article_snippet: Battlelines have been drawn for the only major TV debate of the election campaign, when seven party leaders will go head-to-head in a two-hour marathon.
article_snippet: The two-hour live debate will be be screened from 8pm to 10pm on Thursday night.
article_snippet: The seven-way debate is a long way from the 2010 contest, when Mr Clegg and Mr Cameron went up against Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown .
article_snippet: the entire two-hour programme is the only debate involving all of the main leaders scheduled for the campaign, after months of protracted negotiations between broadcasters and the parties.
article_snippet: In the run-up to the 2010 election there were three debates, in which David Cameron and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg took on Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
article_snippet: However, other parties including Ukip and the Greens demanded a slot, while David Cameron refused to take part in several debates once the campaign got underway.
article_snippet: On April 16 the BBC will host a 'challengers debate' with only the leaders of opposition parties including Labour, Ukip, the SNP, the Greens and Plaid Cymru.
article_snippet: Then on April 30 there will be a special of BBC's Question Time, with David Cameron, Mr Miliband and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg appearing separately to answer questions from a studio audience.