The various "experts" are still fighting it out over who fared the worst in last night's historic TV debate but I think everyone is agreed on the winner.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, the new kid on the block, storm into an early lead after an interesting - if not relevatory - first debate.

He engaged well with the audience - strictly against the rules but hey, rules are there to be bent - successfully managed to portray Gordon Brown and David Cameron as essentially the same person under different political guises and put forward a few vote winning pledges.

Brown looked confident, harranging Cameron for answers and even cracked a joke - which came across a little clumsily but still raised a laugh - about Lord Ashcroft's funding of the Tories' campaign.

The Labour spinners will see it as a victory for the PM, especially as he was seen as the weakest of three going into the show.

All three leaders looked nervous but it was Cameron who seemed the most terrified and that was the most surprising thing of all last night.

Usually so calm and collected and arguably the best orator, he seemed at odds with the televised format and left himself open to attack from Brown and Clegg.

Not that it seems to have done him any harm with the electorate, who were split in the post-debate polls over his and Brown's performance.

A word to about Alastair Stewart who I thought did a cracking job of keeping order and sticking to the rules.

The rules at times - especially the time limit on answers - were a little too strict at times and I got the impression that the debates were cut short on a couple of issues just as they were getting going.

I guess we must remember that this was television history - Alastair certainly didn't let us forget it - and I am sure that the next two debates will be a lot more structured and the leaders will have learned any lessons from last night.

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