Clegg and Farage to go head-to-head.

[Workingman]

Well that is the idea. Clegg threw down the gauntlet of an open debate and Farage picked it up.

This is good news for both sides of the EU divide, if it goes ahead. What has been needed for a long time is a clearing of the decks and an honest laying down of the pro and anti positions with checkable facts and figures not myths and legends.

Unfortunately it will not happen...... It will not happen because Cameron and Miliband will not take part. They will not take part because the truths about their relative positions would come out..........................

[TheOstrich]

Oh, I suspect it will go ahead; a League Division 2 encounter rather than a Premiership fixture .....

I just hope there's a level playing field - if the pro-EU BBC are sponsoring the contest, I doubt that'll be the case, though - witness the audience baiting of Griffin on Question Time.

[cromwell]

My thoughts exactly Os. I think Farage will have to insist on a few ground rules first, otherwise he has just been a bit silly.

[Workingman]

You antis crack me up.

You want a debate, but then it's like British Rail: it's the wrong broadcaster; the wrong chairperson; the wrong topics; the wrong questions, the wrong location....

I do not want the BBC or Dimbleby or Nicky Campbell or for it to be held in the LSE, but do sit up straight girls, your slips are showing.

[cromwell]

Time will tell. I don't have much trust in the fairness or independence of broadcasters these days.
Imo Farage has made a mistake; a better riposte would have been that after the 2014 and 2015 elections, Nick Clegg wouldn't be in a position to talk to anybody about anything, as he would be too busy looking for a job.

[Workingman]

It is the debate that has to be had, and it has to be had before the next general election.

There are a lot of rumours that many people - I am one - will be voting UKIP in the forthcoming Euro elections, not because they believe in the UKIP message, but because they want to give ConDemLab a good kicking. I really do hope that happens; and I hope that because of it Cameron and Miliband will be embarrassed into taking part in a debate. God knows we need to drag the truth about in/out of Europe kicking and screaming from their lips because they lead the only parties capable of turning either option into reality.

[cromwell]

I hope that because of it Cameron and Miliband will be embarrassed into taking part in a debate. God knows we need to drag the truth about in/out of Europe kicking and screaming from their lips because they lead the only parties capable of turning either option into reality.

I agree, but will it ever happen?
Imo, no it won't.
If you back horses you study form; and if you study the form on subjects like the EU and immigration you can only come to the conclusion that politicians will never tell you the truth.
I'd be happy to be proved wrong but I'll not hold my breath.

[Workingman]

A quick bump.

Farage will debate with Clegg, but it will be on the BBC and chaired by David Dimbelby.

As I do not trust either the BBC or Dimbelby to be neutral I will probably give it a miss.

[Rodo]

Can't wait. Should be good fun.

[cromwell]

Farage will debate with Clegg, but it will be on the BBC and chaired by David Dimbelby.

I knew it!
Farage has made a mistake, because if he gets a fair shake from Dimbleby and the BBC I will be very surprised.