BBC Debate: Miliband scores and Farage misses

The conventional wisdom in politics is almost always wrong and so it proved tonight. Most commentators predicted that tonight's leaders' debate would be a disaster for Miliband and an open goal for Nigel Farage. The opposite turned out to be the case.

As the only candidate with any chance of becoming prime minister, Miliband inevitably came under fire from all sides. But rather than crumbling as many predicted, Miliband remained calm, reasoned and persuasive throughout.

Farage's performance on the other hand was all over the place. It started off well enough as he played the candidate "saying what you're all thinking at home".

But rather than bank whatever camaraderie he had made with the audience, Farage instead decided to turn on them, accusing them of "bias" against him. The huge jeers and boos that followed destroyed any good feeling that Farage might otherwise have received.

As the debate went on, things only got worse for Farage and better for Miliband. While Farage ranted about an EU army, Miliband spoke calmly about the deficit and housing. Not everybody will have agreed with what he said. Many on the left will have sympathised with Sturgeon's labelling of Labour as "Tory-lite" while many on the right will have agreed with Farage's attacks on Labour's record on the NHS.

But rather than damage him, Miliband's response actually left him looking more prime ministerial than when he began. At times it felt like 'Miliband's Question Time' with every point leading to another response from the Labour leader. Far from weakening him, the attacks on Miliband actually seemed to make him stronger.

Farage on the other hand will only have hurt his cause. He entered the debate trying to be the man of the people and left the debate looking like a ranting conspiracy theorist at the end of the bar. Farage is a strong speaker and his core supporters will no doubt have cheered him along, but there will have been few converts tonight.

It wasn't all easy-going for the Labour leader. Miliband's weakest moment came towards the end of the debate when he decided to turn on Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP. Of course the nature of these events is the candidates are required to attack each other, but Miliband was at his best when he left the attacks to others.

The biggest obstacle for Miliband has always been that the public find it difficult to see him as prime minister. Recent polls have shown that Miliband's performances in these debates have led to more significantly more people being able to see him entering Downing Street next month. Tonight's performances will have helped him a little further on his way.


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Survation snap poll gives #BBCDebate to Miliband: http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2015/04/16/bbc-debate-miliband-scores-and-farage-misses …

Miliband - 35%
Sturgeon - 31%
Farage - 27%
Bennett - 5%
Wood - 2%
10:20 PM - 16 Apr 2015

http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2015/04/16/bbc-debate-miliband-scores-and-farage-misses