Gordon Brown, Leader of the Conservative Party David Cameron and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party Nick Clegg.

At long last the first one is upon us – the first of the televised leaders debates will be broadcast on ITV this evening from the Coronation Street studios in Manchester, writes John Hipwood.

No matter what happens as Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg attempt to seize the initiative, one of the most interesting details to emerge will be the viewing figures.

L-R: President Kennedy, Harold Macmillan and David Ormsby Gore in conversation.

When commentators preview the TV debates, they invariably look back to the first televised American presidential debate in Chicago in 1960 between John Kennedy and Richard Nixon.

The youthful, handsome Kennedy had topped up his tan immediately prior to the debate, while the older, pallid looking Nixon was in pain from an infection caused by a knee injury.

He had also chosen a beige suit as opposed to his opponent’s more businesslike dark one, and like the tanned Kennedy, who didn’t need it, Nixon also refused make-up.

My favourite moment, however, came 10 years ago when Al Gore approached the much smaller George W. Bush as though he might hit him. The candidate who was to become President Bush, looked around at his opponent, nodded and got on with his answer.

The chances of Mr Brown losing his temper tonight and moving threateningly across the stage are zilch, but we can but hope.

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Nick Clegg, yesterday launched a “serious manifesto for serious times” in a rather downbeat Liberal Democrat event in London.

The trouble is that, when Mr Clegg or Vince Cable set out policies like this which they say would be introduced by a Lib Dem government, you start wondering whether they are in the real world.

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Shortly after advising the Prime Minister not to “compete with David Cameron’s personal insults, Peter Mandelson accused the Conservative leader of “looking down his rather long toffee nose” .

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David Cameron has helped notch up one of the first practical achievements of the campaign – the decision by Primark to remove padded bikini tops from their stores.

The Tory leader complained some weeks ago about the increasing prevalence in the High Street of “inappropriate” fashion wear for young girls.