Election Live: 17 April

1. Job figures show that UK unemployment has fallen to its lowest rate since July 2008
2. Labour unveils its Scottish manifesto in Glasgow
3. Conservative leader David Cameron is campaigning in the Midlands and in Wales, with a speech on jobs
4. Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg is in Scotland, where he will be urging Conservative and Labour voters to vote Lib Dem to defeat the SNP
5. There are 20 days until the general election

Friday recap

That brings to an end another eventful day on the campaign trail. To recap on the day's main stories:

• The BBC announced UKIP's Nigel Farage would be among leaders to face audience questions in regional election programmes
• David Cameron hailed new figures showing unemployment at a seven-year low
• Labour said too many jobs were part time, as it focused on youngsters' prospects
• The Ulster Unionists launched their election manifesto. Among the pledges: better mental health provision and a drop in VAT for tourism and building repairs
• Lord Ashcroft's polls in Scotland suggested the SNP was gaining more ground in key seats

Attacks 'have failed'

Some lines coming through from Saturday's newspapers. The Guardian has an interview with Ed Miliband's American election guru, David Axelrod, who claims that Conservative attacks on the Labour leader over his perceived betrayal of his brother, former foreign secretary David, have "obviously failed".

'No Tory-UKIP deal'

Conservative Chief Whip Michael Gove has hinted to the Telegraph that there would be no Tory-UKIP deal if his party fell short of a majority after the general election.

"I don't want to say anything disobliging about Nigel Farage or about people in UKIP, but I've got no appetite, interest or inclination towards doing a deal with anyone," Mr Gove reportedly says.

"We're not going to get into bed with them, no," he adds.

Sean Kemp, former Downing Street adviser

tweets :

Have just explained to some people on the Tube that there isn't an SNP candidate in Crouch End. They weren't happy."

Saturday's Guardian

Guardian

Saturday's Sun

Sun

Allegra Stratton, political editor, BBC Newsnight

Allegra Stratton

Newsnight Political Editor

tweets: 

Farage on at 10:30 in Eng & Wales; Leanne Wood gets QT slot in Wales and Sturgeon gets it in Scotland. To reflect where they are strong."

Saturday's Times

The Times

Saturday's Telegraph

Daily Telegraph

More on election specials

After the Question Time special, the SNP's Nicola Sturgeon, Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood and UKIP's Nigel Farage will appear in separate programmes broadcast on BBC One in different parts of the UK.

The leaders "will each answer voters' questions for half an hour" from 9.30pm, says a BBC statement, which says questions will be put to the leaders on behalf of live studio audiences by BBC presenters. The programme featuring Mr Farage will also be broadcast in Wales later that night.

"All the programmes will also be broadcast on the BBC News Channel and on BBC Parliament," says the BBC.

Question Time election special

The BBC has released details of its Question Time election special to be broadcast on 30 April - a week before polling day.

A press release says: "A Question Time Election Leaders Special will feature one-by-one Conservative leader David Cameron, Labour leader Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.

"The programme, hosted by David Dimbleby, will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC News Channel live from 8pm to 9.30pm. Each of the leaders will separately face 30 minutes of questions posed by a studio audience with the usual Question Time format."

Allegra Stratton, political editor, BBC Newsnight

Allegra Stratton

Newsnight Political Editor

tweets:

Newsnight understands Nigel Farage to do 1/2 hr elex i/v same night as big 3 Leaders do Dimbleby 8-9:30pm, Apr 30th. NF in QuestionTime slot"

Aid target

BBC Radio 4

Any Questions has been hearing the panel's views on the UK's commitment to spend 0.7% of national income on overseas aid, with UKIP's Mark Reckless arguing it should be scrapped.

Jonathan Dimbleby asks the audience for a show of hands - and finds they are broadly in favour of retaining the commitment.

The host is careful to point out that - unlike the audience for last night's TV debate - those in the Any Questions studio are "self-selecting" and so are not intended to be representative of the population.

Prof Philip Cowley, Nottingham University

tweets:

Interesting that, despite its massive membership, SNP contact rates not top in any of these @lordAshcroft seats

Twitter

Any Questions

Any Questions is on BBC Radio 4 now.

Jonathan Dimbleby is in South London with Sadiq Khan for Labour, Mark Reckless of UKIP, Conservative Secretary of State for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Liz Truss, and the SNP's Humza Yousaf, the minister for Europe and international development in the Scottish government.

Survation poll

A new national poll carried out after the party manifestos were released suggests the Tories have a narrow lead. The Survation poll for the Daily Mirror put the Tories up four points at 34%, ahead of Labour on 33% (down two points).

The poll put UKIP on 17% (up one), the Liberal Democrats on 7% (down one), and the Greens on 3% (down one). Nationally, the SNP polled a 4% share. The changes were from Survation's previous national poll, conducted on April 9. The pollster surveyed 1,314 adults online during yesterday and today.

Tories 'combative' on Europe

The Conservative manifesto marks a significant toughening of rhetoric regarding the EU, according to a new analysis by academics at the University of Bath . Gone is talk of "balance of competencies" and "renegotiating" and in comes "repatriation of powers" and "referendum", says the research. The manifesto does not explain, however, how things like immigration controls could be secured in practice, writes reader in European politics, Susan Milner.

Lord Ashcroft, pollster

tweets:

My polls ask ppl to think about their area & candidates, but don’t prompt names. This is why:

Lord Ashcroft

Matt Chorley, political editor, Mail Online

tweets about this Daily Mail story:

Google searches during debate show how politicians (and journos) talk another language..."

Twitter

Lib Dems on Scotland polls

A Lib Dem source has dismissed the latest polls for the Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft as "irrelevant".

The constituency polling - in seats being contested by former leader Charles Kennedy and business minister Jo Swinson - suggests the SNP is gaining support in Labour and Lib Dem territory.

However, a Lib Dem source told the Press Association:

Lord Ashcroft's polls do not name the candidates. Both Mr Kennedy and Ms Swinson have strong personal followings."

Green attack

Why do you give the Green Party so much airtime? Their rhetoric is fantastical and economically regressive. It channels the debate away from realistic, sensible discussion that this election run up so desperately needs.

Sam, Tooting

Scotland polls

More on those constituency polls conducted in Scotland by Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft.

Our Scotland political correspondent Tim Reid says: "[The polls suggest] that the SNP has gained support since February in Labour strongholds such as the seat which the Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy is contesting in Renfrewshire East , and where Douglas Alexander is standing in Paisley and Renfrewshire South ."

The surveys point to SNP leads of nine points and 11 points respectively in those constituencies.

