ITV WOULD VERY much like it if viewers used its “#leadersdebate” Twitter hashtag when talking about tonight’s unprecedented seven-way live debate between the UK’s party leaders.

Unfortunately, a lot of people are tweeting under the #massdebate hashtag instead.

The event, being hosted by ITV, is the only time Labour leader Ed Miliband and Prime Minister David Cameron will face each other on TV before the 7 May polling date.

The broadcast began at 8pm at Media City in Salford, in front of an audience of some 200 people.

Voters seem to expect that the debate will be a rather sprawling affair – with the leaders of the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, UKIP, the Greens, the SNP and Plaid Cymru all going head-to-head (to head, etc.) over two hours.

In keeping with tradition, the great British public has taken to social media to express their excitement over the event…

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