Ask the leaders: preparing for the election limelight
Updated on 11 April 2010
Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg have been rehearsing in preparation for the leaders' debates. But what effect could the TV appearances have on the election campaign?
The British electorate will experience its first ever TV election debate between the main party leaders this week.
Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg will face each other in the north west in the first of three encounters on Thursday.
They have been rehearsing for weeks in preparation for what will be the first televised debates during a British general election. All three will be hoping to deliver performances worthy of voter support, rather than expose character flaws.
To minimise the unexpected, the party leaders have nailed down US style restrictive rules for the 90-minute debates. The audiences will be silent apart from asking questions. The standing arrangement has already been agreed. Gordon Brown will take stage left due to his blindness in his left eye and limited sight in his right - he wouldn't be able to see his opponents or the clock if he doesn't. Nick Clegg and David Cameron will draw lots for the coveted centre spot.
They've all been studying the hard learnt lessons in 50 years of debates in the US. President Gerald Ford was the first incumbent to accept a contest. He was hoping the debate could pull him back into the race against Jimmy Carter.
As George Bush Snr found with cameras staring at your every move one stray gesture can define your performance. He twice checked his watch in the 1992 debates playing into his opponents' caricature of an ageing patrician.
There have been rehearsals for all three candidates with full dress rehearsals planned this week.
Alastair Campbell has been playing David Cameron for Gordon Brown's dummy runs. Conservative immigration spokesman Damian Green plays Gordon Brown in the Tory rehearsal and Nick Clegg's former rival for the Liberal Democrat leadership, Chris Huhne, is playing Gordon Brown.
The rehearsals have taken such focus that the debates have already ripped away parts of the schedule for normal campaigning with some press conferences and interviews ditched. On Thursday we start to find out what the British voter gets in return.
Ask the leaders: Channel 4 News will be liveblogging key election events throughout the campaign including the live leaders’ debates with Nick Clegg, Gordon Brown and David Cameron. You can follow at http://channel.com/news, on twitter @c4election and you can comment on if you include the hashtag #asktheleaders.
