Bernard Jenkin, Conservative candidatepublished at 08:09 BST 31 March 2015
@bernardjenkin
tweets:, external @politicshome, external LibDems scuppered Cons referendum bill! How is that consistent with Clegg's support for a referendum!?!?
Summary
The Conservatives promise to create two million new jobs if re-elected
Labour say they will help small firms by cutting business rates by an average of £400
Plaid Cymru launch their election manifesto with a call to end austerity
Lib Dems promise to spend billions more on mental health
There are 37 days until the general election
Bernard Jenkin, Conservative candidatepublished at 08:09 BST 31 March 2015
Chris Ship, ITV News, deputy political editorpublished at 08:07 BST 31 March 2015
@chrisshipitv
tweets:, external I want @JoeyEssex_, external to ask a Q here. What does someone from outside Westminster bubble want to know from Nick Clegg?
Alastair Campbell, writer and former Labour spin doctorpublished at 08:03 BST 31 March 2015
@campbellclaret
tweets, external : Nick Clegg has been a force for good on mental health stigma but the reality is that MH services have gone backwards under the coalition
Clegg on coalition talkspublished at 08:01
BBC News Channel
Image source, PA“We will take an identical approach this time,” Nick Clegg says of coalition talks. On those "red line" negotiating points - which he won’t actually specify - he confirms the place to look are the policies on the front page of the Lib Dem manifesto. These are the policies for which “we will dig our heels in, we will die in the trenches for”, he says. Presumably he doesn’t mean that literally.
Eleanor Garnier, BBC political correspondentpublished at 07:58 BST 31 March 2015
@BBCEleanorG
tweets:, external Clegg "ums" when put to him that it's more likely there won't be economic growth post 2017/18 than world ending next wk
Clegg on Farronpublished at 07:57
BBC News Channel
Image source, PATim Farron, who’s been having a rather rough time of it recently with some attacks from fellow Lib Dems, gets a staunch defence from Nick Clegg - who also makes clear he’s not happy with infighting within his party so close to an election. “Tim and I are old friends, he’s a very valuable colleague,” Mr Clegg says. “I have absolutely no time for personal bickering within my team and it’s certainly not done in my name or on my behalf. In my view Tim is one of the most talented political campaigners in this country. I am absolutely delighted his is one of our heaviest hitters in this election campaign.”
PoliticsHomepublished at 07:55 BST 31 March 2015
@politicshome
tweets:, external Nick Clegg on public criticisms of Tim Farron by senior Lib Dems: "I have absolutely no time for personal bickering within my team."
Clegg on the TV debatespublished at 07:53
BBC News Channel
What about the TV debates. Will viewers be saying "I agree with Nick" as they did in 2010? "It will be quite different from my point of view,” Nick Clegg says. There are seven leaders this time instead of three - and whereas the Liberal Democrat leader was new to voters five years ago, now he admits he's rather more of a “familiar proposition”.
Economic growthpublished at 07:51
In a slightly more serious answer to that economic growth point, Nick Clegg explains that after 2017/18, when the “structural deficit is dealt with”, spending on public services then gets linked with economic growth.
Matt Chorley, political editor, Mail Onlinepublished at 07:51 BST 31 March 2015
@MattChorley
tweets:, external Nick Clegg's mansion tax seems to have become a "banded high value levy"
End of the world?published at 07:49
BBC News Channel
Image source, PAImage caption, Nick Clegg visiting mental health charity Mind in Solihull
The BBC’s Andrew Neil points out that the Lib Dem mental health policy relies on future economic growth - otherwise the money they're hoping to spend just won’t materialise. “You have to operate under certain assumptions,” Nick Clegg replies. “What do I do if the world comes to an end next Tuesday?”
Joey Essex, reality TV starpublished at 07:47 BST 31 March 2015
@JoeyEssex_
tweets:, external What would you ask a political leader, if you had the chance to ask them a question? #WhatwhatSaysay, external
Attacking the Conservative referendumpublished at 07:46
BBC News ChannelQuote MessageThey keep chopping and changing their views on Europe. They changed their mind, they floated one arbitrary date, they changed that... honestly, my head is spinning around what the Conservative position is. Ours has remained consistent throughout.
Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader
Andy Bell, 5 News political editorpublished at 07:44 BST 31 March 2015
@andybell5news
tweets:, external Joey Essex here for Lib Dem mental health presser #GE2015, external
Clegg's NHS numberspublished at 07:43
BBC News ChannelNick Clegg is taking questions and explaining more about his numbers on the NHS. He's quoting Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, whom the Lib Dem leader says wants around £8bn of "upfront support from the government" in addition to savings of around £22bn.
£3bn commitmentpublished at 07:41
Nick Clegg announces the Liberal Democrats are backing £3bn for mental health services in the next parliament. It's going on the front page of the manifesto, he adds. That's the closest the Lib Dems have come to a "red line" in any coalition negotiations.
Quote MessageWe will continue to put mental health front and centre of the national debate.
Ben Riley-Smith, political correspondent, Daily Telegraphpublished at 07:39 BST 31 March 2015
@benrileysmith
tweets:, external Eamonn Holmes: You’re high on E’s as it were - economy, Ed... David Cameron: I certainly wouldn’t put it that way
Mental health 'tragedy'published at 07:38
BBC News Channel"One in four people in our country will experience mental health problems at some point in their lives," Nick Clegg says. He invites journalists to ponder on that for a bit and points out that one in three children in classrooms aren't being helped with their mental health problems. "What a tragedy, what a waste."
Clegg attacks Labourpublished at 07:37
BBC News ChannelAnd now Nick Clegg presses Labour to commit to raise spending on the NHS, too. Doing so will help finance more spending on mental health, he says.
Clegg attacks the Conservativespublished at 07:36
BBC News Channel
Neither Labour nor the Conservatives have committed to the Liberal Democrats' plans to boost spending on the NHS, Nick Clegg says. He launches a scathing attack on the Tories: "George Osborne, Jeremy Hunt - where will the axe fall? Soldiers, schools, social workers? The only people the Tories have said they'll protect are their friends in big business and their friends in big houses." He says the Conservatives aren't being straight with voters, saying they're trying to "pull the wool over their eyes".