"The polling also suggests that there's continued growth in SNP support in Lib Dem territory such as Ross Skye and Lochaber , where the former party leader Charles Kennedy is standing and in Dunbartonshire East which business minister Jo Swinson is contesting," our correspondent adds.

Get involved

Why doesn't Ed Miliband challenge Nicola Sturgeon by proposing a loose post-election cooperation provided that the SNP support immediate legislation that expressly forbids an independence referendum for a minimum of 25 years?

Chris Gibbon

'Live within planet's limits'

Green Party leader Natalie Bennett tells the BBC News Channel: "You cannot have infinite growth on a finite planet....We need to get to a point where we are living within the environmental limits of our planet."

BBC

What we have seen is a situation where 1% of the richest just keep getting richer... we need to get to a stage where the economy delivers for the common good."

Natalie Bennett

'That shower'

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg says going for a pint was a better use of his time than listening to "that shower" in last night's opposition leaders' debate.

Asked why he had not listened to Mr Miliband, a potential coalition partner, he told reporters on his campaign bus: "You are not seriously suggesting whether or not there is a Liberal Democrat-Labour coalition depends on whether I should spend an hour and a half listening to that shower yesterday?

PA

Come on. Give me a break. What a ridiculous thing to say. Why would that have any bearing on how a government is composed or functions after the election?"

Mr Clegg adds that from what he had seen of the debate it delivered "no surprises whatsoever".

Farage 'pulls out of local hustings'

UKIP's Nigel Farage has reportedly left the Bishop of Dover "disappointed" by refusing to take part in election hustings for the seat of Thanet South.

The Press Association says he has declined an invitation from the Right Reverend Trevor Willmott to debate with the other candidates in hustings in Broadstairs next Friday, saying he has other commitments, according to the Diocese of Canterbury.

Getty Images

In attendance will be candidates for the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens, the Reality Party, Party for United Thanet, Manston Airport Independent Party and the Al Zebabist Nation of Ooog.

"Apparently Al Murray, aka the Pub Landlord, who is running until the banner of the Free United Kingdom Party (FUKP), has also declined the invitation," reports PA.

Zero-hours flak

The World at One

BBC Radio 4

You can listen back to Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith's interview with The World at One, in which he dismissed further means-testing into child benefit.

The Conservative was later criticised by shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna for saying zero-hours contracts should be re-labelled "flexible" contracts and that they suited many people, including students and those with caring responsibilties.

Mr Umunna said his opponent was "totally out of touch with so many people".

A decade ago these were niche things. They are now the norm in many sectors - 1.8m zero hours contracts."

Ashcroft polling latest

Tory peer Michael Ashcroft has published his latest poll findings. His focus this week has been on key constituencies in Scotland. He finds no sign of the SNP surge fading.

Voting; have you registered?

With just a few days left to register, we’ve taken a look at how some campaigners are spreading the word, aiming to encourage people to use their vote .

Ask Natalie Bennett

BBC News Channel

At 5.30pm, the Green Party leader, Natalie Bennett, will be live on the BBC News Channel to take your questions on her party's policies.

You can tweet questions to at #BBCAskThis, or you can email video questions to [e-mail].

The day so far

Let's look over another busy day on the campaign trail, as Tim and Andy take over from Georgina and Matt. Fall-out from last night's BBC Election debate continues, while new jobless figures have focused attention on the economy.

The headlines so far:

• Overnight numbers suggest last night's debate had about 4.3m viewers
• IMF boss Christine Lagard praises the UK economy, saying: "It's obvious what's happening in the UK has worked"
• 50 businessmen and women write to the FT praising the Liberal Democrats
• The Ulster Unionists launched their election manifesto. Among the pledges: better mental health provision and a drop in VAT for tourism and building repairs

• UKIP's Nigel Farage said electors deserved a proper power of recall over MPs
• Labour launch their youth manifesto. Ed Miliband says he would ban unpaid internships of more than four weeks
• Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett explains her opposition to HS2: "We want to invest in intra-regional transport...HS2 is going to focus everything in London."
• And a new academic poll analysis suggests the fortnight's campaigning so far has not shifted support levels for either Labour or the Tories by as much as 1%

Chris Ship, Deputy Political Editor for @itvnews

tweets:

Alex Salmond tells @mmgeissler that EdMiliband has shot himself in the foot & a Labour/SNP vote-by-vote arrangement is 'probable' @itvnews

Election funnies

Andrew Neil

Daily and Sunday Politics

David Cameron was serenaded by a musician who probably will not be voting for him, Nick Clegg was embarrassed about his looks, Tristram Hunt met a young UKIP supporter, and Ed Miliband played pool. Ellie Price catches up with the lighter moments of a week when some parties launched their election manifestos, and the Queen was revealed to be a Daily Politics viewer. Watch the film.

BBC

Campaign 'has not changed polls'

A new academic prediction from the Polling Observatory suggests very little has changed in the polls over the past fortnight, despite much campaigning.

Will you vote? Or abstain? Tell us

Will you vote in the #GE2015 or abstain? What will make you more or less likely to vote? Join our debate at 4pm.

Asking hunters about political top dogs

The Daily Politics is touring the UK, talking to voters at 18 different locations and asking for their views on the general election - and Friday's stop was in the south Warwickshire countryside.

Reporter Giles Dilnot spoke to those who work in hunting and the countryside in a Tory heartland about their election priorities, and David Cameron's absence from the Thursday night TV debate. Watch the clip

bbc

Rivals and footie fans

Lib Dem Health Minister Norman Lamb has insisted he is a bigger Norwich City fan than Ed Balls.

Norwich face a key match tonight which could see them secure promotion to the Premiership.

Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, famously a big Norwich City fan, happens to be campaigning in the east of England today, and is going to tonight's match. Asked which of the two politicians is the bigger fan, Norman Lamb said: "I am", pointing out that as a season ticket holder he attends almost every match. He did, though, admit that he won't be at tonight's match: he will instead be speaking at hustings in his North Norfolk constituency.

So who is the bigger fan? Ed Balls says: “I was born in Norwich. My first game was Leeds in the FA cup in 1974 in Carrow Road when I was six…. Norman’s also a good supporter, I think he’s arrived a bit more recently on the scene, but that’s OK. I may not want the Lib Dems to win in North Norfolk, but when he comes to football, me and Norman are on the same side.”

PA

Feel the force

AP

If you thought you were going to escape a Star Wars reference today...you were wrong.

But don't blame us, blame the Telegraph's Asa Bennett.

Daily Telegraph

For he has used the force (or maybe it was just Google) and found a YouGov poll which has searched the heart of voters and discovered their love, or lackthereof, of Star Wars.

