Lib Dems see danger as well as opportunity after TV success

Nick Clegg

(CHRIS RADBURN / PA )

It is a question that no British political leader has ever had to confront before: How do you celebrate a victory in a prime ministerial debate? Perhaps a visit to an industrial estate in Hull would not have been the top of the list, but that is where Nick Clegg found himself yesterday as he basked in the glory of his lauded performance in front of the television cameras.

The weather was suitably sunny as Mr Clegg's bright yellow bus pulled in to greet a group of young engineering apprentices, with one or two sporting their appropriately yellow hard hats for the occasion. The Liberal Democrat leader may have anticipated questions from the overall-clad workers on jobs or housing. He must have been delighted when the first questioner asked him what he did after the cameras were switched off on Thursday evening, another small sign that the three debates will bring him to the attention of a much wider audience.

"I phoned Miriam," he said. Unfortunately, his wife was not able to watch the whole of her husband's 90 minutes of glory. Constant phone calls from relatives in her native Spain meant she missed long parts of the historic event.

While the surroundings may have been humble, a day back out on the campaign trail was just the kind of engagement that Mr Clegg's team wanted for their man yesterday. With polls coming in during the morning suggesting results beyond the wildest dream of even the most optimistic Liberal Democrat supporters, the priority was to dampen expectations.

"It was sunny the day before the debate, and it is sunny the day after," joked one of his aides, who had been asked if Mr Clegg could take the credit for arranging the weather, too. But there were moments when the excitement could not be contained. "I'm having to pinch myself," said one official, allowing themselves the luxury of wandering off script for just a moment.

Mr Clegg was far stricter with the party line. "You might find this a bit po-faced, but as I said at the time, what I wanted was a hearing for the Liberal Democrats," he told The Independent as he headed back to London. "I hope I've earned the right to be heard."

He is more forthcoming on his fear at being the first leader to ever speak at a television debate in Britain. "You would have to have a heart of stone not to be nervous," he confided. "But after a while, I genuinely started to enjoy it. When they said that's it, I thought they meant it was the end of the first half."

Despite deploying a downbeat mood, there is a sense of vindication in his post-match analysis. "I have been mocked in the past for saying I want to be Prime Minister – I'm not going to apologise for my ambition," he said. "But I see cities like Sheffield, Hull and Newcastle, associated so strongly with Labour in the past, that we now contest. The first step is a psychological one. It doesn't mean we're going to paint the country yellow tomorrow, but things can change very quickly. It's like the wisdom of crowds."

Of course, his team was delighted by the outcome and keen to capitalise on the success. The immediate priority is to rebut the inevitable onslaught from their opponents. Even as Mr Clegg was shaking hands of future engineers yesterday, BlackBerrys were buzzing with news that the Tories were already fighting back. In public at least, Mr Clegg is not threatened by the attention. "I welcome it," he said. "If the Tories want to have a contest of ideas instead of a contest of advertising budgets, I am very confident we can win that."

All his advisers were keen that no sudden changes in tactics were made in the wake of the debate. Mr Clegg will continue his planned schedule, which will see him appear at a London hospital threatened with closure today. "There is no great change of direction because we were ambitious at the outset," said a member of his office.

If there has been a change of focus after Thursday night, it is directed at avoiding complacency. Work on the second debate, international affairs, has already begun. Mr Clegg will use a speech on international development on Sunday to practice some lines. But anyone expecting Mr Clegg to spring any surprises, such as backing a phased withdrawal from Afghanistan, will be disappointed, as he said he would not back such a policy this side of the election.

In fact, the tactic will be to congratulate Labour for correcting a lack of strategy in the campaign, helped by President Barack Obama. "I broke the silence on the Afghanistan operation last year as I had become increasingly alarmed about the absence of strategy," he said.

"That was the right thing for an opposition politician to do at that time. But since then there has been a sincere attempt by Obama and the Government to develop a clear strategy. At some point we will have to judge whether it is working. But people who are looking for the Liberal Democrats to pull the plug on the Afghanistan conflict are not going to get that."

One down, two to go: The yellow corner

*Strengths to play to

He has proved his ability to make his voice heard and now has goodwill going into the second debate. Successfully rose above the squabbling between Brown and Cameron.

*Weakness to correct

As a former home affairs spokesman, the domestic themes of the first debate suited him. He is less sure of his ground on international affairs and the economy, which will be the focus of the second and third debates.

*Pitfalls

Complacency is now the enemy. He was declared the winner after the first debate, but he no longer has the element of surprise in the second. Expectations will be higher and he will have to up his game to meet them.