Simon Ward, MSN Money’s Senior Editor:
I had mixed feelings as I sat down to watch Channel 4’s Ask The Chancellors debate. I was hopeful that there might finally be some light shed on the fog of policy ideas that have been proposed without any clear figures behind them. But I had reservations that the men who would be chancellor, particularly Messrs Darling and Osborne, might not reveal much at all.
And it turned out that I was right (mostly). But at least there was a debate, albeit one far more removed from the jabs and uppercuts of parliament. Alistair Darling appeared to be on the ropes during the early exchanges, stammering his way through some answers as he tried to gain a foothold in the contest.
George Osborne was light on his feet and light on his policies, revealing little and only landing a couple of minor blows on the chancellor, particularly on the so-called ‘death tax’. Darling, when he did find his rhythm, hit back with criticism of the Tories’ policy to reverse the national insurance increase for low-income earners. He also took yet another swing at Lord Ashcroft’s non-domicile tax status, which was missed by many in the studio audience.
In the middle stood Vince Cable, not the referee but the man who may yet have a significant part to play in the next parliament. He was certainly the populist choice, winning a few rounds of laughter and applause for his straight talking and “pinstriped Scargills” jibe at high-earning bankers. He also took aim at Osborne over national insurance but whether his actual policies will make any headlines remains to be seen.
So it was a narrow victory to Vince on points, in the politest way possible. At the end there were handshakes and no bloody noses. But there was arguably no clearer idea of the detail of how the two main parties are going to tackle the fight ahead.
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