Labour launches its manifesto, vowing to be the party of economic responsibility
Ed Miliband promises every policy will be fully funded and require no "additional borrowing"
The Conservatives are to announce that they would extend the 'Right-to-buy' to 1.3 million housing association tenants
Nick Clegg says the Lib Dems will not have another coalition with the Tories if they insist on £12bn welfare cuts
The Lib Dems launch a "five point plan" aimed at consumers and commuters
There are 24 days left until the general election
At Thursday's debate each leader will be invited to make a short opening statement before David Dimbleby introduces questions from an audience of 200 voters, selected and weighted to give a cross-section of political opinion. (see 12:36 entry for line-up detail)
@paulwaugh
Tweets, external : Umunna slapdown for Jim Murphy: "The leader of the Scottish Labour Party will not be in charge of the UK budget"
Talking on BBC2's Daily Politics, Lord Jones, former CBI director general and trade minister under the last Labour government, cast doubt on Ed Miliband's deficit reduction plans. "Do I believe he means it? I think he could be economic with the actuality," he said. "I think he's got a problem. It doesn't add up....I'm merely saying you can't spend mansion tax 43 times. And you can't spend the 5p hike in income tax 27 times. And you can't at the same time say I'm not going to borrow more and bring this down. It doesn't add up."
Commenting on party political manifestos, former CBI director general Lord Digby Jones told BBC2's Daily Politics: "I think their days are numbered." The former trade minister, added: "I wonder whether they will survive another campaign after this one."
UKIP leader Nigel Farage will get the last word at the end of the BBC's election debate on Thursday. The BBC has announced the final arrangements for the 90 minute debate, hosted by David Dimbleby, which will feature the leaders of five opposition parties; Labour, UKIP, the SNP, Plaid Cyrmu and the Greens. The political parties drew lots on Monday to decide where each leader would stand. Viewers will see Labour leader Ed Miliband on the far left of their screens, followed by Plaid Cyrmu's Leanne Wood, the Green Party's Natalie Bennett and the SNP leader, Nicola Sturgeon. The UKIP leader, Nigel Farage will stand at the end on the far right hand side of the screen.
The debate will be broadcast live on BBC One, the BBC News Channel, BBC Radio 5 live and online between 8pm and 9.30pm.
@Sathnam
Image source, @SathnamText: 61124
Election live reader:
Miliband: Impressive!
@IanDunt
Quote MessageHave a feeling journos will admire this manifesto, because it dedicates itself to Labour's precise vulnerablity. But damn, it's uninspiring.
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Election live reader:
Ed may think he is 'ready' but the economy isn't!
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Jeff, Pembrokeshire:
Ed Balls would have a hard time convincing me his name was Ed Balls, let alone of his fiscal ability.
Following the launch of Labour's manifesto, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon accused shadow chancellor Ed Balls of contradicting Scotland's Labour leader Jim Murphy. "Labour has admitted today that if there is a Labour government there will be more cuts in Scotland," she said. "Ed Balls has said that, in direct contradiction to what Jim Murphy has been trying to say over the past week. I think that is the wrong choice. Yes, we need to get the deficit down, but we need to do that in a way and at a pace that allows us to invest in infrastructure, in skills and innovation, in things that get the economy growing." She added: "There is a very clear choice at this election: you can have more austerity with Labour, the Tories or the Liberals, or you can have a clear alternative to austerity with the SNP."
Reacting to Labour's manifesto launch, the UKIP leader, Nigel Farage, said: "What they did, they apologised for getting it wrong in the past, which they did. But I don't see anything in their plans, that suggests to me, they really are going to get the deficit down. Where are the specifics areas in which they are actually going to cut spending?"
Image source, ReutersHearing the funny side: Nigel Farage in Clacton, Essex
Ed Miliband ends his Q&A with a call for the party faithful to work hard for victory as "the stakes have never been higher".
The party faithful rise to their feet to applaud.
Ed Miliband urges journalists to asks the Conservatives at their mainfesto launch tomorrow how they will fund their pledges.
He says George Osborne has failed to answer the question of where an extra £8 billion for the NHS will come from.
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Ralph, Yorkshire:
Why is a BBC journalist asking Ed Miliband a question about issues from 1997!? It was nearly 20 years ago, for goodness sake! No relevance whatsoever.
@VickiYoung01
Quote MessageEd Miliband oozing confidence at Labour manifesto launch. Knows today is a significant opportunity to speak directly to voters. #GE2015"
Image source, ReutersEd Miliband is asked why other European governments would negotiate with the UK on reforming the EU if there is no "threat" of an in/out referendum.
He says David Cameron's approach to the EU has failed because other leaders know that "he is trying to solve the problems of the Conservative Party".
He adds: "Chancellor Merkel wasn't elected to solve the problems of the Conservative Party."
The Labour leader argues: "Engagement is what is going to get us success."
Image source, PALib Dem leader Nick Clegg claims Labour's manifesto is "not worth the paper it's written on".
Quote MessageThe Labour Party saying they have no plans for additional borrowing is like an alcoholic who consumes a bottle of vodka every day, saying they have no plans to drink more vodka. It's a dangerous addiction and the Labour Party have no plan and no date by which to clear the decks, wipe the slate clean and deal with the deficit."
@BorisJohnson
Quote MessageMili won't say that they borrowed too much last time. Why hand the keys of the car back to the Thelma and Louise of British politics?
@Jo_Coburn
Daily Politics
Live on BBC Two
Quote MessageIt's manifesto week, hurrah. Labour's first and we'll talk to @ChukaUmunna. I'll talk to @sajidjavid about the Tories economic plans #GE2015