There are 32 days until the general election on 7 May
Chancellor George Osborne tells Sky News it is "not his plan" to cut top rate of tax from 45p to 40p
Lib Dem David Laws tells Radio 5 live the Tories have shown “unbelievable cheek” in taking credit for rises in the personal tax allowance
Labour leader Ed Miliband wanted to be seen as a "happy warrior" in last Thursday's TV debate, according to notes reported by the Sun
The BBC's Kerry Alexandra takes a look at one of the social media stories of the week: people having fun with the fact that those party leaders who strive to appear different dress in a remarkably similar fashion. Here's David Cameron in the ensemble of the modern politician when in the wild (that is, not in Westminster). You'll have to click over to Kerry's article to see Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg model the same range.
Image source, Press AssociationNigel Farage's criticism during Thursday's debate of NHS treatment of foreigners with HIV embroiled the UKIP leader in controversy - admittedly, not an unusual experience for him. He claimed he had the "overwhelming" support of the British people in his stance that the NHS should not offer free immediate treatment to foreign nationals. Today, a YouGov poll has found that 50% of respondents would support a ban on non-British citizens receiving NHS treatment unless they had lived in the UK for five years, with 34% opposed to such a ban and 16% unsure. On the question of HIV sufferers specifically, 52% of respondents agreed with the statement: "Nigel Farage was right to raise this issue - immigrants with serious conditions like HIV are costing the health service a large amount of money". By contrast, 34% said: "Nigel Farage was just scaremongering - compared to the total cost of the NHS this is a drop in the ocean."
Image source, Press AssociationTomorrow's bank holiday is likely the last time for a while politicians will be able to relax for even a short period - the next one is 4 May, a mere three days before the general election. So if they have any TV shows to binge-watch or books they want to linger over, the party leaders best get to them tonight and tomorrow. Time with the kids might be in short supply, too - and special advisers are really no replacement.
@TheEconomist
Quote MessageDavid Cameron claimed increased NHS spending by £12.7 billion. NHS spending has actually been falling since 2013 http://econ.st/1xyfcbu
Image source, The Economist@elashton
Quote MessageCameron just can't resist picking up a lovable farm animal
Image source, @elashton
Image source, Press AssociationAlex Salmond - or even just his picture - has already loomed large in the election campaign.The Financial Times hits the election trail (paywall), external with the former SNP leader, a 'Marmite man' (you either love him or hate him) fighting to win the constituency of Gordon.
Never a day off for Election Live. Marie Jackson and Rob Corp are relinquishing the controls - here's what they've covered in the political world so far today:
Brian Wheeler and Adam Donald are here to take you through to midnight with updates on all of the above stories - and the best from elsewhere.
The 2015 Politics Live page debuted with 100 days to go until polls open on 7 May - and it's just the latest in a long line of innovations in our election coverage. Check out our collaboration with the University of Sussex outlining the history of BBC coverage here.
Image source, ScreengrabLabour's Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls wants answers from the Tories on the subject of tax cuts.
Quote MessageWhen George Osborne cut the top rate of income tax from 50p down to 45p we know that he and David Cameron wanted to go further and actually cut it to 40p. They need to tell us... is that their plan?"
The Spectator
Image source, ReutersSpectator editor Fraser Nelson says, external shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Chris Leslie's interview on Sky News' Murnaghan programme earlier confirmed Labour will have to raise taxes it has not yet disclosed: "You don’t need a PhD in economics to work out that if Labour does not agree with the Tory plans for spending reform, and it wants to get the government’s current spending into surplus, it will need to raise more taxes – and ones it hasn't told us about yet."
@MattChorley
Quote MessageAA Gill notes in STimes how TV debate did 4 Qs in "slightly longer than it took Shakespeare to get thorough A Midsummer Night's Dream"
BBC Radio 4
Image source, GettyPlaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood says her party would try to push a minority Labour government to the left. She tells The World This Weekend on Radio 4 her priorities are to end austerity and rebalance power and wealth.
Quote MessageMany people who vote Labour do so because of what Labour used to stand for in terms of their old values. And if we, with others, my friends in the SNP and any Greens that are elected in England, can put pressure to bear on the Labour Party to force them to consider what their original values were all about, then I think that's something that would have backing from people."
@GuidoFawkes
Quote MessageBreakdown YouGov poll on NHS health tourism: 50% back Farage, 34% oppose, 16% don't know.
@cathynewman
Quote MessageHaving once been called upon to deliver a lamb I say @David_Cameron was lucky. Animal midwifery worse than eating a bacon sandwich on camera
BBC Radio 5 Live
If you missed David Laws on Pienaar's Politics earlier, you can listen to the clip here.
The Independent
Image source, AFP/Getty ImagesIn the Independent on Sunday,Jane Merrick and John Rentoul muse on the importance of Twitter in this election, external- perhaps the first "social media election".
Image source, PANo lambs here sadly, just Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael (third left) lending his support to Lib Dem Edinburgh West candidate Mike Crockart (second left) at a Liberal Democrat campaign office in Edinburgh.
Image source, ScreengrabDavid Cameron is asked if he will cut the top rate of tax in a Conservative government.
Quote MessageIt's not our policy. It's not our plan. Our plan is to raise to £12,500 the basic rate threshold so that we take another million people out of income tax altogether and cut tax for 30 million people. That's the plan. We're also going to raise the 40p threshold to £50,000 because too many middle-income families have been pulled into that tax rate. Those are our plans and they're the ones we'll pursue."
You can watch a clip of Mr Cameron's interview in our story on tax.
Image source, Press AssociationWell, at least he won the election
The BBC's Giles Dilnot looks at some of the more distinctive ways politicians have dominated the news cycle during elections past - whether in facing difficult questions, making a controversial remark with a 'hot mic', or - as the now Lord Prescott of Kingston upon Hull can testify - by swinging fists.
@rosschawkins
Quote MessageOpening paragraph of the weekend from @ShippersUnbound
Image source, @rosschawkins