Thoughts on TV debates  

We were told this would be the internet election.  In fact it is the TV debate election, and they have dominated all discussion.  What to make of this?  First, David Cameron was absolutely right to agree to them.  Like the Commons on television, we will wonder from now on why they hadn't happened before.  Second, he was right to agree that Nick Clegg should be on them.  The Lib Dem leader gets equal billing in every election so why should the TV debates be any different? Third, they have galvanised the election  - it is what everyone is talking about.  I do not agree that they are the X factorisation of British politics.  In my experience on the doorstep, people are sophisticated enough to distinguish between a good performance on TV and who they want to run the country.  In any event, people vote for a whole load of reasons. ...