国际英语新闻：British party leaders hold historic live TV debate

MANCHESTER, Britain, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of Britain's three main political parties made history on Thursday evening when they took part in the country's first live, televised debate ahead of the May 6 general election.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown from the ruling Labor party, the leader of the main opposition Conservative party David Cameron, and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg were broadcast live for 90 minutes on TV.

With only three weeks to go until the general election, the opinion polls are still pointing to a hung parliament, where no party wins enough seats to command a majority.

With two further live TV debates to follow in the next two weeks, the effect of this one may be important but not crucial.

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown (R), opposition Conservative Party leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg (L) take part in the first of Britain's leadership election debates at ITV studios with television moderator Alastair Stewart (2nd R) in Manchester April 15, 2010.

Of the three the only one to apologize in their opening remarks to the electorate for the members of Parliament (MPs) expenses scandal was Cameron, who said, "the expenses saga brought great shame on Parliament and I'm extremely sorry for everything that happened. Your politicians, frankly all of us, let you down."

The election campaign is being fought against a backdrop of cynicism and disgust among the electorate toward politicians and the political system.

The extended revelations in The Daily Telegraph that many MPs had been fiddling their expenses on a large scale over a prolonged period has led to a profound disenchantment among the electorate, who look set to react in two ways.

Many may not bother to vote in the election, with turnout possibly being as low as 55 percent. The other punishment is that the electorate seems keen to deliver a hung parliament, so that no party is in control and has to seek a coalition. Opinion polls reveal that many voters do not fear a hung parliament, and would in fact welcome it.