Do Liberal Democrats Have A Chance Of Taking Over British Politics After Outright TV Debate Victory?

Clegg smashes through two-party system

By Andrew Grice, Nigel Morris and Tom Mendelsohn

Nick Clegg broke the duopoly in British politics with a strong performance in last night’s historic first televised election debate between the three main party leaders.

The Liberal Democrat leader seized the moment by matching Gordon Brown and David Cameron blow for blow during 90 minutes of lively exchanges which confounded expectations that the 76 strict rules of engagement would produce a sterile discussion.

A ComRes poll for ITV News found that 43 per cent of viewers believed Mr Clegg won the debate, well ahead of Mr Cameron on 26 per cent and Mr Brown on 20 per cent. A YouGov survey for The Sun gave the Lib Dem leader an even bigger margin of victory – 51 per cent, with the Tory leader on 29 per cent and the Prime Minister on 19 per cent.

Bookmakers immediately cut their odds on a hung parliament and even a Lib Dem victory.

Lord (Paddy) Ashdown, the former Lib Dem leader, said the public had seen the "real Nick Clegg" for the first time. "He walked away with it,” he said. "This debate has shown the Nick Clegg the House of Commons refuses to allow people to see with their bullying and their shouting. For the first time we now have the public able to see the real Nick Clegg and they love it."

Full article: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/clegg-smashes-through-twoparty-system-1946273.html

Boost for Lib Dems as ComRes survey shows Nick Clegg's party gaining 14 points among those who watched last night's TV debate

Julian Glover and Hélène Mulholland
guardian.co.uk, Friday 16 April 2010 14.33 BST


Nick Clegg has surged into contention as a potential prime minister, according to a Guardian/ICM poll carried out following last night's TV leaders' debate.

A quarter of voters who watched the three leaders on the ITV programme say they will switch their vote, with most changing to the Liberal Democrats.

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Among those voters who had watched the debate, the surge in Lib Dem support was more dramatic: up 14 points to 35%, only a shade behind the Conservatives on 36%, who were down three. Labour languished in third place, at 24%, also down three.

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According to the ICM poll for the Guardian, Clegg appears to have won the affections of voters across the board. He now runs Brown neck and neck as the man voters think would make the best prime minister, 29% to 29%. Cameron remains just ahead on 33%.

Full article (some interesting feedback in the comments below it, too): http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/apr/16/nick-clegg-guardian-icm-poll-pm