Clearly Nick Clegg won the debate in Manchester. He looked at the camera, which Brown and Cameron didn't too often, and was able to aim a good few digs at the two "old parties".
The exposure for the Liberal Democrats was great for them but will it gain them any more seats? Only time will tell.
Clegg will face a more difficult second debate because he won't be able to continue using the "old parties" line. He also cleverly ignored Gordon Brown's efforts to get him to gang up on David Cameron.
David Cameron for someone who normally looks so assured was clearly nervous and tried to avoid being drawn into a policy debate with Gordon Brown, who took too long to make his point. He proved he's not great behind the camera although did put some pressure on the Tories after a uncertain start on immigration - Labour has been in government since 1997 but is now only just getting to grips with it.
David Cameron and Gordon Brown weren't pressed hard about why we need a Trident system in a post-Cold War world and spend an absolute fortune on it when things are so tough.
There wasn't much in this debate for us in Wales or those in Scotland - questions about the NHS or education service didn't mean a row of beans to us in Wales because those functions are devolved to the Welsh Assembly. Both countries were really ignored and that is not good enough.
Friday, 16 April 2010
Monday, 12 April 2010
Legal Aid for Scandal MPs: A Disgrace
It is rarely - if ever - Dyn ar y Stryd agrees with a statement by Conservative leader David Cameron.
But his description of the decision to give Labour MPs David Chaytor, Elliot Morley and Jim Devine legal aid to fight false accounting charges as a complete outrage was spot on.
Cameron was speaking for just about every right thinking person in the UK.
However, since his public outburst it has been brought to my attention that it was the last Tory Government under John Major which abolished defendants' contributions to legal aid in the first place.
It was apparently costing about twice as much to administer as they were collecting from defendants.
But what is clear is that relatively rich people such as these three MPs should not be able to claim legal aid.
If this case had happened at the end of June they would have undoubtedly had to pay themselves as the Labour Government has introduced means-testing on Crown Court cases.
But his description of the decision to give Labour MPs David Chaytor, Elliot Morley and Jim Devine legal aid to fight false accounting charges as a complete outrage was spot on.
Cameron was speaking for just about every right thinking person in the UK.
However, since his public outburst it has been brought to my attention that it was the last Tory Government under John Major which abolished defendants' contributions to legal aid in the first place.
It was apparently costing about twice as much to administer as they were collecting from defendants.
But what is clear is that relatively rich people such as these three MPs should not be able to claim legal aid.
If this case had happened at the end of June they would have undoubtedly had to pay themselves as the Labour Government has introduced means-testing on Crown Court cases.
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