Daily Telegraph

What are the results? Lib Dems turn out to be the biggest Star Wars fans. It's also not an exaggeration to say Lib Dem voters simply love Princess Leia (see graph above).

Meanwhile, when it comes to favourite characters UKIP voters' top attraction is...Darth Vader.

Daily Telegraph

Campaign trail

The Leader of Plaid Cymru Leanne Wood has been out campaigning in the Rhondda with local activists this morning, where she was asked about her performance on last night's BBC debate.

She said:

So far I've had very positive feedback. I went to London in order to speak for Wales, I managed to do that and I also managed to put the Leader of the Opposition on the spot, particularly in terms of his failure to commit to an emergency budget to reverse the Tory cuts and, of course, we also had from him that he wasn't prepared to give funding for Wales that we deserve in terms of parity with Scotland, so I managed to speak for Wales, speak against austerity and convey the set of values that Plaid Cymru holds dear."

PA

'Alternative way'

Andrew Neil

Daily and Sunday Politics

There is an alternative to way things are being run, says Howard Pilott of the Socialist Party of GB (SPGB).

He spoke to Andrew Neil on the Daily Politics about how his party differed from other left-leaning parties. Mr Pilott explained that the SPGB did not have a leader, and his party did not believe in an "elite running things on behalf of people". Watch the interview

BBC

Chris Mason, BBC political correspondent

Chris Mason

Political Correspondent

tweets:

Following David Dimbleby's reminder to viewers that they could register to vote online, 24,871 people visited the website.

Murphy: I'm concentrating on the Tories

PA

Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy has said Labour is fighting to beat David Cameron at the ballot box rather than concerned with doing a "shoddy back room deal" with the Scottish Nationalists (SNP).

He said: "Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond and all the others can huff and puff as much as they want. Only Labour is big enough and only Labour is strong enough to beat the Tories."

Mr Murphy hailed the party's manifesto as a return to the politics of two of Scottish Labour's best known leaders, John Smith and Donald Dewar.

He told activists at Tollcross leisure centre in Glasgow: "In our manifesto I'm proud to say the party of John Smith and Donald Dewar is back in business."

Is the SNP a 'faith-based' party?

The Spectator

Politics is often a low and scurrilous business but there is something breathtaking about a party arguing, in all apparent seriousness, that you could, as some kind of consolation prize for losing the referendum, have full fiscal autonomy within the UK while also maintaining the Barnett Formula."

Read the full piece here.

Carole Walker, BBC political correspondent

tweets:

Cameron is back in campaign uniform - hi viz and hard hat

Twitter

'Borris' out on the road

PA

Political blogger Iain Dale described Boris Johnson as the "the Scarlet Pimpernel of this election campaign" and said he had been "more or less invisible" - but London's mayor has been out on the road today.

He visited a mosque in West Acton, London, earlier and then spoke to workers at a nearby sign-making company. But despite being one of the country's best known politicians, the sign writers weren't sure of his name.

Richard Wheeler, a journalist at Press Association, caught the moment on film.

PA

Undecideds should vote Conservative

Record falls in unemployment. Major rises in pay. Both announced today. We need to get fully behind the Tories so that we can all enjoy the fruits of the slog of the last five years.

We also need to thank the Tories for spending five years clearing up Labour’s latest mess. We absolutely do not need Labour back in power to start mucking it all up again.

Stephen Dresc, Politics live reader

Labour view

The World at One

BBC Radio 4

For Labour, shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said Mr Duncan Smith had his "head in the sand".

Chuka Umunna

People on exploitative zero hours contracts are furious with him and that's before you get over their outrage at his introduction of things like the bedroom tax. I just think he is living in a parallel universe. If zero hours contracts are not a problem why did the prime minister the other day say that he wouldn't want to work on one. Instead of tackling exploitation, here you have a man denying the problem and trying to dress up insecurity as flexibility."

Zero hours?

The World at One

BBC Radio 4

Iain Duncan Smith hit back at his critics on Radio 4's World at One, pointing to a survey carried out by personnel managers which found people on zero hours contracts scored higher on the work life balance than those on fixed hours.

I am furious with the Labour Party. I am genuinely furious with what they have tried to do about this. They've said 'Oh, there's an epidemic of people' - just over 2% of the total workforce is actually in what they call zero hours contracts. These contracts are for the most part contracts taken by people who have caring responsibilities, students, who might be able to work 20 hours one week, the next week, because you're taking somebody to hospital, you can only work 10 hours."

World class?

Getty Images

Time Magazine has released its annual list of the Top 100 most influential people in the world. it's a list that includes world leaders, entrepreneurs, religious leaders, stars of stage and screen,artists... but not a single British politician among them.

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes the list, German Chancellor Angel Merkel makes the cut, Greek PM Alexis Tsipras is there. And Vladimir Putin is included...

Even North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is listed.

But not a sniff for David Cameron, Nick Clegg or Ed Miliband.

Reality star Kim Kardashian and her husband Kayne West - and for that matter, pop star Taylor Swift - make the list.

In fact, Kanye comes top.

Hmm.

Matt Chorley, Political Editor for @MailOnline

tweets:

Duncan Smith accused of 'let them eat cake' moment after suggesting zero-hours contracts be renamed http://dailym.ai/1DdwOWw

Undecided 'should vote Labour'

It does seem extraordinary that the economy has somehow taken second place in this election but it has.

The battleground is now the future governance of the UK. Conservative strategists seem to feel that they can finally get traction for their anti-Miliband line by warning of chaos with a Labour-SNP arrangement.

They are right to the extent that the solution to the crisis is a government that is truly national in scope. However their pitch falls down completely because they are no longer a national party.

It is true that Labour is also losing its claim to be a national party but it is the only one we have left.

I would say to people who worry about Labour on the economic competence point that they need to shrug their shoulders and take a calculated risk because only Labour has a chance to form a majority government that is also representative of all of Britain.

A slender Conservative majority or even worse a Conservative minority government will only hasten the break-up of Britain and I don't just mean Scotland leaving the union. The north of England won't take much more either and will press for radical federalism.

I think it is time for people to come together.

Jon Sutcliffe, from Enfield in London

Chris Mason, BBC political correspondent

tweets:

In the last five weeks over 1.5million people have made online applications to register.

Pic: on the campaign trail

PA

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and the parliamentary candidate for Gordon, Christine Jardine, look at cattle in pens at a livestock auctioneers

Pic: Labour supporter Eddie Izzard on the campaign trail

AP

Homes and immigration

In a question about immigration and homes, Natalie Bennett is asked about the Green pledge to build 500,000 homes. Those would be for social housing, she says.

