Summary

  • The leaders of seven UK parties took part in a two-hour live televised election debate

  • It was the only debate of the campaign which will feature David Cameron and Ed Miliband

  • They clashed on a range of issues including the NHS, immigration and the deficit

  • Snap polls taken afterwards gave differing verdicts on the winner

  • There are 35 days until the general election

Live Reporting

Tom Moseley, Andrew McFarlane and Bernadette McCague

  1. Columnist Gaby Hinsliff

    @gabyhinsliff

    Tweets:

    Nothing says 'whoop! eve of bank holiday' like two solid hours of seven-way political debate, does it? #debate2015

  2. Unionist 'vision'

    One party which won't be represented on the podium is the Democratic Unionist Party, which had eight MPs at the last election. Nigel Dodds, the party's leader at Westminster, says people should be told the party's vision for the whole of the UK, not just Northern Ireland. The DUP has not committed to siding with either of the largest parties, he adds.

  3. Add to the debate

    Email: politics@bbc.co.uk

    Wayne Roff:

    So tonight is the night of the big leaders' debate. Which of these leaders will be spending most of their time attacking the other parties and their past record, rather then telling us what their party stands for and will do for this country? I don't want to hear about the past, what is done is done. It's our future I want to know about and how their actions would improve the lives of all those living in the UK

  4. Ben Glaze, Daily Mirror Political Correspondent

    @benglaze

    Tweets:

    Great @KayBurley slap down to @George_Osborne on @SkyNews : "Don't try and soft-soap me." #leadersdebate

  5. Five minute warning

    Salford studiosGetty

    If you're going to make a cup of tea, do it now. It's nearly show time. Here are the formalities of what's coming up:

    • Natalie Bennett will make the first of seven opening statements of the debate, while David Cameron will speak last
    • Each leader will be allowed to give an uninterrupted one-minute answer to questions posed by members of the studio audience
    • There will then be up to 18 minutes of debate on each question; in all four "substantial election questions" will be addressed
    • Leaders will not see the questions in advance and an "experienced editorial panel" will select them

  6. 'No role-plays'

    UKIP deputy leader Paul Nuttall says Nigel Farage hasn't gone through any role-plays in preparation. The Liverpudlian tells the BBC News Channel that - with his accent and background - he doesn't think he could act out the part of David Cameron.

  7. Tina

    @tbo51972

    Tweets:

    Really hoping this debate will at least help me a little in deciding who to vote for. I'm sooo undecided it's frustrating #leadersdebate

  8. SNP influence

    Stewart Hosie of the SNP says he doubts leader Nicola Sturgeon is nervous.

    Stewart Hosie

    The first thing is, because this debate's happening at all, the two-party political system is gone"

  9. Steve Hawkes, Deputy Political Editor, The Sun

    @steve_hawkes

    Tweets:

    Eyes down for the debates - wonder what pre-prepared barb Nicola Sturgeon has up her sleeve for the PM?"

  10. David Hughes, Press Association

    @DavidHughesPA

    tweets :

    Spin room: Clegg message to voters they're not just deciding between DC/EdM but also potential pact/coalition allies"

  11. Pundits' previews

    Caroline Wheeler, of the Sunday Express, says David Cameron needs to "show more flair" tonight than in last week's leader's interviews, while Ed Miliband needs to look "more statesmanlike". Jack Blanchard, of the Mirror, wonders whether the public at large are as excited by proceedings as "us Westminstery people".

  12. BBC Radio 4 producer Kevin Mousley

    @kevinmousley

    Tweets:

    Ever been in shop with loads of people u think you know then realise they are off the telly #mediacity #mediascrum#electiondebate"

  13. 'Winning' a debate

    Nick Robinson
    Political editor

    The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson blogs about what it means to "win" a debate. He suggests all leaders watching David Cameron's performance last week will have learned that it's not enough to simply set out to calmly persuade those who have bothered to watch and not enough to avoid making any embarrassing gaffes.

    You also need to say something clippable and memorable that challenges voters' preconceptions of you and helps to write the next chapter of this election saga."

  14. Clegg's here

    Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg had a smile for the cameras as he arrived at the studio.

    Nick CleggGetty

  15. Nadia Gilani

    @nadiagilani

    Tweets:

    I've raced to get near a telly to watch tonight's leaders debate. It better be riveting. #GE2015

  16. Spot polling

    Peter Kellner, of polling organisation YouGov, says 1,000 people will be asked who they think won tonight's debate "the instant David Cameron says the final words". He says the result should be known "within just a few minutes".

  17. The Camerons arrive

    And here's Prime Minister David Cameron, with wife Samantha, hot on the heels of the Lib Dem leader.

    David and Samantha Cameron arrive at Media City

  18. Clegg at Media City

    We're hearing that Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has just arrived at the Salford debate venue.

  19. Chris Cook, policy editor, BBC Newsnight

    tweets :

    If each leader fires a 10-second zinger at every other leader without any pauses between them, it will take 7 minutes to get through"

  20. Ed does Cosmo

    Ed Miliband has ventured into new territory, taking the Cosmopolitan quiz . His hand-written responses to a wide range of questions include naming Ellie Goulding as his favourite musician and revealing the last text he received said: "Don't do Cosmo questionnaires."