Why are UKIP leaking their attack lines ahead of tonight’s debate, giving the LibDems six hours to sort a line? According to the Telegraph, Farage will fight any Putin allegations with fire:

“Why does Nick Clegg’s CV and his profile on his website make absolutely no reference to his time as a lobbyist? Why is that that omitted? I have no links whatsoever with these sinister global figures, but his links are really very close and very embarrassing. The Clegg family are very closely linked to the European project and to big corporate business and so in a sense the debate tonight becomes a clash of cultures,” he said. “I represent the mercantile, trading, entrepreneurial end of society and he represents big banks, big government and big business.”

It seems Farage has been doing some reading, yesterday Breitbart London had a mudslinging session at Clegg’s lobbying past with just enough links to Putin and Gadaffi to make a story. They went after Miriam Clegg too. Which she’s sure to love…

It feels like Farage is trying to put Clegg off even going there by leaking this stuff early, but Guido is not sure it will have the same cut through as his ‘praise’ for Putin. That one will resonate more than dragging in the wives…