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

"It's extraordinary that Brown is saying you have to go on wasting money to keep the economy going," said Cameron.

Clegg identified the country's nuclear deterrent as too expensive and put it forward as an example of where cuts could be made. "There are things we can't afford to do - like the Trident nuclear deterrent."

A telephone poll of 4,000 voters carried out right after the debate by the polling company ComRes claimed that Clegg was the far away winner on 43 percent, Cameron second on 26 percent, and Brown trailed on 20 percent.

In the immediate aftermath of the debate the parties fielded their spin doctors, or top spokesmen, to spin the media coverage in their favor.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne, labeled prime minister Brown's performance as "unnecessarily aggressive."

Only yards away Labor's Lord Peter Mandelson defended the prime minister's performance, while conceding Clegg's success. "Clegg showed a great sense of style but the idea that people do not want a prime minister who is tough and aggressive on matters of the economy is simply laughable," he said.

ITV hosted this debate, Sky will host the next, whose main topic is foreign affairs, in a city in the west of England, the BBC will host the final debate in a city in the Midlands which will focus on economic policy.

Media reports claimed that all three parties were keen for the debates, with Labor hoping that it would give their poorly-funded campaign some impetus, while the Conservatives counted on Cameron having superior communication skills. The Liberal Democrats were delighted to be included as it brings their leader up to the status of the two main parties.