Then on immigration. "We first of all celebrate free movement of people in the EU," she says.

"In terms of non-EU immigration, we need a fair and humane system," she says. At the moment, that system is not fair or humane, she says.

Rob Merrick, Reporter for @TheNorthernEcho

tweets:

IDS tries to shut down row over cutting child benefit (by including in Universal Credit) "I have not looked at that and am not planning to"

Green opposition to HS2

The World at One

BBC Radio 4

Natalie Bennett explains her party's opposition to HS2, the high-speed rail link.

She says the scheme is a London-centric plan. "We want to invest in intra-regional transport," she says. "HS2 is going to focus everything in London."

Green leader

The World at One

BBC Radio 4

Natalie Bennett, the leader of the Green party since 2012, is on Radio 4's World at One now - and is being asked questions by members of the public.

AFP

Job figures in Scotland

Unemployment in Scotland rose by 9,000 in the three months to February and now stands at 167,000, according to official statistics.

It was the second rise in a row, following an increase of 6,000 in the previous set of figures.

Data from the Office for National Statistics also showed UK unemployment falling by 76,000 to 1.84 million.

The unemployment rate in Scotland is now 6%, compared with 5.6% for the UK as a whole.

Jack Blanchard, Deputy Political Editor, Daily Mirror

tweets :

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady on IDS's plan to rebrand zero-hours contracts: "If you put lipstick on a pig, it is still a pig."

How much can we afford?

Can I ask someone to tell us how much worse off we were in 2010 than in 2007 when the economy went to pot under the last administration.

Also, given that we all owe approximately £25,000 as our current share of the countries debt and other than the Conservatives every party is promising to increase this, I think the argument over being worse off is very badly skewed.

Surely we should be looking at how much we can afford not how much we can borrow.

Howard Wilkinson, Politics live reader

Jobs and votes

Robert Peston

Economics editor

If the economy is delivering the fruits promised by Cameron and Osborne, why no dividend for them? asks the BBC's business editor.

Read his blog in full here.

Job figures: what's the story?

UK unemployment has fallen to its lowest rate since July 2008 , official figures have shown.

The number of jobless people dropped by 76,000 to 1.84 million in the three months to February, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday.

That means the unemployment rate has fallen to 5.6%, in line with forecasts.

Nicholas Cecil, Deputy Political Editor for @EveningStandard

tweets:

Record jobs figures - even the Germans are praising Britain - but they're branded "out of order" by Farage

Farage on five

BBC

In case you missed it earlier: UKIP leader NIgel Farage was on BBC Radio Five Live this morning taking questions from listeners and a small studio audience. You can see some of the exchangeshereand obviously it is available oniPlayer.

Faisal Islam, Political Editor for @SkyNews

tweets:

'Nothing would suit the SNP more than a Tory government.. My message to Nicola Sturgeon, is "thanks but no thanks"' says Miliband

UUP manifesto launch

The Ulster Unionist Party has put better mental health provision and a proposed drop in the rate of VAT for tourism and building repairs at the heart of its manifesto.

The party leader, Mike Nesbitt, said it would be premature and presumptuous to talk about which of the main Westminster parties the Ulster Unionists would support in the event of a hung parliament, but appeared to rule out any arrangement which would involve the SNP.

Mr Nesbitt's party did not have any seats in the last Parliament. Its one previous MP left to become an independent in protest at an alliance with the Conservative Party.

The largest portion of the UUP manifesto is committed to proposals to improve the health service, and the economy. The party advocates a reduction in the rate of corporation tax in Northern Ireland to 12.5%, in line with the Irish Republic.

Public being conned

The public is being conned. In every debate we see Nicola Sturgeon sparkling away and we respond to her - not to her policies, but to her.

What no-one reminds us is that, whatever happens in the polls, she will not be in Westminster in May.

The SNP group in Westminster already has a standard male leader and he or Alex Salmond (if elected) will bring the plod back into SNP policies.

Jeffrey Butcher, Politics live reader

Ugly baby contest

Daily Politics

Live on BBC Two

Tom Newton Dunn, political editor of the Sun tells the Daily Politics there are two reasons why the Conservative Party isn't ahead of Labour in opinion polls.

The first is that the economic recovery happened to late, he says and people are only just now beginning to feel it and many still aren't feeling the benefits of the recovery.

The second reason the Tories aren't doing better is because it's an ugly baby contest. In truth, he says, voters don't like David Cameron that much and they don't see that much difference between him and Labour leader Ed Miliband.

Sam Lister, Press Association political correspondent

tweets:

Miliband tells students he will do a regular people's question time in parliament if he becomes PM

PA

Why aren't UK pay rises delivering votes to Cameron?

Robert Peston

Business editor

David Cameron may look at today's stats on unemployment and wonder why on earth his party is only neck-and-neck with Labour in the opinion polls, and not benefiting from record employment levels and a significant rise in inflation-adjusted pay (before tax and benefits).

Probably the most interesting stat for me was that regular pay - excluding bonuses - saw a 2.2% increase in February and a 1.8% rise in the three months to Feb.

And for the first time since serious records began, that headline rise is the real rise - because CPI inflation is 0%.

Faisal Islam, Political Editor for @SkyNews

tweets:

Lots of smoke and mirrors this morning after the debate on who'll do what deal after the election.... >>

Miliband: Ban zero-hours contracts

On Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith's call earlier to rename zero-hours contracts, Mr Miliband says: "We don't need to rename zero-hours contacts, we need to ban exploitative zero-hours contracts and that's what the next Labour government will do."

Coming up later on the BBC News Channel

Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett will be live in the BBC News Channel studio at 17:30 BST to take your questions on the party's policies. Tweet your questions to #BBCAskThis or you can email your video questions to [e-mail] . That's 17:30 BST on the BBC News Channel.

Miliband launches youth manifesto

BBC

Labour leader Ed Miliband is in Lincoln to launch his party's young Labour manifesto.

He says Labour would ban unpaid internships of more than four weeks and said a Labour government would require firms that offer internships of longer than four weeks to pay interns the minimum wage.

Mr Miliband is asked about tuition fees and whether he will "do a Nick Clegg".

He says the reason he has committed the Labour party to reducing tuition fees to £6,000 a year but not gone further is because of the damage done to Mr Clegg over tuition fees.

Mr Miliband says Mr Clegg's failure to keep that election promise didn't just damage the Lib Dem leader it damaged all politicians.

Will you or won't you?

Do you plan to vote on 7 May? If you don't plan to vote, what would change your mind? @BBC_HaveYourSay are hosting a live debate on Twitter from 4pm to 5pm today and they'd like to hear from you . Send your tweets and they'll publish the best responses.

