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| Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage set for EU debate | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage are set to debate the UK's place in the European Union live on radio. | Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage are set to debate the UK's place in the European Union live on radio. |
| The deputy PM, who says his Liberal Democrats are the "party of in", challenged the UKIP leader, who wants the UK to leave the EU, to a debate in the run-up to the European elections. | The deputy PM, who says his Liberal Democrats are the "party of in", challenged the UKIP leader, who wants the UK to leave the EU, to a debate in the run-up to the European elections. |
| Mr Clegg argues that even threatening to leave the EU threatens British jobs. | Mr Clegg argues that even threatening to leave the EU threatens British jobs. |
| Mr Farage believes EU membership is "the most important issue this country has faced for hundreds of years". | Mr Farage believes EU membership is "the most important issue this country has faced for hundreds of years". |
| Following negotiations between the two party leaders and broadcasters, two one-hour debates have been arranged. The first is being broadcast by LBC radio from 19:00 GMT. On 2 April, round two will be televised live at the same time on BBC Two. | Following negotiations between the two party leaders and broadcasters, two one-hour debates have been arranged. The first is being broadcast by LBC radio from 19:00 GMT. On 2 April, round two will be televised live at the same time on BBC Two. |
| 'Festering mistruths' | 'Festering mistruths' |
| Both men will be hoping to bolster their parties' fortunes in May's elections to the European Parliament. | Both men will be hoping to bolster their parties' fortunes in May's elections to the European Parliament. |
| Strict arrangements for the conduct of the debate have been put in place, as they were ahead of the televised 2010 general election leaders' debates. | Strict arrangements for the conduct of the debate have been put in place, as they were ahead of the televised 2010 general election leaders' debates. |
| Questions from the audience, which has been selected to reflect the UK population as well as a range of views on the EU, will be screened by an editorial panel but the parties will not see them in advance. | Questions from the audience, which has been selected to reflect the UK population as well as a range of views on the EU, will be screened by an editorial panel but the parties will not see them in advance. |
| The party leaders will both make opening and closing statements and will have one minute to answer questions from the audience before presenter Nick Ferrari opens up the subjects raised to debate. | The party leaders will both make opening and closing statements and will have one minute to answer questions from the audience before presenter Nick Ferrari opens up the subjects raised to debate. |
| In an article for the Daily Mirror, Mr Clegg, a former East Midlands MEP who speaks French, German, Spanish and Dutch, said it was easy to attack the EU. | In an article for the Daily Mirror, Mr Clegg, a former East Midlands MEP who speaks French, German, Spanish and Dutch, said it was easy to attack the EU. |
| "It's easily presented as a distant set of institutions, making decisions for us from overseas. It's not always clear what happens there, who the politicians are, or how it benefits us," he wrote. | "It's easily presented as a distant set of institutions, making decisions for us from overseas. It's not always clear what happens there, who the politicians are, or how it benefits us," he wrote. |
| "This is why so many mistruths have been allowed to fester. | "This is why so many mistruths have been allowed to fester. |
| "Tonight, when I debate with Nigel Farage, I want to give the British people the facts - so that you can make up your own minds about whether or not Britain should remain in the EU." | "Tonight, when I debate with Nigel Farage, I want to give the British people the facts - so that you can make up your own minds about whether or not Britain should remain in the EU." |
| 'Suppressed' | 'Suppressed' |
| Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Farage said he had been seeking a platform for a "proper" debate about the UK's relationship with Europe for more than 20 years. | Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Farage said he had been seeking a platform for a "proper" debate about the UK's relationship with Europe for more than 20 years. |
| "Frankly the arguments against membership of the European Union have been suppressed," he said. | "Frankly the arguments against membership of the European Union have been suppressed," he said. |
| "That is because we've got three parties in Britain all of whom support British membership of it and UKIP, which has sort of come up the rails of British politics in the last few years." | "That is because we've got three parties in Britain all of whom support British membership of it and UKIP, which has sort of come up the rails of British politics in the last few years." |
| The UKIP leader said he would putting forward a "simple, pragmatic" case for leaving the EU. | The UKIP leader said he would putting forward a "simple, pragmatic" case for leaving the EU. |
| "We want to be friendly with Europe, we want to trade with Europe, you know, they will go on selling us champagne and Mercedes motor cars, we'll go on doing business. | "We want to be friendly with Europe, we want to trade with Europe, you know, they will go on selling us champagne and Mercedes motor cars, we'll go on doing business. |
| "But we won't have 75% of our laws made by the institutions of Brussels." | "But we won't have 75% of our laws made by the institutions of Brussels." |
| 'Lightweight' | 'Lightweight' |
| The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson said both men could emerge as "winners" since they both lead small parties which thrive on publicity and need to energise their activists ahead of May's elections. | The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson said both men could emerge as "winners" since they both lead small parties which thrive on publicity and need to energise their activists ahead of May's elections. |
| But he said the debates would not change the fact that the earliest a referendum on Europe will take place is 2017 and that is far from guaranteed to happen. | But he said the debates would not change the fact that the earliest a referendum on Europe will take place is 2017 and that is far from guaranteed to happen. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron, who has promised an in-out referendum if the Conservatives win the next election and Labour leader Ed Miliband, who says he will only sanction a referendum if further powers are handed to Brussels, have opted not to take part in the debates. | Prime Minister David Cameron, who has promised an in-out referendum if the Conservatives win the next election and Labour leader Ed Miliband, who says he will only sanction a referendum if further powers are handed to Brussels, have opted not to take part in the debates. |
| Labour's shadow Cabinet Office minister Jon Ashworth said Wednesday's encounter was "a lightweight battle between two men who will never be prime minister". | Labour's shadow Cabinet Office minister Jon Ashworth said Wednesday's encounter was "a lightweight battle between two men who will never be prime minister". |
| * There will be full live coverage in video and text of the two debates on the BBC News website and both debates are being shown live on the BBC News Channel | * There will be full live coverage in video and text of the two debates on the BBC News website and both debates are being shown live on the BBC News Channel |
| How do you see the UK's place in the EU? Deputy leader Nick Clegg and UKIP leader Nigel Farage are debating the issue tonight live on LBC and the BBC's News Channel. The debate starts at 1900 GMT. BBC Radio 4's Today programme will be discussing the debate on Thursday morning in Salford. If you would like to take part email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Clegg and Farage debate' in the subject heading and include your contact details. | How do you see the UK's place in the EU? Deputy leader Nick Clegg and UKIP leader Nigel Farage are debating the issue tonight live on LBC and the BBC's News Channel. The debate starts at 1900 GMT. BBC Radio 4's Today programme will be discussing the debate on Thursday morning in Salford. If you would like to take part email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Clegg and Farage debate' in the subject heading and include your contact details. |