OK, I’m biased, so I asked a few other people what they thought. Here’s what was said:
Tim Glover (Green)
Pros:
Engaging personality
Was prepared to deal with the issues rather than simply laugh them down
Cons:
Seemed to be on drugs
Advocated a massive default and inflation that didn’t work too well when tried in Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe would vote for him.
Chris Streatfield (UKIP)
Pros:
Seemed to shape the debate far more than the other minor candidates (including the Lib Dem)
Wanted us all to remember Europe – and he did this again and again, and again
Cons:
Charisma bypass – at least in front of a large audience
Went on and on about Europe – although that was his game plan it became dull
Mark Dyson (Liberal Democrat)
Pro:
Good TV voice
Cons:
Knew nothing about the area
Mentioned “Vince Cable” 27 times in the debate
Talked about replacing capitalism – I’m not sure that this is national Lib Dem policy
Sally Wainman (Save Broomhill Pool – walk on part)
Pro:
A great single issue campaigner
Con:
Only a single issue campaigner
Ben Gummer (Conservative)
Pro:
By far the sharpest of the performers (but we knew that any way)
Landed some sharp blows on Mole
Cons:
Sore throat
Seemed to treat UKIP as a bigger threat than Labour
Overly dismissive on climate change and anything to do with Europe along with Dyson and Mole, but I didn’t expect better of those two
Chris Mole
Pro:
Turned up on a bike
Best joke of the night, “I’ve heard Vince Cable speak, and there’s no superman shirt”
Con:
Really odd delivery – monotone and then stressing the most irrelevant words
Only seemed to spout government talking points, and then not very well
Looked bored whenever he wasn’t speaking, usually looking up at the ceiling
I spoke to a number of people, both Conservative and Catholic (it’s next to St Pancras). Among the Conserviatives there was a general satisfaction with the debate. I spoke to a Lib Dem who was seething at his “parachuted” candidate (does anyone know any more on this?). Among the Catholics there were a lot of people who were rather disappointed in the moderation which seemed to have skewed the questions away from abortion and end of life issues, unusual for a church based event and very unecumenical as these issues are exercising a lot of traditionally Labour voting Catholics.
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