Liberal Democrat leader Clegg concentrated on appearing as an everyman and on portraying the other two parties as responsible for all the country's problems.

"The way they (the other two parties) got us into this mess is not the way out. We must be frank about cuts needed so we can protect schools and hospitals. We have to do things differently," said Clegg in the debate.

Reaction to Thursday's debate from the party's spinners was instantly on hand for the hundreds of gathered media.

Senior Conservative Michael Gove, who has the education portfolio, told Xinhua: "I think we'll be seeing in seven days time Gordon Brown conceding defeat."

"I respect Nick Clegg, but he's a young guy. He has put himself up as leader of the third party and said he wants to be judged as prime minister. Well, there was only one potential prime minister on stage tonight, and that was David Cameron."

For Labor, former Prime Minister Tony Blair's chief spin doctor Alistair Campbell was working hard to polish up Brown's performance.

"I thought it was Gordon's to win, and he won it. He did very well today, he set out the choice," said Campbell.

"I think it was fascinating that there were so many questions Cameron wouldn't answer. Five or six times he was asked about his inheritance tax for the rich. Several times he was asked about manufacturing which he wouldn't answer. Twice he was asked about the immigration cap which he couldn't name," he added.

He continued, "Cameron was weak and Clegg did what Clegg does. Gordon was strong and he was focused on the economy."

The live TV debates between the leaders, the first in the history of British politics, are now over, and the general election campaign now moves into its final week.

It is highly unusual for British politics to produce an election with no party looking strong enough to form a majority government. The Conservatives are ahead in the polls, but on the current standing they may need to form a coalition to govern, or to form a minority government and hope that the other parties do not see it in their interest to trigger another general election so soon.