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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Leaders prepare for second debate | Leaders prepare for second debate |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg are once more set to go head-to-head in the second prime ministerial TV debate, focused on global affairs. | Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg are once more set to go head-to-head in the second prime ministerial TV debate, focused on global affairs. |
| The Lib Dems enjoyed a poll boost after the first debate. Sky News hosts the second, from 2000 BST. | |
| Meanwhile, Mr Clegg has denied any wrongdoing after political donations were paid into his private bank account in 2006, before he became leader. | Meanwhile, Mr Clegg has denied any wrongdoing after political donations were paid into his private bank account in 2006, before he became leader. |
| His spokesman said it was "properly given, accounted for and declared". | His spokesman said it was "properly given, accounted for and declared". |
| The Liberal Democrats saw a boost in the polls following the first debate, with a number of them indicating the party was ahead of Labour and gaining on the Conservatives. | The Liberal Democrats saw a boost in the polls following the first debate, with a number of them indicating the party was ahead of Labour and gaining on the Conservatives. |
| The second 90-minute debate is being held at the Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol. Sky News is presenting the debate and the moderator who will be putting the question is its political editor Adam Boulton. | The second 90-minute debate is being held at the Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol. Sky News is presenting the debate and the moderator who will be putting the question is its political editor Adam Boulton. |
| Unlike the first debate, which was shown only on ITV1, it is being screened simultaneously on a number of channels - Sky News, Sky 3, the BBC News channel and BBC Parliament. It will also be rerun on BBC Two from 2330 BST. | Unlike the first debate, which was shown only on ITV1, it is being screened simultaneously on a number of channels - Sky News, Sky 3, the BBC News channel and BBC Parliament. It will also be rerun on BBC Two from 2330 BST. |
| HOW DID FIRST DEBATE GO? Leaders clash in historic debate The key exchanges In pictures: Historic night The post-debate reaction Assessing style and technique How the papers saw it How many tuned in? | HOW DID FIRST DEBATE GO? Leaders clash in historic debate The key exchanges In pictures: Historic night The post-debate reaction Assessing style and technique How the papers saw it How many tuned in? |
| Boulton said on his own blog that is was important the debate was widely seen: "There should be nowhere to hide from this crucial showdown." | Boulton said on his own blog that is was important the debate was widely seen: "There should be nowhere to hide from this crucial showdown." |
| The Lib Dems hope the debate's foreign affairs theme may work to their advantage due to their opposition to the Iraq war and their criticism of the conduct of military operations in Afghanistan. | The Lib Dems hope the debate's foreign affairs theme may work to their advantage due to their opposition to the Iraq war and their criticism of the conduct of military operations in Afghanistan. |
| But Labour and the Conservatives believe Mr Clegg will be vulnerable because of his party's hostility to renewing Trident and its policies over Europe. | But Labour and the Conservatives believe Mr Clegg will be vulnerable because of his party's hostility to renewing Trident and its policies over Europe. |
| Mr Clegg said on Wednesday he would prepare for the clash by going for a long walk in the countryside, which "seemed to help a little bit last time". He said he had done "next to nothing" since last Thursday to prepare for the second debate, blaming "the intensity of the campaign". | Mr Clegg said on Wednesday he would prepare for the clash by going for a long walk in the countryside, which "seemed to help a little bit last time". He said he had done "next to nothing" since last Thursday to prepare for the second debate, blaming "the intensity of the campaign". |
| "I will sit with my team and we will just go over some questions. We are not going to do any dress rehearsals or anything like that," Mr Clegg said. | "I will sit with my team and we will just go over some questions. We are not going to do any dress rehearsals or anything like that," Mr Clegg said. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY The most important issue that needs to be discussed is when can our troops come home from Afghanistan? Queen_Becci_B Send your comment | HAVE YOUR SAY The most important issue that needs to be discussed is when can our troops come home from Afghanistan? Queen_Becci_B Send your comment |
