Nick Glegg has had half-hour Panorama interview with Jeremy Paxman which passsed without conmment, but that was before Cleggy became the star of the show. Gordon Brown has also agree to be grilled by the BBC's Grand Inquisitor.
David Cameron, on the other hand, is prevaricating... it appears that he doesn't want to face the firepower (and sometimes outright contempt) the heavyweight interrogator habitually trains on his victims. Some say Cameron''s a big fearty..... I would tend to agree, although you have to have a litttle sympathy. After his relatively poor showing in the first of the big debates, Cameron has a lot to lose: he is supposed to be the most media savay and the best communicator of the three party leaders, but he bombed on Thursday night.
And I don't see him having the grasp of detail of the strength of personality to combat Paxman. He also made a number of minor gaffes during the leaders debate, including a story about a sailor he met in Plymouth..( no ribald interventions please, this is a serious blog).
Anyway. Picture the scene..
Who are the wealthy?
42 minutes ago
Paxo: Tell me Mr Cameron, how does the Big Society work?
DC "Er um, ask Hilto or Govey, they think it's a great idea....".
P "Is it even a Conservative idea?"
DC "Isn't it? I thought it was...."
P "And what about immigration..."
DC "I met this 40 year old black man who had been in the navy 30 years....".
etcetera etcetera...
Of course, if Dave bottles it and doesn't turn up, the BBC has he option of showing the Panorama programme on Lord Ashcroft that the Tories have had banned. It's almost ready for broadcast now, and if Dave funks out, then there is a free spot just ready to reveal all on the Ashcroft affair once and for all..... a public service just crying out to be done by public service broadcasting... over to you BBC..