Will Cameron Climb Down Over The Election Debates?

[barney15c]

Looks like the broadcasters are prepared to "Empty Chair" him, so will this call his bluff or will he make some kind of "Tactical Climbdown" so at to not lose face.

[Ric.ror]

It could be said he's on a lose lose

[New Judge]

These debates are nonsensical. Anybody who has not made up their mind who to vote for by now and who will be swayed by such theatrical rubbish does not deserve a vote.

I've not much time for Mr Cameron but I hope he sticks to his guns and the whole fiasco dies a death.

[Jackdaw33]

A pity this dreadful American import ever took off in the first place. American presidential elections are about personalities, not party politics, unlike in the UK. Parties publish their manifestos and, at one time would hold hustings. I hope that the broadcasters will pull the plug on the whole wretched concept; it is not Britain's Got Talent, The X Factor, or Strictly Come Dancing. To my mind Cameron is right; he has far more pressing things to do in running HM government than appearing on a talent show.

[penelope2]

Who are the broadcasters to try and dictate who (or who won't) take place in a televised debate put on purely to boost viewer ratings. The 'debates' are an utter waste of time in my opinion.

[Gromit]

Anyone who has their voting intentions swayed by an orchestrated charade on the telly does not deserve to have a vote at all.

Voters should take no notice of what any of the parties or their leaders say they are going to do, whether on a live "debate" or anywhere else. They rarely if ever do what they say they will do when elected.

A better gauge would be to consider what they have done when in power and try to determine what sort of regime you would prefer to live under.

[TWR]

Bully's never stand up.

[Jackdaw33]

I am trying to imagine a head to head between Macmillan and Wilson. I know who would have won, and it wouldn't have been Wilson.

[SirOracle]

I wish that I were your bookmaker Jackdaw.

[Gromit]

Jackdaw33

Wilson and Super Mac never contested an election together, so a face to face debate would never have happened anyway.
Wilson faced Alec Douglas-Home and Heath at elections.

[jagjag]

I agree with Penelope 2.

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31771198

I will straight off that I don't think these TV Debates are a very useful idea at all.
If 7 Parties, and maybe 8, are going to appear together on the same platform, its going to look like Celebrity Squares with Suits. It will descend into a horizontal Tower of Babel.

Having said that, if these three debates ARE going to go ahead, I quite simply can't understand why Cameron won't take part. If all the other Parties are going to be there, and the Tories aren't, what kind of signal is that going to present to the Electorate ?

Personally I think dave has shot himself in the foot here, especially as he was so keen for these debates to take place only a very few years ago. If every other Party Leader is keen and willing to take part and he isn't, then people will make their own conclusions.

[Jackdaw33]

You are correct Gromit, but Mac was still PM when Wilson became leader. He could easily put down Wilson, the best example being when Wilson said that as a young boy, he often went to school with no boots on, to which Macmillan's reply was, "That's because he was already too big for them!"

[Jackdaw33]

They can have all the debates they like, it won't change my mind. I'm voting for Dave. My heart says Nige, but realistically my head says Dave.

[DaisyNonna]

Just hope we are not subjected to it

[mikey4444]

penelope...how are the broadcasters "trying to dictate" ? They have invited all 7 Parties to attend, and 6 have said they are willing. So, how is that dictating ?

If dave doesn't want to attend, then Cleggie said live on Radio Four yesterday, that he would willing to take his daves place, and "defend the record of this Government" Well, he is Deputy Prime Minister after all !

But if Cleggie does end up doing that, won't he have to keep running back and forth across the podium, between daves seat and his own, as Leader of the LibDems ?

At this rate, these debates are going to end up looking like a remake of one of the Marx Brothers filmS !

[Jackdaw33]

The difficulty there is that the coalition is not up for re-election. Which cloud does Clegg live on? In 750 years of parliamentary history this is only the second time that this daft idea has been mooted. Marx brothers? I think not. The Marx brothers were entertaining, funny and gave a lot of pleasure to ordinary people.

[mikey4444]

Jackdaw...we may be on opposite sides of the political spectrum, but if these debates DO go ahead ( and I think, on balance, that they will) then the result could be very entertaining indeed !

But not quite as funny as "Duck Soup", or "A Night at the Opera" perhaps, I am happy to concede !

[Jackdaw33]

By the way, just a thought. Is this Sturgeon woman standing for Westminster? If not then she has no right to participate in any debate as she will not be the SNP leader in the UK parliament.

[mikey4444]

Sorry guys.......couldn't resist !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_Sy6oiJbEk

[Jackdaw33]

A Night at the Opera is my favourite, especially the "Sanity Clause sketch"