Let The Debate Begin!
London, England (CNN) -- The leaders of the UK's three main political parties will clash again Thursday in the second of three televised debates which have energized the country's general election campaign.
Thursday's debate, which will be broadcast live on CNN International and CNN.com Live, is due to focus on foreign policy with the UK's role in the war in Afghanistan and its position in the European Union likely to dominate the agenda.
Most watchers of last week's opening debate -- the first in British electoral history -- scored the contest as a surprise victory for Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats over Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the leader of the Labour Party, and Conservative leader David Cameron.
The Liberal Democrats have long been the outsiders of UK politics but Clegg's performance triggered an unprecedented boost for the party in the polls, with some even putting them in first place.
That has increased the pressure on Brown and Cameron and made the prospect of a "hung parliament," in which no party achieves an overall majority, more likely, according to analysts.
With another debate on the critical issue of the economy and two more weeks of campaigning still to come, Thursday's debate will offer clues as to whether the Lib Dem surge has the legs to last until election day on May 6.
London, England (CNN) -- The leaders of the UK's three main political parties will clash again Thursday in the second of three televised debates which have energized the country's general election campaign.
Thursday's debate, which will be broadcast live on CNN International and CNN.com Live, is due to focus on foreign policy with the UK's role in the war in Afghanistan and its position in the European Union likely to dominate the agenda.
Most watchers of last week's opening debate -- the first in British electoral history -- scored the contest as a surprise victory for Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats over Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the leader of the Labour Party, and Conservative leader David Cameron.
The Liberal Democrats have long been the outsiders of UK politics but Clegg's performance triggered an unprecedented boost for the party in the polls, with some even putting them in first place.
That has increased the pressure on Brown and Cameron and made the prospect of a "hung parliament," in which no party achieves an overall majority, more likely, according to analysts.
With another debate on the critical issue of the economy and two more weeks of campaigning still to come, Thursday's debate will offer clues as to whether the Lib Dem surge has the legs to last until election day on May 6.
