22nd April, 2010, 8:44 am The second debate – 8 in the morning, April 22nd Alex Smith Share this article: By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 * In a comment that has been interpreted as a further overture to the Lib Dems, Gordon Brown has said “I’m only here because I want to make a difference. If I cannot make a difference, I go.” * Sky’s Adam Boulton, tonight’s host, says he is ready to push the rules to the limit to guarantee an interesting debate. * Nick Clegg says he has been “too busy to prepare” for tonight’s debate. * Ahead of the debates, Clegg has been forced to deny any wrongdoing over allegations that Lib Dem donors paid money directly into his private bank account. * The likelihood of a split vote in Croydon Central has forced David Cameron to write to all electors there: Dave Hill investigates. * David Cameron has been urged to sack a Tory frontbencher who said lowering the gay age of consent to 16 puts teenage boys at “serious physical risk” and in danger of catching HIV. * The Lib Dems would insist on “truly proportional representation” if the they were to consider working with Labour in a hung parliament, reports the Independent. * Cleggmania? Not in the Tory-Labour marginal of Stourbridge, reports John Harris. Alex Smith Alex is the founder and CEO of The Cares Family. He was editor and first director of LabourList in 2009-2010, during which time he established the site as the number one Labour blog, and later an aide to Ed Miliband. @alexsmith1982 View all articles by Alex Smith Subscribe to our daily email More from LabourList Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor – week ending 1st February 2026 Read what people have been writing to our editor about this week. Find out how to share your… LabourList Staff 1st February, 2026, 4:00 pm Comment ‘Marketised social care has failed. It’s time to rebuild local, democratic social services’ The imposition of the market on Social Services has been an abject failure, economically and societally. As Michael… Bob Rhodes 1st February, 2026, 10:00 am News Former Labour General Secretary David Triesman dies aged 82 Lord David Triesman has passed away aged 82. Triesman was General Secretary of the Association of University Teachers… LabourList Staff 1st February, 2026, 8:58 am
Alex Smith Alex is the founder and CEO of The Cares Family. He was editor and first director of LabourList in 2009-2010, during which time he established the site as the number one Labour blog, and later an aide to Ed Miliband. @alexsmith1982 View all articles by Alex Smith
Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor – week ending 1st February 2026 Read what people have been writing to our editor about this week. Find out how to share your… LabourList Staff 1st February, 2026, 4:00 pm
Comment ‘Marketised social care has failed. It’s time to rebuild local, democratic social services’ The imposition of the market on Social Services has been an abject failure, economically and societally. As Michael… Bob Rhodes 1st February, 2026, 10:00 am
News Former Labour General Secretary David Triesman dies aged 82 Lord David Triesman has passed away aged 82. Triesman was General Secretary of the Association of University Teachers… LabourList Staff 1st February, 2026, 8:58 am
More from LabourList
Letters to the Editor – week ending 1st February 2026
‘Marketised social care has failed. It’s time to rebuild local, democratic social services’
Former Labour General Secretary David Triesman dies aged 82