Conservative and Labour leaders in election TV special

The battle to be Britain's next prime minister has kicked off with the first in a series of televised political interviews and debates ahead of the general electio.

David Cameron and Ed Miliband were interviewed by the former BBC presenter Jeremy Paxman, and faced some questions from the audience.

The two party leaders did not appear together after the Prime Minister refused to take part in a head-to-head debate.

The BBC's deputy political editor James Landale reports.