Is there any point in railroading politicians into pointless televised election

[Old Cynic]

"debates"? We all know Sky's "debate" will actually be nothing more than rehearsed soundbites. Why are Sky so obsessed with trying to railroad Gordon Brown into taking part in this farce? And why were the other two so quick to jump on this bandwagon?

Are the manifestos and election addresses no longer considered to be debate? I trust this more than seeing them on television lining up to insult each other and give rehearsed answers.

Suppose we could go forward to 2014 or 2015. If Cameron happens to win in 2010, you can bet he won't want any debate in future - just as Major didn't, just as Thatcher didn't.

[Barbara Doll to you]

It's only about entertainment and ratings. These things aren't much use otherwise. The Houses of Parliament are where debates take place.

[John D]

It was Labour that started refusing to go on Political shows unless they had access to the questions beforehand, under instruction from Campbell, and cherry picking those they wanted to answer. They have dumb downed debates since they came to power, anyone questioning them are shouted down.
Anyone with half a brain knows that the only people that knows the full state of our finances is the Government. How in their right minds is anyone able to put full fiscal policies in their manifesto when they don't know how much trouble we are in.

[John D]

It was Labour that started refusing to go on Political shows unless they had access to the questions beforehand, under instruction from Campbell, and cherry picking those they wanted to answer. They have dumb downed debates since they came to power, anyone questioning them are shouted down.
Anyone with half a brain knows that the only people that knows the full state of our finances is the Government. How in their right minds is anyone able to put full fiscal policies in their manifesto when they don't know how much trouble we are in.

[John D]

It was Labour that started refusing to go on Political shows unless they had access to the questions beforehand, under instruction from Campbell, and cherry picking those they wanted to answer. They have dumb downed debates since they came to power, anyone questioning them are shouted down.
Anyone with half a brain knows that the only people that knows the full state of our finances is the Government. How in their right minds is anyone able to put full fiscal policies in their manifesto when they don't know how much trouble we are in.

[John D]

It was Labour that started refusing to go on Political shows unless they had access to the questions beforehand, under instruction from Campbell, and cherry picking those they wanted to answer. They have dumb downed debates since they came to power, anyone questioning them are shouted down.
Anyone with half a brain knows that the only people that knows the full state of our finances is the Government. How in their right minds is anyone able to put full fiscal policies in their manifesto when they don't know how much trouble we are in.

[John D]

It was Labour that started refusing to go on Political shows unless they had access to the questions beforehand, under instruction from Campbell, and cherry picking those they wanted to answer. They have dumb downed debates since they came to power, anyone questioning them are shouted down.
Anyone with half a brain knows that the only people that knows the full state of our finances is the Government. How in their right minds is anyone able to put full fiscal policies in their manifesto when they don't know how much trouble we are in.

[John D]

It was Labour that started refusing to go on Political shows unless they had access to the questions beforehand, under instruction from Campbell, and cherry picking those they wanted to answer. They have dumb downed debates since they came to power, anyone questioning them are shouted down.
Anyone with half a brain knows that the only people that knows the full state of our finances is the Government. How in their right minds is anyone able to put full fiscal policies in their manifesto when they don't know how much trouble we are in.

[John D]

It was Labour that started refusing to go on Political shows unless they had access to the questions beforehand, under instruction from Campbell, and cherry picking those they wanted to answer. They have dumb downed debates since they came to power, anyone questioning them are shouted down.
Anyone with half a brain knows that the only people that knows the full state of our finances is the Government. How in their right minds is anyone able to put full fiscal policies in their manifesto when they don't know how much trouble we are in.

[John D]

It was Labour that started refusing to go on Political shows unless they had access to the questions beforehand, under instruction from Campbell, and cherry picking those they wanted to answer. They have dumb downed debates since they came to power, anyone questioning them are shouted down.
Anyone with half a brain knows that the only people that knows the full state of our finances is the Government. How in their right minds is anyone able to put full fiscal policies in their manifesto when they don't know how much trouble we are in.