James Hardy, Head of Communications, BBC News

tweets :

Estimated total 8.8million – 15% of population – watched at least some of the debate on BBC One, BBC News Channel and Sky News. #GE2015

David Hughes, Press Association correspondent

tweets:

Casually dressed Clegg arrives at event in Gordon

PA

Labour 'will do deal with SNP'

Make no mistake, Just as any party would get into bed with any other for a chance at being in power, Labour would still partner up with the SNP.

Milliband is likely just trying to do 2 things, (1) set his stall out early when it comes to talk of a referendum and (2) try and show the UK that he is mentally strong.

Fine... but see what happens if you put him in a room with Putin like when Tony Abbott took him to task.

Duncan Terry, Politics live reader

Welcome?

BBC

'Welcome' doormats have been nailed onto UKIP posters detailing the party's immigration policy in Ramsgate, South Thanet

Minor party arrogance

The banner at the top of this page sums up SNP, PC and Greens. Whether you agree with Farage or not, his party will receive more votes across the UK than the other 3 combined.

Yet they behave with nothing but contempt and hatred for anyone that doesn't agree with them. Their arrogance for what are and will remain minor parties is breathtaking. Do they not realise they are insulting around 15% of the UK population and showing themselves to be the complete opposite of the " represents of the hard working" they claim to be?

Seems that if you don't agree with them you are to be sneered at.

Peter Mason, Politics live reader

Zero hours contract 'badly named'

Labour have been quick to pounce on Iain Duncan Smith's interview this morning.

They've created a Vine of his comments on zero hours contracts in which he says they are "badly named".

"I don't know who came up with that idea. It should be named the flexible hours contract," he adds.

You can watch the clip here .

Norman Smith, BBC assistant political editor

tweets :

Zero hours contracts are "wrongly named" and shd be called "flexible hours contracts - Iain Duncan Smith

Postal vote deadline

In 2010 one fifth of all votes cast were postal. We get our postal voting ballot slips next week and many of us will vote and return them straight away. Whatever politicians say after that will not touch us. This weekend could be critical for persuading us.

Jeffrey Butcher, Politics live reader

Harry Cole, contributing editor for @spectator

tweets:

Reeves makes it sound like she would rather those not being paid a living wage were out of work.

Emily Ashton, Political Correspondent @BuzzFeedUK

tweets:

Looks like Cameron is ducking Miliband's "Debate me!" offer - says he's had 146 debates with him already at PMQs (via @MichaelPDeacon )

Debates gave 'clear view'

Iain Duncan Smith added:

Last night's debate was a good debate - not having David Cameron there allowed us to focus almost exclusively on what the alternative was. The alternative was very clear - it is a grouping of parties, including the Labour party, who have a very simple plan...they all want to tax you more, they want to borrow more, and they want to spend more. And the losers will be the British because the economy, that Christine Lagarde of the IMF said today was one of the best run, would actually descend into chaos under them."

Duncan Smith: Labour-SNP a 'ragbag of chaos'

BBC

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has warned against a Labour/SNP "ragbag of chaos".

He told the BBC's Georgie Russell earlier: "If you want the jobs miracle to continue, if you want stability and growth, you have to get the Conservative party - my party - in government, otherwise we will risk it with a ragbag of chaos that will centre around the Labour party, and what I think will be a weak leader being hauled all over the place by the Scottish nationalists, who ultimately want to break up the United Kingdom."

Lib Dem perspective

Business Secretary Vince Cable says that the job figures out today are "spectacularly good".

"What's beginning to emerge is labour shortages in key areas and for the next government that's going to be the key task.

"Skill shortages, investing in apprenticeships, investing in science and innovation, that's the new agenda that we have to have," he tells the BBC's Norman Smith.

He says the construction industry for house building, IT, creative industries and engineering are finding skills shortages.

BBC

Not this again...

Getty Images

Remember those confusing few days at the end of February when it felt like the entire planet was engrossed by a debate over the colour of a dress?

Well, our friends at Buzzfeed are looking to spark a similar debate over the shade of Nicola Sturgeon's outfit in last night's #BBCdebate.

Green? Blue? Grey? You decide. Or don't. We're not bothered either way, to be honest.

Cameron: We've had 146 debates

BBC

Mr Cameron is asked about why he didn't take part in last night's debate by James Mates of ITN.

He claims neither he or Nick Clegg were invited to those debates.

Asked if he would accept Labour leader Ed Miliband's invitation for a head-to-head debate Mr Cameron says the two men have had "146 debates" at prime minister's questions...

A quick word on the picture for the eagle-eyed amongst you.

We promise we haven't just recycled the picture from yesterday's Scottish manifesto launch. We can only assume this is part of the "set" the Conservatives are taking with them on the campaign.

Cameron speech in West Midlands

Prime Minister David Cameron is in the West Midlands - at the Fujitsu plant to be precise, which has just announced 750 new jobs today - on the campaign trail.

He's just given a speech in which he hailed the progress of the economy and the latest official jobs figures.

Mr Cameron has said: "We are living through a jobs miracle - brought to you by a Conservative government - that has backed business, reformed welfare and rewarded work...It’s one of the most important things that has happened in the past five years – and it goes to the core of my political beliefs."

A group hug and Nick Clegg's pint

It was the men who did not participate in the Thursday night BBC election debate (that's Nick Clegg and David Cameron) who dominated the conversation on social media.

BBC Trending has a complete collection of the best of the internet's funnies from the night.

BBC

Owen Jones, Columnist for @guardian

tweets:

If a SNP-backed Labour government come to power, what will they do about the Tories’ debt-fuelled “recovery” which is waiting to explode?

Viewing figures

The Guardian

The BBC Election Debate 2015 had 4.3 million viewers, a 20.5% share, from 8pm last night, the Guardian reports.

That was three million viewers down on the 2010 debate, featuring David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Gordon Brown, which had 7.3 million viewers (27.9%) on BBC1, rising to 8.4 million when simulcasts on BBC News and Sky News were taken into account, the paper says.

Out of the mouths of babes...

Victoria Derbyshire

BBC

They say never work with children or animals. Here might be one explanation as to why, as shown on today's Victoria Derbyshire show:

Shadow Education Secretary Tristram Hunt on the campaign trail this week encountered one school pupil. The following exchanged then occurred:

Mr Hunt: “Do you know who you’d vote for?”

Schoolboy: “Er… UKIP.”

Mr Hunt: “You’d vote UKIP, very good, why is that?”

Schoolboy: “Er…like get all the foreigners out the country.”

