3 main UK political parties to hold televised debates.

[ivan astikov]

As reported here.

I think we are stealing this of youse American's, aren't we? Are you happy with this as a way of determining who runs your country? Is this style of debate ever capable of producing anything more than theatre and image, rather than the much more required substance and actions?

I imagine the time between now and then will be taken up deciding which questions they will be willing to field. Oh, and who the most favourable mediator will be.

[What Exit?]

The debates work best the smaller the election. The bebates for NYC Mayor in the past have been very good. Even many of the VP debates have been good. The Presidential ones have not been all that useful for a long time IMO.

[Glazer]

Is this style of debate ever capable of producing anything more than theatre and image, rather than the much more required substance and actions?

Are you trying to claim that there is more to politics than theater and image? That's preposterous!

[Inigo Montoya]

They're basically a big infomercial. The candidates get to present the faces they'd like you to see and you get a better understanding of how they present themselves. There will be no truth or wisdom or genuine attempt to persuade or defend a point. What you're not going to get is a peek at their future performance. You must never forget that they're all politicians, and they're all going to abuse their constituency to some degree. The beauty of a democracy is that you get to pick which devil to dance with.