Election TV debate: Parties claim spoils after seven-way battle

 

The Conservatives and Labour have both claimed victory in the aftermath of Thursday's TV election debate between the leaders of seven political parties.

David Cameron said he was delighted he had "come out on top" in opinion polls, while Ed Miliband said he had set out the "clear choice" between the two men.
The SNP's Nicola Sturgeon has been praised for an "impressive" performance by some senior Conservatives.
Seven million people watched the two-hour debate on ITV.
In the most high-profile event of the campaign so far, the seven politicians - also including the leaders of the Lib Dems, UKIP, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru - were questioned on a range of issues including the NHS, immigration and the deficit.


In other post-debate developments:

• ITV say their audience for the debate peaked at 7.4 million, a 33% share of the audience, compared with 9.4 million for their debate in 2010. Across ITV, BBC News and Sky the average audience was 7.7m
• Snap polls taken after the poll suggested there was no clear winner
• Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said he relished the encounter and insisted his party had a "great story" to tell
• UKIP has defended comments by its leader Nigel Farage over whether the NHS should treat foreign migrants diagnosed with HIV
• Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said she had succeeded in "speaking directly for Wales"
• Conservative Chief Whip Michael Gove said Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland could not hold separate EU referenda and a vote would be on a "UK basis"
• Mr Gove says "nein danke" ("no thanks") in response to talk of a coalition with UKIP