General Election: Shropshire politicians speak out on Leaders Debate

"It won't be a surprise to hear but I thought Mr Cameron did very well," said Conservative candidate Daniel Kawczynski, who is hoping for re-election in Shrewsbury & Atcham.

He praised the format of the debates, contrasting it with Jeremy Paxman "hacking chunks" out of politicians.

He said: "I really enjoyed the way in which the chairman, under very difficult circumstances, maintained a sense of order and choreography so the country could get some sort of sense of the what the difficulties are that we face.

"I found that approach very productive as opposed to the Paxman approach, which I abhor, just to clobber them and try to make them look ridiculous.

"Paxman's attitude seems to be,'I just want to make life difficult for these politicians', and if you do that you won't get the best out of them and actually find out what they believe in and stand for.

"The approach of genuinely trying to elicit information is a far more constructive approach than the Paxman approach, which is 'I have a club and I am going to hack chunks out of these politicians'."

Mr Kaczynski praised his leader for addressing the "fundamental issue" of the economy.

"What was interesting from my point perspective was the other candidates tried to ignore the elephant in the room which is the nation's debts and they tried to give the impression they will spend more and more without getting to the nitty gritty of the problems the nation is facing. Mr Cameron was the only one to address any of those problems which the country still has to face."

He added: "I was delighted with his performance and believe genuinely and passionately that now we are the fastest growing economy on the Western world, things will continue to get better.

"I am pleased with the fact he tried not to be all things to all people and explained the tough decisions the Government has taken to improve the economy and get rid of our debt."

Mr Kawcynski said he believed the performance of Scottish National Party leader, Nicola Sturgeon, pointed towards the potential dynamics of a coalition between her party and Labour.

He said: "What struck me is that if Mr Miliband gets in there is no doubt in my mind that Nicola Sturgeon will be calling the shots, and that frightens me if they go into coalition because I think Scotland already gets a very fair deal.

"I would be very concerned that a party like the SNP would use its inevitable position to get more English tax payers' money shunted north of the border and would try to unpick the country with another referendum."

Asked who, apart from his party leader, had performed well, Mr Kawczynski hailed the performance of Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg.

He said: "I think from my perspective that is a very difficult question. What I would say is I am impressed with the Liberal Democrats in the sense they have stuck, despite great difficulties, to the coalition. I think Mr Clegg has not ruled out another coalition. We are different yet I give Nick Clegg credit for sticking to the coalition and helping to take the tough decisions we have had to take.

"I would say Nick Clegg's performance was good and the fact that the Liberal Democrats set aside their personal and political differences to work in collaboration on a very difficult situation we inherited."

David Wright, hoping for re-election for Labour in the Telford constituency, called the debate for Ed Miliband.

"I think Ed Miliband did extremely well and all of the polling afterwards put it neck and neck between the main party leaders."

But unlike Mr Kawczynski, he had reservations about the "unyielding" format of the debate.

"I did not think the leaders had a lot of time to expand their arguments but I think Miliband did very well," he added.

"These debates are giving Ed Miliband a breakthrough to an audience that perhaps do not watch more traditional political discussion programmes or Prime Minister's Questions, so it is giving him a breakthrough he has not had before and we are hearing that on the streets, people in Telford saying they have been impressed by him.

"I think that what stuck out for me was that we do need a debate between the two people that actually could be Prime Minister.

"Ed Miliband has said he would have that debate and I am very disappointed that the Prime Minister continues to run away from that debate.

"He should debate Ed Miliband head to head."

Mark Pritchard, seeking re-election for the Conservatives in The Wrekin, praised David Cameron, calling him "by far the most impressive candidate".

"He was right to say there was a clear choice at the election - either David Cameron is going to be Prime Minister or Ed Miliband is going to be Prime Minister, that is the reality and the stark choice," said Mr Pritchard.

"A vote for UKIP will allow Ed Miliband into Number 10 Downing Street through the back door, which ironically will then ensure that there is no referendum on Europe. The only way to get an EU in/ out referendum is to vote Conservative.

"On substance and style, David Cameron won the debate hands down. I think Ed Miliband looked nervous, out of place and hesitant."

Glyn Davies, who is campaigning to be reselected as Conservative MP for Montgomeryshire, said: "I thought the debate was quite successful and all the leaders performed well.

"In particular I thought David Cameron was calm, authoritative and Prime Ministerial. I also thought Leanne Wood and Natalie Bennett came over well on the national stage, putting Wales and environmental issues centre stage."

Owen Paterson, famously sacked by David Cameron as Environment Secretary, said the party leader's performance had been both very careful and very restrained.

"I think I would have been more outspoken over what the other leaders where saying," said the North Shropshire candidate.

"Cameron is the only one who talked sense about the economy. It is immoral to dump debt on our children and our children's children. There was a great deal about taxation but taxation has not worked and wont work."

I have had my differences with the Prime Minister but he is by far, from the way he looks and sounds and acts, the most prime ministerial of all of them.

"We need his strong leadership, not weak leadership and David Cameron is strong, Ed Miliband is weak and Nigel Farage is a confused, wannabe leader."

Conservative south Shropshire candidate Philip Dunne said he thought Mr Cameron put on a "stirling performance", while Ed Miliband floundered.

"I think Mr Cameron came across as very competent and showed that he had a full mastery of the facts," said Mr Dunne.

"I'm not sure the debate will have swung anyone's opinions, but I think he did a good job.

"He demonstrated that he is the only credible candidate for Prime Minister.

"I thought Ed Miliband was in all sorts of trouble and demonstrated that he would have to rely on the Scottish Nationals (SNP) if he had any prospect of forming a government - and he showed from his exchanges with Nicola Sturgeon that that would be a recipe for chaos."