Love and Liberty

The attacks and smears launched by the Tory "forces of hell" today, the establishment closing ranks behind David Cameron to try to block change, they all signify one thing: regardless of the actual outcome, they all expect Nick to win the second debate.

So the question is, looking at Channel Four's "Ask the Chancellors" and the first Leader's Debate on ITV... what spin are the Tories planning to use this time? And will it be another U-Turn on what they said last time?

Those excuses in full –

- Vince only did well because he was in the middle and looked in control



- Cameron only did badly because he was in the middle and was picked on



- Osborne only did badly because he was on the side and looked sidelined



- Nick only did well because he was on the side and looked like the outsider



- Vince only did well because he didn't get asked any tough questions (by, er, Osborne)



- Nick only did well because he was fed questions that let him talk policy (by, er, Cameron)



- Vince only did well because the audience was stuffed with Liberal Democrats applauding and laughing



- Cameron only did badly because he couldn't connect to an audience who weren't allowed to applaud or laugh



- Vince only does well because the media have him on all the time and put him on a pedestal



- Nick only does well because people have never heard of him



- Cameron (elected Tory leader 2005) only does badly because he's been doing the job so long he's portrayed as yesterday's news



- Nick (elected Liberal Democrat leader 2007) only does well because he's not been doing the job for long enough



[that's enough useless Tory excuses, ed]

The only way that the Tories can plausibly complain that Nick's profile is because people have only just heard of him is if they are retrospectively condemning the media exclusion of Liberal Democrats over the last three years. And are they?

Labels: Conservatives, General Election, Leaders' Debate, Nick Clegg