So. That's all good then.

Reviewing 'brawl in the hall' TV debate

If it all went on too long for you last night, you may have missed This Week reviewing the "brawl in the hall" TV debate with five political leaders.

The programme heard from a series of political commentators who give their take on the debate. Watch the film here.

BBC

Sturgeon vs Milliband

Others may think differently but Ed is not stupid. Had he agreed to a coalition with the SNP, he would have effectively destroyed the Scottish Labour Party.

The SNP could have claimed that people don't need to vote Labour as by voting SNP, they serve the objective of getting rid of Big Dave.

Post election there is then a one party state in Scotland and we go back to the devolution story gain.

Why has no one attacked Sturgeon for the 'Oil income pays for all' argument that has subsequently crashed and burnt?

Andy Holmes, Politics Live reader

Reeves: People still worse off than in 2010

AFP/Getty Images

Rachel Reeves, Labour’s shadow work and pensions secretary, has also responded to today’s unemployment figures.

She says:

Today’s fall in overall unemployment is welcome, but with working people earning on average £1,600 less a year since 2010 and the biggest fall in wages over a parliament since 1874, it’s clear the Tory plan is failing. Labour has a better plan to reward hard work, share prosperity and build a better Britain. A Labour government will raise the minimum wage to more than £8 an hour by October 2019 and give tax rebates to firms who pay a living wage. We will protect the tax credits that millions of families rely on, get at least 200,000 homes a year built by 2020, extend free childcare from 15 to 25 hours for working parents of three and four-year-olds and guarantee apprenticeships for everyone who gets the grades.”

Scottish 'struggling with democracy'

There seems to be a demographic in Scotland who are seriously struggling with the concept of democracy...

If you vote SNP instead of Labour, it is clearly NOT "Labour's fault" if the Tories win more votes and stay in power. It takes a unique mindset to come to that freaky-deaky conclusion.

If you want a Labour government, then vote Labour and not their bitter opponents.

The SNP *need* Labour to reject them to promote calls for another independence referendum. If/when Labour reject a partnership with the SNP, a referendum will be quickly demanded.

Steve Hathorn from London

Good telly? A critic's opinion

As is probably fitting, last night's BBC Election Debate in Westminster’s Central Hall was a more soberly staged affair than ITV's multi-coloured MediaCity gameshow earlier this month, but I must admit to having missed the Weakest Link set up. To be fair, it's hard to imagine David Dimbleby matching Julie Etchingham's Anne Robinson impersonation - his proper place is pointing at people with a pen from behind a desk, not demanding answers from behind a podium - and 90 minutes is a long time on your feet at that age. But it wasn't just the lack of gimmicks that made this seem like less of a spectacle - the stage felt empty with just five candidates. The others certainly missed the prime minister, with Nicola Sturgeon, Leanne Wood and Natalie Bennett all condemning his absence and Ed Miliband making his final address, not to the voters, but direct down the camera to David Cameron. What must that do to your ego, when you're relaxing in front of the TV of an evening? In the PM's absence, Nigel Farage took the brunt of the abuse and only the most hard-hearted viewer won't have felt a pang of sympathy at the end when he was left shuffling his papers on the far right of the stage while the others gathered on the left to shake hands - but not necessarily, of course, to discuss working together…

Recall of MPs

BBC Radio 5 Live

What can Nigel Farage do to restore trust in MPs?

He says he would give constituents real powers of recall over MPs. He says the commitment is in UKIP's manifesto.

Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith attempted to get similar powers through parliament last year but his amendment failed, with more than 300 MPs voting against it.

So UKIP might have a hard time getting that particular law through.

Election tripe

This election has made a lot about protecting the 'working family’ but what does that actually mean?

Is a family with a wage earner in the £150K wage bracket somehow not working?

Does an entrepreneur who builds up a company worth millions not work?

It seems to me a lot of babble that really doesn’t mean anything.

The worst thing is that we have another 20 days of this tripe.

John Davidson, Politics live reader

Operation Black Vote

Victoria Derbyshire

Just over half of voters from ethnic backgrounds turned out to vote at the UK general election in 2010. That compares to around 67% of white voters.

The campaign group Operation Black Vote asked musicians, actors and sport stars to back its call for the African-British and Asian-British communities to make sure they have a say about who runs the country.

Actor David Harewood is one of those involved, he told the BBC's Nicola Beckford that it "can only benefit us to have a voice".

BBC

Cameron: Two million more in work than 2010

David Cameron has welcomed today's employment figures.

The prime minister said: “There are now two million more people in work than in 2010 – that’s more families with the stability and security of a regular pay packet.

“This is thanks to the hard work and the determination of the British people, and the Conservatives’ strong leadership and clear economic plan.

“It would all be put at risk with the chaos of a Miliband-SNP stitch-up, hiking borrowing, hurting the economy, and costing jobs – and it’ll be hardworking taxpayers who’ll pay.”

Straight answers

Politicians seem very reluctant to give straight answers to straight questions but never really say why that is. I wish more politicians would tell it like it is.

The reality seems to be that journalists and most rival politicians will use anything that is said in order to lie, misinterpret, exaggerate and generally distort what is said, such that a wise politician will effectively say nothing, but be thought less of as a result.

Elections genuinely bring out the worst in Britain - hardly respectful, tolerant and a complete affront to British values, which seem exempt from the journalistic and political world here.

Martyn Wood-Bevan, Politics live reader

Duncan Weldon, BBC Newsnight economics correspondent

tweets :

Employment high, inflation low and real wages growing but real wages well below 2010 levels. Which do voters value?

What's the fiscal gap?

BBC Radio 5 Live

Nigel Farage was asked on BBC 5 Live about the UK's ageing population and the fiscal gap.

In case you’re not up to speed on the theory of fiscal gap it works like this:

Lower birth rates in western economies following the 1950s-1960s baby boom have led those economies to become increasingly reliant on a migrant workforce.

Without the influx of migrants, so the theory goes, those economies would slow because there wouldn’t be enough people to do the jobs being created in the economy.

That in turn would lead to economic slowdown and businesses taking their operations elsewhere.

On top of that, with a top heavy, ageing population there would not be enough people in work to pay taxes, to pay for benefits such as the state pension, nor support the NHS which would have to cope with increased demand from the an ageing population.

Average pay outstrips inflation

The unemployment rate has dropped again and it is now 5.6% in the three months to the end of February, from 5.7% in three months to the end of January.

Average wages including bonuses - also known as total pay - rose by 1.7%, while average wages excluding bonuses - known as regular pay - rose 1.8% in the three months to the end of February compared with a year earlier.

Next debate?