| An internal Lib Dem dossier left in a taxi and obtained by The Sun newspaper suggested party strategists had urged Mr Clegg to copy Mr Cameron's approach in the debates. | An internal Lib Dem dossier left in a taxi and obtained by The Sun newspaper suggested party strategists had urged Mr Clegg to copy Mr Cameron's approach in the debates. |
| Mr Cameron said he took the advice as "a great tribute" to his own style, but added: "I think I will just be more like me." | Mr Cameron said he took the advice as "a great tribute" to his own style, but added: "I think I will just be more like me." |
| The Tory leader said he enjoyed trying to answer voters' questions as directly as he could, adding: "That is what elections should be about. That is what the debate should be all about. And that's why I am looking forward to it on Thursday." | The Tory leader said he enjoyed trying to answer voters' questions as directly as he could, adding: "That is what elections should be about. That is what the debate should be all about. And that's why I am looking forward to it on Thursday." |
| Meanwhile, Mr Brown admitted he lost out to Mr Clegg in presentation terms last week, but insisted his concentration on policy would win out in the end. | Meanwhile, Mr Brown admitted he lost out to Mr Clegg in presentation terms last week, but insisted his concentration on policy would win out in the end. |
| He said: "If it's a competition about substance and who's got the policies of the future, who's best for the NHS, who's best for jobs, who's best for the economy, then I believe that people will look at the policies for the future that we have ... and I believe that is the set of issues that people will finally make up their mind on." | He said: "If it's a competition about substance and who's got the policies of the future, who's best for the NHS, who's best for jobs, who's best for the economy, then I believe that people will look at the policies for the future that we have ... and I believe that is the set of issues that people will finally make up their mind on." |
| New voting system | New voting system |
| The debate's audience will made up of about 150 people from Bristol and the surrounding area. That is 50 fewer than at the ITV1 debate because the venue is smaller. | The debate's audience will made up of about 150 people from Bristol and the surrounding area. That is 50 fewer than at the ITV1 debate because the venue is smaller. |
| This time the Lib Dem leader will be in the middle of the three leaders, with Mr Cameron on the left when looking at the screen, and Mr Brown on the right, which is where he stood last week. | This time the Lib Dem leader will be in the middle of the three leaders, with Mr Cameron on the left when looking at the screen, and Mr Brown on the right, which is where he stood last week. |
| The historic first debate on ITV1 was watched by 9.9m people at its peak, during which the three leaders clashed over issues including tax, immigration and expenses. | The historic first debate on ITV1 was watched by 9.9m people at its peak, during which the three leaders clashed over issues including tax, immigration and expenses. |
| Meanwhile, Mr Clegg has indicated to the Independent newspaper that his party will demand a fully proportional voting system for Westminster elections as the price of their support if they hold the balance of power following the general election. | Meanwhile, Mr Clegg has indicated to the Independent newspaper that his party will demand a fully proportional voting system for Westminster elections as the price of their support if they hold the balance of power following the general election. |
| He dismissed the Alternative Vote (AV) system proposed by the Prime Minister as "a baby step in the right direction", and said he would not settle for "a miserable little compromise thrashed out by the Labour Party". | He dismissed the Alternative Vote (AV) system proposed by the Prime Minister as "a baby step in the right direction", and said he would not settle for "a miserable little compromise thrashed out by the Labour Party". |
| The Lib Dem leader told the newspaper he wanted the AV-plus system recommended by Lord Jenkins' 1998 report for Tony Blair on voting reform, which would retain MPs' constituency link but deliver a result which was more proportional to the number of votes cast. | The Lib Dem leader told the newspaper he wanted the AV-plus system recommended by Lord Jenkins' 1998 report for Tony Blair on voting reform, which would retain MPs' constituency link but deliver a result which was more proportional to the number of votes cast. |
| On Wednesday the three would-be chancellors clashed over whether a hung parliament could be harmful for the UK economy. | On Wednesday the three would-be chancellors clashed over whether a hung parliament could be harmful for the UK economy. |