Labour launches election campaign after TV clash

Leader of the opposition Labour Party Ed Miliband gives a speech as he launches the party's General Election Campaign in east London on March 27, 2015. PHOTO | JUSTIN TALLIS |

What you need to know:

  • Knife-edge poll set for May 7.
  • Opposition leader Miliband pledges to help middle and low income voters.

LONDON

British opposition leader Ed Miliband launched his campaign Friday to defeat Prime Minister David Cameron in upcoming general elections after primetime television interviews in which neither man landed a knockout blow.

With a knife-edge poll looming, Miliband, leader of the centre-left Labour, admitted the May 7 poll would be the “tightest general election for a generation” during an event at the Olympic Park in east London.

Pledging to help the middle and lower income voters who Labour says have been left behind by Cameron’s Conservative-led coalition government, Miliband insisted: “The Tories say this is as good as it gets — we say Britain can do better than this.”

DEBATE

His speech came hours after he and Cameron took part in the first big television event of the campaign — a question and answer session in which they were grilled separately by veteran journalist Jeremy Paxman and a studio audience.

A Guardian/ICM snap poll after the programme indicated that 54 per cent of viewers gave Cameron victory compared to 46 per cent for Miliband.

Commentators disagreed on whether Cameron, who focused on his party’s economic record, or what one called a “surprisingly punk” Miliband came out on top.

But many said the main winner was the formidable Paxman, known for his withering glares and sceptical arched eyebrows.

“Under interrogation from Mr Paxman, Mr Cameron gave a rather defensive performance,” The Times newspaper said in its editorial. “There was one obvious winner last night: Jeremy Paxman.”

Miliband, who struggles with an often awkward media persona, took a more combative approach to Paxman’s questions. When asked if he had the steel needed to be prime minister, he responded: “Hell yes, I’m tough enough”.

The show was watched live by about three million people on Channel 4 and Sky News.

The Conservatives and Labour are neck-and-neck in opinion polls on 34 per cent.