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. Jamie Chapman, Daily Mail

    @jameschappers

    Tweets:

    Farage: 'We think Britain can be a lot better than this.' Third leader to use a variant of that slogan #leadersdebate

  2. Craig Woodhouse, Sun Political Correspondent

    @craigawoodhouse

    Tweets:

    Warning: in the next half hour you will hear some quite ridiculous spin from all sides. Ignore it. #leadersdebate

  3. Early poll

    We already have some polling data on the debate, as YouGov's Peter Kellner says that with the first 500 votes counted, the SNP's Nicola Sturgeon is narrowly in the lead from UKIP leader Nigel Farage. Plenty more of that to come.

  4. Funding for Wales

    Reality Check

    So, a couple of claims that cropped up during the debate warrant closer examination.

    Leanne Wood said that funding for Wales ought to be brought up to the level Scotland gets.

    In 2013/14, public spending per head in the UK as a whole was £8,936. In England, it was £8,678. In Scotland it was £10,275. In Wales it was £9,924 and in Northern Ireland it was £10,961.

    More in this Reality Check. 

  5. Spinning starts

    It's reaction time, as attention turns to the "spin room". Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper says the debate showed why David Cameron was reluctant to take on Ed Miliband head-to-head. But Conservative Priti Patel says the PM put in a "clear and commanding performance".

  6. Feisty enough?

    So, the only debate to feature all of our major party leaders is at a close. There were some heated moments. But was it feisty enough for you?

    A screengrab from the debateGETTY IMAGES

  7. Reaction and analysis

    That rounds up the debate but stay with us for reaction and analysis. Our Reality Check team will also be running over some of the claims made by party leaders to help you make sense of the issues.

  8. Scottie McClue, broadcaster

    @ScottieMcClue

    Tweets:

    @julieetchitv Has Done An Excellent Job Tonight @GdnPolitics #leadersdebate @itvnews @ITV #MediaCity #nicolasturgeon #DavidCameron #GE15

  9. Closing stages

    "Wherever you are, if you're thinking about voting Green... do it", says Natalie Bennett. "It needn't be the "least-worst option". Nigel Farage says: "If you want things to be shaken up and changed properly, you need to put more UKIP MPs at Westminster". David Cameron rounds things off, saying he wants another five years "because I want to finish the job we have started". His plan is about one word - security - he says. And that's your lot. Handshakes all round (which took a while).

  10. John Pienaar, BBC

    @JPonpolitics

    Tweets:

    Sturgeon - little known across much of the UK outside Scotland - more than holding own in heavyweight company. Debate has worked for her.

  11. 'Clear choice'

    Ed Miliband says there is a "clear choice" at the election."When working people succeed, Britain succeeds," he says. "Let's bring the change that Britain needs". Leanne Wood offers a "stronger, more prosperous" Wales, and an end to its "second-rate financial settlement".

  12. Add to the debate

    Email: politics@bbc.co.uk

    Susan Hollywood, Belfast:

    The quality of debate shown by Nicola Sturgeon leaves both Cameron and Milliband looking second rate. This format does work and forces greater debate. If it was just Milliband, Clegg and Cameron it would be a trading of statistics,attacks and constant reference to what each party promises or what they have done or not done. The other parties force the politicians back to ideas and the importance of values. Really good.

  13. Andrew Neil, BBC

    @afneil

    Tweets:

    Is Cameron failing to insert himself in debate because he's been told not to? Or too unsure of himself?

  14. Closing statements

    None of us can afford more austerity, says Nicola Sturgeon. Ordinary people across the country will pay the price, she adds. Nick Clegg says when you vote, "make sure we don't lurch this way or that". He wants "opportunity for everyone".

  15. Sum1st

    @Sum1st

    Tweets:

    @BBCPolitics Nick Clegg asking Ed M to apologise for crashing the economy, not good, gimmicky #leadersdebate #GetAnswers

  16. Zero-hours contracts

    Ed Miliband attacks David Cameron over zero-hours contracts, promising to legislate to stop them. The PM says 70 Labour MPs employ staff on such contracts. That's it for this section, time for the closing statements.

  17. Isabel Hardman, Spectator

    @IsabelHardman

    Tweets:

    Miliband has given the population more eye contact in this debate than most have had on romantic dates.

  18. Household income

    This chart shows household income by age group

    BBC graphic

  19. More from the polls

    All three of the latest opinion polls registered swings to Labour from 2010, ranging between 2.5% (YouGov) to 4.5% (Populus). David Cowling, editor, BBC Political Research, says: "In the 10 campaign polls to date, the Lib Dems have not yet hit double figures in any, broadly hovering around 8%, which is one-third of the support they received in 2010. The Greens seem to be settling around 5% for the present."

  20. Audience intervention

    David Cameron is interrupted by a woman in the audience who says there are homeless people on the streets who have been in the Armed Forces. Standing and shouting from the back, she says: "There are more of us than there are of them and they are not listening." The PM says she makes an important point about homeless veterans.