THERE may not have been any knock-out punches landed, but history was made as the country witnessed its first ever televised leaders’ debate.

An estimated 10m are believed to have tuned in for the political fight between three men desperate to be the next prime minister.

The first of three 90-minute debates pitted Prime Minister Gordon Brown against Tory chief David Cameron and the Lib Dem’s Nick Clegg.

Former deputy PM John Prescott – who famously punched a protester during the 2001 general election campaign – was among those watching the landmark event as he dropped into a Southampton working men’s club.

Mr Prescott, who is on a tour of key 50 marginal seats to rally party support ahead of polling day, gave Labour activists a pep talk at Swaythling Working Men’s Club.

Slamming the efforts of the opposition parties, the Labour stalwart was cheered and applauded for his speech by dozens of members and supporters who filled the club to hear the rousing introduction to the television debate on a large screen. An audience that spanned the generations, younger guests sat on the carpet to watch the verbal showdown while older voters lined the walls and tables of the club in High Road.

“It is great to have John (Prescott) down here for the debate and talking about what Labour has achieved since 1997,” said civil servant Steve Eveny, 56, from Devonshire Road.

“The atmosphere is wonderful with everyone here to watch it”.

But the Tories continue to lead Labour in the polls although some commentators predicted the debates could be decisive.

Southampton University professor of politics Gerry Stoker said the debates were unlikely to be determine the outcome of the election unless one the leaders made a “terrible gaffe”.

But he added: “It will make a big difference in terms of the public making a judgement about who they trust and whose ideas they are likely to value. It’s mind boggling it’s taken us this long to get to.”

The second debate, on Sky News, will be set in the South West, and the final showdown, which will be on BBC1, will be in the Midlands.