The TV Debate

Tuesday 30th May

Firstly, it wasn’t really a debate – though I am not sure what we would have got differently with an actual debate.  I quite like the format.

Secondly, I am not sure that many people who had already made their minds up will have changed them because of the TV programme.  I am also not so sure that there are that many undecideds out there.  Many who say they are undecided will probably not bother to vote anyway.  But there may have been some who were wavering, maybe favouring one side a bit more than the other, and it may have firmed up their decision-making.

Thirdly, it was very interesting to see the two leaders under pressure.  Both the audiences and Jeremy Paxman were pretty tough on both of them.  Neither escaped completely unscathed but on balance neither was completely rattled either.

Personally I think that Jeremy was a bit better, a bit more relaxed and charming.  Theresa May was forced to admit she had not achieved her repeated immigration targets, even for non-EU people.  She also had to admit she had said repeatedly that there would not be a snap election, even in March of this year.  Who knows what everyone else thought about it, but the main difference for me was that Jeremy held out a possibility of a better future.  Mrs. May was promising more of the same, she even scoffed at the idea that Social Care might be paid for, or some of it even, out of general taxation.

I am obviously a biased person.  But I have talked to a few people this weekend and more and more it seems that the more people see of Jeremy the more they warm to him.  I don’t think the same can be said of Theresa.  We will see…