It looks calm from the outside. Photo credit: Tony Moory

If it’s a Battle for Middle England, as The Times claimed today, and its swath of undecided, marginal voters, then who are the warriors? And what are the weapons? British media today, as part of the pre 6 May bid to reach total election information saturation, dealt with those questions and more.

Conservative leader David Cameron cut a polemic figure in opinion editorials today: Daniel Finkelstein, in today’s Times, wrote, “the campaign and the exact outcome will depend on the same central question. Do you trust the Leader of the Opposition?”

The answer for at least one voter is no. The Daily Mirror, staunchly pro-Labour, published a letter from self-professed Conservative and resident of a “marginal constituency” called Tany to Cameron outlining all the reasons why she was sure he was a nice guy, but she couldn’t vote for him. “This time I cannot bring myself to vote for a party which is led by someone I frankly do not trust,” she wrote. Accusing Cameron of putting on a “man of the people act”, Tany asked, “How am I supposed to believe that a millionaire former Eton schoolboy, with a wife from a titled family, who lives in a posh house in one of the most desirable postcodes in the country can possibly empathise with the issues I face in my day-to-day life?

The Sun, of course, is sold on Cameron: Under the headline, “It’s D-Dave”, the paper ran an interview with Cameron, featuring pictures of the Tory leader cycling to work and sitting down for earnest conversations with nurses at a UK hospital. “At the age of 43, Mr Cameron will be the youngest PM in 200 years if he wins the May 6 poll,” the tabloid reported. “And his youthful enthusiasm was reflected as he said of the campaign: ‘I’m feeling a great relief that it’s now finally under way.’”

And what of Prime Minister an Labour leader Gordon Brown? Most news pundits and politicos seem to think that whatever happens, Brown won’t be left standing at the end of this election cycle. But others say there may be some tricks left in this battered political survivor.

In an analysis piece that appeared last night in The Financial Times, under the headline, “Gordon Brown: Still standing”, reported that his supporters cite his inexhaustible energy and devotion to dealing with Britain’s big problems, things like the economy. Reported the paper, “Labour insiders admit that what Mr Brown has failed to master during his three years in Number 10 is the rather important bit in the middle: the nitty-gritty of policy delivery lying between the tactical and the strategic.”

That aside, however, this election seems to have revitalized the embattled PM, who has survived several attempts from within in his own party to oust him as leader. “The onset of the election has put a new spring in his step, almost as if he has thrown off the burdens of government and is relishing the prospect of attacking the policies of a Tory government-in-waiting,” The Financial Times concluded. “What is more he believes he can win, even if the polls say the opposite.”

Meanwhile, there’s a third leader in this race – as Nick Clegg, the youthful leader of the Liberal Democrats, continually seeks to remind voters and media. He may have his work cut out for him: The Guardian reported today that a 10 Yetis opinion poll yesterday found that fully two-thirds of voters didn’t know who Clegg was.

But with the spectre of a hung parliament, the Liberal Democrats and other smaller parties face the prospect of wielding more political than they have in many years. Clegg’s opening salvo in this election campaign – “This is the end of Gordon Brown” – therefore has a bit more resonance, given the party’s part in determining who will lead government.

All this came to a head today during the Prime Minister’s Questions – despite Brown’s asking the Queen to dissolve Parliament on Tuesday, Parliament will remain in session until the end of the week – when Brown was subjected to finger-wagging from a stern Cameron and both major parties were excoriated by an angry Clegg. Check here for footage from the Questions.

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