Ross Hawkins

Political correspondent

The BBC's political correspondent has this on Ed Miliband's challenge to David Cameron to hold a one-to-one debate.

A BBC spokesman said: "In the event that the two parties were to agree to a debate any broadcaster would want to cover it."

"I'm told there is no change to existing broadcast plans and no concrete proposal," our correspondent says.

BreakingUnemployment figures

Unemployment in the UK has fallen to 1.84 million in the three months to the end of February from 1.86 million in the three months to January, the ONS has just said.

Farage on Five

BBC Radio 5 Live

Nigel Farage says increasing the minimum wage however would only encourage migrants to come to the UK. “Don’t forget the minimum wage is already nine times what it is in Romania,” Mr Farage says.

“If we increase the minimum wage we will just create another glass ceiling."

He says for 1.5 million people, the minimum wage has become their top wage not the bare minimum.

We’ll find out more about this at 09:30 when the latest unemployment figures – which include average wage rises – are released by the Office for NationalStatistics.

Farage on Five

BBC Radio 5 Live

BBC

Nigel Farage is now on BBC Radio 5 live taking question from the public. The first question he is asked is about the UK's ageing population and "fiscal gap"- and how UKIP would deal with those problems after it had tightened the immigration rules.

Mr Farage says migrant labour has actually led to lower wages in the UK.

Mr Farage says there are many people that come to the UK to work in the fields, for example; and UKIP would allow for temporary work permits but those workers would have to bring in their own health insurance.

He says every other country in the world operates a similar system.

Mr Farage adds that if he were prime minister, and if suddenly there was a shortage of workers in one section of the economy, UKIP would relax the rules.

Play power politics

BBC

What happens after the election if there is a hung parliament? Which parties might agree to work together and who may hold the balance of power? Who could build a majority of 326 votes in the house? Now you can play our nifty online game to find out for yourselves.

Unionist pact

BBC Radio 4 Today

The demise of the Ulster Unionist Party in Northern Irish politics has been slow and steady since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. At the 2010 general election they were wiped out electorally in Westminster losing the last of their remaining seats.

In March, the party did a deal with their Democratic Unionist Party rivals forming an election pact that would see neither party stand against the other in certain seats.

Today the Ulster Unionists launch their election manifesto.

The BBC’s Northern Ireland correspondent Andy Martin says the party is "desperate" to get at least one seat in parliament back.

He says it could be tough for the party to make that breakthrough this time around, despite a good showing in local elections. The pact will probably benefit the DUP, he suggests, particularly in the key seat of east Belfast which first minister Peter Robinson lost to the Alliance Party's Naomi Long in 2010.

More from UKIP

BBC News Channel

Nigel Farage tells Norman Smith that, following the debate, it is "completely clear" that the only way Ed Miliband is going to become PM is with the SNP's support.

"I'm very worried about the Scottish tail wagging the English dog," the UKIP leader says.

"If you're a Labour voter who's worried about the kind of issues I'm worried about, be very, very careful before you vote."

Petrol peeves

BBC Radio 4 Today

Oil is pretty cheap these days, hovering around $55 to $58 a barrel since the start of the year..

So how come petrol prices have started to creep back up?

Edmund King, president of the AA, tells the Today programme: "Oil prices are fairly low, there's zero inflation, but petrol has gone up 7p a litre since the 1 February. Petrol is now averaging about £1.13 a litre...drivers are pretty frustrated."

However, oil prices and petrol prices don't move in tandem due to factors such as taxation - around 60% of the price goes to the Treasury - and currency fluctuations, he says.

PA

Election 2015: Debate - The Ed v Nicola Show (part two)

Nick Robinson

Political editor

On the morning after the debate before, it is clear the election is increasingly being defined by two competing narratives.

On the one hand, Ed Miliband is slowly and steadily introducing himself to voters as a potential prime minister.

The Labour leader has always argued that the more voters see of him the more they will rate him.

Last night he was able to use attacks from the left - on austerity and Trident - as well as assaults from the right - on Europe and immigration - to look statesmanlike.

Green questions

BBC Radio 4

The World at One tweets:

On #wato today we'll be joined by @natalieben of #Greens for #ElectionCall. Your chance to quiz top politicians.

BBC

UKIP view

BBC News Channel

Nigel Farage tells Norman Smith that he didn't "lose his rag" last night on the TV debate, when the subject of housing came up.

The BBC's assistant political editor goes on to ask the UKIP leader if he is going to complain about the way the audience was put together, following suggestions that it was unfavourable to the party.

Mr Farage says the polling company that the BBC used to assemble the audience was at fault.

"Am I going to make a complaint? I've got an election to fight," he says. And he points out that it's the audience at home who will make up their minds.

BBC

A for effort

This Louise Jenkins tweet feels worth a mention...

Twitter

Brilliant!Teacher receives UKIP flyer through door&marks it!

Working class votes

I only watched the last 10 minutes of the TV debate, but what I seemed to realise from nearly all those speakers, is that they only want to represent the "working class" population.

They seem to forget that if they are in power, they represent the whole population and are required to treat the whole population fairly.

John Lushington, Politics live reader

Farage on five

BBC Radio 5 Live

tweets:

Twitter

Have you a question for @Nigel_Farage? The @UKIP leader takes your calls from 9am 0500 909 693 text 85058 #BBCDebate

Michael Crick, political correspondent, Channel 4 News

tweets:

If I was Clegg I would have turned up at 7pm last night & demanded to take part. It would have been brilliant drama, & put TV firms on spot

Debate reaction

Why are the Tories now allowed to have a say after the programme has finished so that the other parties can't argue against them?

If Mr Cameron didn't want to take part then the Tories have no right to have a voice on the programme.

Jenny Chamberlain, Politics live reader

Norman Smith, BBC assistant political editor

tweets:

Striking @survation poll gives Ed M victory in UK; but @NicolaSturgeon victory in Scotland #bbcdebate

Businesses back Lib Dems

We've had the Labour advertisement from businesses, warning about "risking the UK's exit from the European Union", and the subsequent furore in which some of those businesses claimed that they didn't back the party.

We've had the letter supporting the Conservative party , written by a group of businessmen.

And now the Lib Dems are at it, with a letter to the Financial Times signed by more than 50 entrepreneurs, who claim that “the country and business would benefit” from the Liberal Democrats staying in government after May’s general election.

IMF chief praises UK economic policy

Getty

Much was made yesterday about the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warning that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) was being overly optimistic in its economic forecasts and that the next government, whatever its colour, would fail to clear the deficit before the end of the next parliament. That's a particular problem for the Conservatives who have promised to clear it by 2018.

