Hail the Great Debate in Manchester last night as led by ITV newscaster and St. Augustine’s Abbey old boy Alastair Stewart, OBE.

Someone recognized in Greater Cressroads as the Bramdean Commoner opposed to supermarkets in Alresford and, four times over the legal limit, ex-ITV Police-Camera-Action man, who orders a Chinese takeaway, runs into a telegraph pole and cops his second conviction for drink driving.

Presenter Stewart, 57-year-old Rolling Stones fan, whose TV career began with Southern Television in Southampton, was cast in the role of even-handed sober interventionist to police political history in the making as he led the nation’s first ever live TV debate between the leaders of Britain’s three main political parties.

‘Foggy, Campo and Clegg in Start of the Summer Whine’, Winchester Furniture Emporium’s Jonathan Gretrix was fast to crack by blog.

Throwing in his Facebook take of last night’s televised kick-off to the 2010 General Erection that played out for 90 minutes – and, with no whistle, red or yellow cards to his name, charged Presenter Stewart to keep control, interrupt to ensure order and raise his voice when the likes of Campo saw fit to turn a deaf ‘un or worse.

Our Campo prepared, if occasion demands it, to nuke Iran or China.

China!

Loud and clear for all to hear, imagine to mishear – “Didn’t he mean to say North Korea?” – unless anyone was able to make sense of Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague’s subsequent attempt at explanation to want to keep the Chinese ambassador in London off his case.

Iran, we understood. But China?

And leaving Blogsbody to wonder if Campo’s secret plan to avoid repaying our financial Chinese overlords for wanting to keep up the nation’s interest on shopping baskets brimful with made-in-China merchandise is leaked?

While Foggy remained too busy as well as conscious of practising his smile to pick up on Campo making so careless and inane a case for Britain retaining a nuclear deterrent.

And Clegg?

Repeatedly disassociating himself from each of the two ‘old’ parties, no-one quite trusting his way with the arithmetic of economics but looking to be voted best of a bad bunch, Clegg similarly missed a golden opportunity to score at Campo’s expense.

Head and shoulders above such diplomatic and political gaffes was Winchester’s Sharon Watson.

Another fan of Facebook who networks ITV, sees herself as a future resident of a home for old punks and was to be found watching the debate on a high-definition TV screen for it to appear to her that both Foggy and Campo major in dandruff issues.

“Only Clegg’s shoulders still look flake-free.”

Next, Sharon’s eye for political incorrectness cried out: “Not keen on all the grey suits and colour-coded ties. I’d like to see a leisurewear-clad debate. Or, even better, compulsory fancy dress of the combatants’ choice.”

Blogsbody seconds that. - www.blogsbody.co.uk