THE TELEGRAPH – BLOG: The second televised election debate could be a pivotal event in modern British politics. If Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, performs well and further improves his poll ratings, we could be looking at a totally changed landscape. Instead of musing about the prospect of a Lab-Lib Dem coalition that sustains Gordon Brown in office, we might seriously have to contemplate a Lib Dem win and Clegg himself in Number 10.
The latest opinion polls have the Liberal Democrats on around 33 per cent of the vote, some 10 points ahead of where they normally are. This may be less to do with the party’s policies and more to do with a desire to stick one on the other two parties. But the reasons are less important than the reality of where we are.
In the past, the Lib Dems have found it difficult to pick up support in general elections because it is assumed that in national terms a Lib Dem vote is a wasted vote. David Cameron is playing on this with the Vote Clegg, Get Brown attack. But what if voting Clegg gets Clegg as PM? Once that idea takes hold, what happens then to the Lib Dem vote? >>> Philip Johnston | Wednesday, April 21, 2010
TIMES ONLINE: Prep school, privilege and charm smoothe Clegg’s rise to prominence >>> Sam Coates, Will Pavia | Wednesday, April 21, 2010
THE TELEGRAPH: General Election: the Tories have a fortnight to save themselves from disaster: The nation wants change - and Cameron must show that he's the man to deliver it, says Benedict Brogan. It is customary to wait for the patient to expire before performing the autopsy, but impatience is one of the weaknesses of modern politics, and everyone wants to know why the Tories threw away the election. >>> Benedict Brogan | Wednesday, April 21, 2010
