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
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BBC News website reader:
Labour keep saying they will increase wages, how do they expect businesses to pay for it? An extra £1 an hour per employee on a 40 hour week will cost an employer approx an extra £2400 a year.
Live now on #BBCAskThis
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Les:
When deciding retirement age why is geographical location of state pensioners not considered and variable rates applied? My reason for asking is in looking at my primary school photograph of the Glasgow, Shettleston class of 1955 (year 1) only 2% (or 6) are alive in April 2015. Similar in most working class areas in Scotland, meaning no pension yet lifetime payments. Rip-off.
Two days into the election campaign and Nigel Farage appears to be taking it easy, writes the BBC's UKIP Campaign Correspondent Robin Brant There has been no obvious door-knocking, or public events - instead the UKIP leader has been turning up, answering some reporters' questions, and leaving. Perhaps he doesn't want to bore people, or thinks people won't take any notice of the election until after Easter.
A number of "celebrities" have stepped into the political ring today - adding a bit of colour and amusement to debates over health and living standards. The Only Way is Essex star Joey Essex revealed he thought Nick Clegg's party was called the "Liberal Democats", prompting the party to change its logo to a cat. Labour, meanwhile, has been given a boost from the Hobbit and Sherlock star Martin Freeman, who appears in a broadcast to say: “Really, for me, there’s only one choice, and I choose Labour.” But not everyone agrees with Freeman. Sun columnist Katie Hopkins took to Twitter to say she will leave the UK if Labour leader Ed Miliband is elected PM.
Shadow chancellor Ed Balls says he does not ever think he'll be leader of the Labour Party "and that's fine". But in a wide-ranging interview with the Evening Standard, the 2010 leadership contender said he would back his wife, Yvette Cooper, for the top job. "She'd do it brilliantly because she's a class act," he said, but added: "I don't want the issue to arise because I want Ed to win." Mr Balls also revealed that his family made clothes out of curtains when they joined a Sound of Music tour in Salzburg last summer.
Quote MessageYou can do four-hour bicycle tours of all the Sound of Music sights. And we not only did it, we made headscarves and neckerchiefs out of an old curtain material, to fully commit to the role.
Ed Balls, Shadow chancellor
Jeremy Vine, external posts on vine: More rehearsals as we warm up the BBC graphics #Vineonvine, external#GE2015, external ~I dream of green~
@andybell5news
Quote MessageJust saw pix of me sitting next to Joey Essex at Lib Dem presser this morning - reem #GE2015
Mind, the mental health charity, has welcomed Nick Clegg's pledge to spend an extra £3.5bn on the issue over six years - and hopes other major parties will follow suit. Mind chief executive Paul Farmer said: "One in four of us will experience a mental health problem each year, so every parliamentary candidate from every party needs to accept and embrace mental health as a key issue for their constituency."
Quote MessagePoor mental health is becoming a national crisis. At a time when demand has never been greater, we know that severe cuts to mental health services, prolonged waiting times and a lack of choice in treatments are making things worse for people living with mental health problems.
Paul Farmer, Mind
Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls says David Cameron is "a bit of a troll". In a wide-ranging interview for the Evening Standard, Mr Balls claimed "most Tories don't do nasty", but Mr Cameron "has made politics nastier". He said the PM "lashes out in a personal way", and is "not popular with women". "The way he talked to Nadine Dorries, and said 'Calm down dear' to Angela Eagle - it reflects something. David Cameron is a bit of a troll. Look at the Conservative Party and the way they operated on Twitter for the first half of the Parliament, they were very trolling, as in officially trolling. It was a reflection of David Cameron."
@LadPolitics
Quote MessageMicky Ashcroft is 100/1 to be next Tory Leader @LordAshcroft
@montie
Quote MessageGood on my former boss, @LordAshcroft - others should follow his lead and retire from the Lords. I doubt many will
@LordAshcroft
Quote MessageRetired Lords keep their title and can use the facilities of the House should they wish to.
@Markfergusonuk
Quote MessageLord Ashcroft quits the Lords. Right decision. But it’s an outdated anachronism. When 800 more resign i’ll get excited
@nick_clegg
Image source, @nick_cleggThis is the sort of campaigning I like - a room full of people asking any question they wish to @JennyWillott and me
Image source, ReutersConservative Lord Ashcroft says he is standing down as a UK peer. In a statement, he said that Baroness D'Souza, the Lord Speaker, had mentioned that any Member of the House of Lords who can "no longer contribute meaningfully" should retire. She added that since the House has close to 800 members, "retirement at the right time should be seen as a condition of membership of the House of Lords - a duty as well as a right."
Quote MessageI agree with the Speaker, and have concluded that my other activities do not permit me to devote the time that membership of the Lords properly requires. Accordingly, I have today written to the Clerk of the Parliaments giving notice of my resignation from the House of Lords with immediate effect.... I will continue my involvement in politics through Lord Ashcroft Polls and my political publishing interests."
Lord Ashcroft
@JoeChurcher
Quote MessageLord Ashcroft is retiring from the House of Lords. Will many others take advantage of the new right to step down?
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Alison, Scotland:
Do they think it is fair that Scottish people who own a 2nd property are charged double Council Tax on the 2nd property while the Scottish non-payers of the 25 year old Poll Tax have had their debts written off? Why are these stealth taxes approved by Scot Gov for property owners while those who appear to hate any Westminster gov decisions are allowed off 'Scot Free' with their debts?
The Queen's proclamation calling for a new parliament
Email: politics@bbc.co.uk
Eric, Bradford
The main parties need to put their cards (actual figures) on the table or further disillusioned voters will move towards the smaller alternative party.