Big guns target Lib Dems ahead of TV debate

The Tories and Labour have been struggling to cope with soaring Liberal Democrat popularity since last week's debate and Mr Miliband kicked off the psychological games ahead of tonight's event by declaring Mr

Cameron had to perform "as well as Nick Clegg did last week".

Mr Miliband was speaking after he and Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth hit the Yorkshire campaign trail, spending an hour fielding questions on international issues from an audience in York yesterday.

They attacked the Lib Dems' proposals to scrap the Trident nuclear deterrent, defended Labour's record on funding and equipping of British troops and criticised the Tories' approach to Europe.

After last week's first debate, Mr Clegg was instantly rated the winner by viewers and since then the Lib Dems have topped some opinion polls, creating a headache for the other two parties desperate to get their campaigns back on track.

Asked about tonight's debate, Mr Miliband told the Yorkshire Post: "David Cameron and Nick Clegg are competing to be the best at presentation. David Cameron has to land a knockout blow – he's got to do as well as Nick Clegg did last week.

"All he and Clegg are doing is competing to be the best at putting their hands in their pockets and presentation. I think the election will be decided in the last few days as the debating will be over and people have to think about the difference between who you think won the debate and who you think will run the country best."

But responding to his comments, Shadow Housing Minister Grant Shapps, also campaigning in the region yesterday, said: "So David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, is giving David Cameron advice on how to win the election? Forgive me if I am sceptical about his motives.

"The reality is that if people in this country want change, they need to know that a vote for Labour or a vote for the Liberal Democrats will amount to the same thing, a Labour government. The only vote for complete change is Conservative."

During yesterday's debate at the Merchant Taylors Hall, chaired by York MP Hugh Bayley, the two Cabinet Ministers were twice questioned about the Government's Trident proposals, which the Lib Dems say would cost 100bn so they would not replace it on a like-for-like basis.

Mr Clegg is certain to come under pressure over the policy tonight as the Conservatives also support Trident. Yesterday Mr Ainsworth said the Lib Dem policy "doesn't make sense" and insisted it would be wrong for the UK to disarm unilaterally.

"If history teaches us one thing our ability to predict a threat is pretty poor and therefore you have to be prepared to gave a balanced capability against the many threats you might face," said Mr Ainsworth.

The Defence Secretary was also defiant when questioned by the audience over the Government's care for British troops and its ability to supply them.

Several times the Government has faced criticism from Coroners following the death of troops in Iraq or Afghanistan and opposition parties have also been damning in their verdict. In their manifesto the Tories accuse Labour of "dangerous mismanagement" in being too slow to deliver support and equipment, promising to ensure personnel "get the best".

But Mr Ainsworth said: "We're spending very large amounts of money. We've seen massive improvements in equipment for our troops which will not stop there. We will seek all the time, every day, to equip them better."

He admitted equipping of troops would never be "perfect" because technology was always advancing but insisted personnel were never sent into danger without adequate equipment.

He also insisted the welfare package for troops had been "hugely improved" and said Labour was promising a "forces charter" in its manifesto to enshrine in law rights for forces and their families.

During the hour the pair were also questioned about relations with Iran, dealing with climate change and how to resolve problems in the Middle East.

Tory Clarke accused of scaremongering over IMF claims

Shadow business secretary Ken Clarke was accused by the Liberal Democrats of "scaremongering of the worst kind" by suggesting Britain may have to be bailed out by the IMF in the event of a hung Parliament.

Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman Vince Cable joined Alistair Darling in rounding on Mr Clarke, with the Chancellor branding the charge "pretty desperate stuff".

Mr Cable said on BBC2's Daily Politics Election Debate that Conservative claims of an IMF bailout were "scaremongering of the worst kind".

He added: "They're losing the election and starting to panic."

Mr Darling said: "This is pretty desperate stuff. What really destabilises markets is where you make promises you can't afford to pay for. The Tories have made promises to cut taxes amounting to about 38bn. They have no credible plan to pay for them.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne defended Mr Clarke, saying it was a "statement of fact" that if the markets felt the Government could not deal debt, the IMF might be called in.