Leaders battle over economy in first televised debate

THE three men vying to be prime minister clashed over the economy, defence and care for the elderly in Britain’s first televised leaders’ debate.

Before a live studio audience in Manchester and millions more watching at home, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg outlined stark differences over the key issue of ensuring recovery from the recession.

While Cameron said the Prime Minister was planning to “go on wasting now so I can put up your taxes later”, Brown responded that Tory plans to cut £6 billion (€6.8bn) from government spending risked tipping Britain into a “double-dip recession”.