Labour's Ed Miliband wins final TV debate of UK election campaign: poll

If this were the US, Cameron would be run out of office for the cowardice of not showing up to debate by itself.

The Tories are claiming Cameron wasn't invited. The other parties are claiming this is nonsense and the audience seemed to agree.

It's hard not to be the winner in a roomful of crazies, even if winning is just surviving a concerted onslaught. The blatantly left-wing audience didn't help much either. At least American audiences have to be respectfully silent.

But Miliband needed to do more than survive, he needed to show he wouldn't be pushed around. If the minor parties can do this to him on stage, imagine what they'll do to him on the Commons' floor.

By not showing up (to the "Challenger's debate"), Cameron allowed the Labour and the minor parties to eat each other and show that a Labour government will be in the thrall of the SNP and PC. This exercise has done exactly what he wants: enhance the chances for the Conservatives.

Left wing audience? You must have a strange interpretation of what left wing is? As David Dimbleby pointed out when Farage made the same accusation, the audience was one representing all areas and groups in the UK and was chosen by an independent organisation, not the BBC. Milliband also said he would not go into partnership with the SNP. PC would have no influence in a Westminster government. As for Cameron - what a coward and an embarrassment. I can only assume you are not British or live in the UK, your analysis is way off.

chosen by an independent organisation

Probably Republic or Wikileaks for the political diversity they showed. And no, I'm not British or living in the UK, but sometimes it takes someone from the outside looking in to know what's going on.

As for Miliband and Labour rejecting the SNP and PC, do you really believe that they'll be turned away if they're the only chance for Labour attaining power? I don't.

'It's hard not to be the winner in a roomful of crazies, even if winning is just surviving a concerted onslaught. The blatantly left-wing audience didn't help much either.'

I'd recommend looking at the UK electorate. On current polls, about a third are Tory voters, about a third Labour voters and the other third split into Liberals, Kippers, Nationalists and others. Two-thirds of the country don't vote Tory hence the audience reaction. This was a pretty representative audience.

Any other informed opinions from an outside perspective?

Two-thirds of the country don't vote Tory hence the audience reaction. This was a pretty representative audience.

And yet, not a Conservative to be seen.

I didn't vote for President Obama, but I don't boo and hiss every time I see him on TV or hear about his policies. The audience behavior was definitely antidemocratic and borderline uncivilized.

'And yet, not a Conservative to be seen.'

Can you identify them on sight?

'I didn't vote for President Obama, but I don't boo and hiss every time I see him on TV or hear about his policies. The audience behavior was definitely antidemocratic and borderline uncivilized'

I think the sight of more than two parties and more than two party leaders is more democratic. There is nothing wrong with the audience making it clear they won't put up with lies, obfuscations and outright bollocks - particularly from leaders of parties they vote for ( If you think this is confined to the left, I recommend a quick look at Cameron in the Commons - a man who has admitted he needs to improve on his rudeness and offensive manner ). The British public tend to have relationships with politicians similar to that of a dog with a lamppost. A generally healthy state of affairs.

The audience behavior was definitely antidemocratic and borderline uncivilized.

Seriously? We must have been watching a different debate. The only time the audience booed was when Farage insulted the audience by suggesting that they were frauds and that the people watching at home were the 'real' electorate. If an American audience wouldn't have booed, then I feel sorry for them.

The audience behavior was definitely antidemocratic and borderline uncivilized

What are you expecting, obsequy? Grateful deference?

Miliband is unelectable. Coupled with the left's global catalogue of remarkable failures is enough to renounce the scourge of socialism - let alone the stark reminder of the abysmal economic state the last atrocious labour government left Britain. A nation floundering in a shocking war its' people categorically protested and the country flooded with benefit migrants in the hope they'd vote for Lucifer Blair.

At least Miliband had the backbone to stand up to Sturgeon and the Scottish national front.

A generally healthy state of affairs.

No, it very unhealthy in fact. It demonstrates that audience (and if they are truly representative, the voting public) are responding with emotion instead of reasoned analysis of their goals for society against the parties'. It invites demagoguery, and makes Britain look like Venezuela.

What are you expecting, obsequy? Grateful deference?

Close. Respectful silence.

If an American audience wouldn't have booed, then I feel sorry for them.

They are not allowed to. Or cheer. Security will remove them.

'If an American audience wouldn't have booed, then I feel sorry for them.

They are not allowed to. Or cheer. Security will remove them.'

How dare the great unwashed express their dissatisfaction. Removing the revolting peasants. John Ball would turn in his grave.

Please don't even try to give us the hint that the US system is more democratic or civilised. The US election is based on who raises the most cash with the obscene sight of rightwing nutcases denying scientific facts. Birthers? Tea party head cases? These people would be misunderstood as satirical by sane people in many countries. I'm as critical as anyone about the UK system but the threat of being frogmarched out of a venue during a debate hardly proves democratic integrity.

They are not allowed to. Or cheer. Security will remove them

...in the Home of the Brave and the Land of the Free.

The Mother of Parliamentary Democracy has her faults, she's human concept, but by christ, she's a damn fine example of what can be.

Steven Schultz,

You must not be American either as the last elections republican debates were a clown show with hooting and booing and endless interaction with a very rude and vocal crowd. They were vicious to poor Ron Paul for example. Maybe since you are outsider to the USA as well you can add your uninformed comments on that as well.

@zurcronium is right. At least both of our political parties show up for the debates in the US. And we don't have to have the same scumbag in office for 12 years.

'At least both of our political parties show up for the debates in the US'

They would have to. Considering you only have two parties a debate would be impossible unless the candidate happened to be schizophrenic. In the UK we have this bizarre, undemocratic idea of more than two parties.

It invites demagoguery, and makes Britain look like Venezuela.

Well at least these engaging debates get people out to the polls. Voter turnout in the UK is over 10% higher than in the US. Not really undemocratic is it?

It demonstrates that audience (and if they are truly representative, the voting public) are responding with emotion instead of reasoned analysis of their goals for society against the parties'.

Steven, as someone who has lived in both countries (but is neither American or British), I can objectively say that UK voters are far more well informed about the issues than US voters. There are of course many reasons for this; America's problems are complex, the Federal government has limited powers compared to a UK unitary state, different socio-economic groups are physically separated in gated communities in the US compared to the way people in the UK live together etc... but the reality is that the UK has a much healthier democracy than the US.