record for being a dick but I don't know much about Etchingham.

 

So, Miliband gets to appear in four debates, Cameron three and Clegg just two (including one which is so crowded that no leader will face any real examination). How does that satisfy impartiality rules?

 

Apparently Clegg was excluded from the BBC debate at the request of David Cameron! :o

worst of all worlds.

 

One show with 7 answers to the same questions will be tedious and fairly limited for time reasons. Miliband vs Cameron gives them opportunity to just slag each other off, as opposed to debate, 5 opposition parties without right of response from the the other 2 will just be government-attacking, so the only one that really counts is the last one.

 

I would have preferred a tub of lard to be honest...

The presenters are David Dimbleby (BBC), Julie Etchingham (ITV), Jeremy Paxman and Kay Burley (Channel 4 + Sky News).

 

Dimbleby and Paxman have a proven record in the political world of course, Burley's get a record for being a dick but I don't know much about Etchingham.

Apparently Clegg was excluded from the BBC debate at the request of David Cameron! :o

So, if those presenters want to restore some faith in the process, here are some questions for Cameron.

 

In the last election campaign, you said "No top-down reorganisation of the NHS. How did that work out?"

 

How much money has your party received from companies and individuals who have benefited financially from your NHS reorganisation?

 

In his first Budget, the Chancellor promised to eliminate the deficit by 2015. He failed, didn't he?

 

Your party chairman, Grant Shapps lied about whether he had a second job after being elected as an MP. When a constituent accused him of having a second job, he threatened the constituent with legal action unless there was a full apology. Why is Shapps still in the Cabinet?

 

Have you had any contact with Andy Coulson recently?

 

You have accused the Leader of the Opposition of being "a waste of space". Is that language fitting for a Prime Minister or does it demean the office you hold?

 

You said you wanted to be PM "because I thought I'd be good at it". Do you still think that?

Good questions.

 

sadly most of these will be basically Andrew Mart type solo interviews so not worth watching as they will add nothing a normal interview couldn't cover.

Good questions.

 

sadly most of these will be basically Andrew Mart type solo interviews so not worth watching as they will add nothing a normal interview couldn't cover.

 

Jeremy Paxman is presenting though.

Jeremy Paxman is presenting though.

That doesn't mean he will ask any of my questions. Nor does it mean that when Cameron goes blathering on about how the UK has the fastest growth in the G8 - and he will - he will be asked how UK growth compares with the rest of the G8 over the last four years. I'm restricting it to four years because, for the first year of this government, it is impossible to say how much was due to the actions of this government and how much was due to the actions of the previous administration. I would hope that Paxman would have the real answer in his notes - after all, given his record, Cameron will just make up an answer. However, I would be surprised if the question is even asked. This exceptionally dim-witted PM has rarely been asked any really searching questions.