The spin doctors politicians rely upon to influence the news have been called "the men in the dark" . Do they pressure and cajole journalists and help politicians float stories that can later be denied, or simply protect their parties from a media obsessed with splits and personalities? In the run-up to the general election, reporter Steve Bradshaw reveals the spin doctors' tricks of the trade and asks whether British voters get the political debate they deserve.

Note: as Panorama is topical and likely to react to events in the news, its subject matter may change