Today however the coalition government's handling of the economy has been praised by the head of the IMF.

Speaking in Washington, Christine Lagarde said that compared to the growth rates of other European countries, "it's obvious what's happening in the UK has worked". Mr Osborne was sharing a panel with her when she made the remarks.

David Cameron, prime minister

tweets:

Ed Miliband won't rule out a vote-by-vote deal with the SNP so he can be PM. It would mean more borrowing and more taxes and you would pay.

Analysis

Nick Robinson

Political editor

Catch up with Nick Robinson's analysis of last night's debate.

Some thought David Cameron would pay a heavy price for not turning up for tonight's debate. Certainly there are voters who will be angry that the prime minister refused to take part in more than one debate. Clearly he missed a chance to make the Tory case and left the stage free to his opponents. Finally, Ed Miliband was able to challenge his opponent to have the courage to debate with him head-to-head. However, I suspect the prime minister will think that tonight went pretty much as he hoped it would. Why? Because what will stick in the memory is not the man who wasn't there but the row that was.

Glasgow voters

BBC Radio 4 Today

And here's that story: BBC Radio 4's Today programme sent its chief correspondent Matthew Price to Glasgow to speak to voters about their debate reactions in the seat of Glasgow Central. You can listen to what they have to say here.

Matthew Price, chief correspondent BBC Radio 4 Today

tweets:

Twitter

Scottish referendum politics framed how our Glasgow panel for @BBCr4today viewed the debate (piece on 7:10 Friday)

Trident debate

BBC Radio 4 Today

Reuters

How important an issue is Trident to voters in Scotland?

Maggie Chapman of the Scottish Greens tells the Today programme she thinks it is a huge issue for many voters in Scotland. “We have a situation where we are spending billions of pounds on a defence system that we know we are not going to use when we could be using that money to pay for public services that the vast majority of our people need and want,” she says.

David Coburn, Scotland’s only UKIP MEP tells Today the world is not becoming any safer. “Mr Putin is running about waving his sabre here and there and everywhere," he says.

“You can’t just plan for the next two years and next five years. We do need to have a nuclear weapon it’s also about playing a part in the world,” he adds. Mr Coburn claims: “The one reason no-one is invading North Korea is because they are armed to the teeth with nuclear weapons… let’s get real about this.”

Tim Montgomerie, columnist for The Times

tweets:

Most people may not be enjoying the election but @naughtiej oozing enthusiasm on #r4today as if he's eating a sumptuous meal

The papers

The Daily Mail

And the Daily Mail publishes political sketchwriter Quentin Letts's take on the debate.

He writes: "Enid Blyton used to write adventures about the Famous Five. The books had titles such as Five Get Into Trouble, Five On A Treasure Island.

"Or as it was last night at the Central Hall in Westminster, Five Go Moaning and Minging About ‘Austerity’, Five Tell Implausible Porkies About How They Would Run Our Finances.

"The absence of Messrs Cameron and Clegg left the show badly unbalanced as there was no one to put a positive side on the last five years."

Debate reaction: who won?

BBC Radio 4 Today

So who won last night's debate. The BBC 's assistant political editor Norman Smith tells the Today programme last night Ed Miliband probably had the most to be pleased about.

He had two main challenges in the debate Norman says. First, to look prime ministerial and second to escape the "embrace of Nicola Sturgeon".

In some respects, he says the debate worked very well for Mr Miliband, allowing him to place himself in the middle ground and "look like a prime minister in waiting".

He had a harder time rebuffing Nicola Sturgeon, Norman says. It was difficult to escape the "hard logic" of Ms Sturgeon’s argument that Labour can’t form a government without the support of the Scottish Nationalists.

And it was clear that Ms Sturgeon intends to drive a hard bargain should the two parties come to negotiations in just over three weeks’ time.

The papers

The Independent

The Independent says that Ed Miliband survived his TV showdown with four other opposition party leaders as he staked his claim to be prime minister but came under repeated fire for supporting “Tory cuts”.

Getty

The papers

The Times sums up Ms Sturgeon's message to Labour with the headline "Join me or you'll pay".

But Mr Miliband insisted that he could win alone. The Labour leader said he had “respect” for Ms Sturgeon’s calls for independence but it would be a “disaster for working people”.

The Times's opinion is that "voters had a glimpse last night of British politics without a centre or a centre right. It was fascinating but not pretty."

The papers

The Guardian

The Guardian leads on the line that Ed Miliband told Nicola Sturgeon in the final TV debate: I won't do a deal with you.

The paper's columnists Gaby Hinsliff, Hugh Muir, Polly Toynbee, Deborah Orr and Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett give their reactions to the night's events. Ms Toynbee's verdict on Ed Miliband? "Calm, relaxed, even laughing sometimes, he hit all the buttons," she says.

And Deborah Orr on Nicola Sturgeon: "Nicola Sturgeon certainly played a blinder."

Latest polls

OK, so obviously a LOT of today is likely to be about the fallout of last night's debates but we're pretty sure there is other news out there. We'll bring you that as we find it.

In the meantime, here is some opinion polling for you.

Three polls: MORI, Panelbase and YouGov all give Labour a lead of between one and two points.

The Conservatives: 33%.

Labour on 35% in two and 34% in one.

The Lib Dems were around 8%.

UKIP between 10-16%.

Greens on 8% in MORI and 4% in Panelbase and 5% with YouGov.

The London Evening Standard report of MORI’s findings highlighted “only 33% think Ed Miliband would be capable leader”. However, MORI also found a 12 point improvement in Mr Miliband’s satisfaction ratings in one month. His net satisfaction rating was -19% (compared with -31% in March and -35% in January) and David Cameron’s was -14%.

Survation’s instant post-debate poll had Ed Miliband winning the debate, although Nicola Sturgeon was judged to have performed best. Nigel Farage also performed strongly in the opinion of respondents.

The papers

The Daily Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph says Nicola Sturgeon used the debate in Westminster's Central Hall last night to set out the terms of her proposals to work with Ed Miliband and "lock David Cameron out of Downing Street".

She offered: “I will do a deal with Labour."

The Telegraph's view is that viewers "witnessed the birth of a grotesque hybrid that would be a calamity for the entire country".

Last night's debate

Our colleagues were covering the debate between the opposition party leaders step-by-step - you can read it here .

And should you wish to watch the debate again in full, you can catch every one of those 90 minutes on the BBC's iPlayer .

Debate catch-up

If you want to read about last night's debate - look no further than here.

And if you want to keep up with the fluctuations in the polls, you can't do better than look at the BBC's poll tracker.

Good morning

Welcome to the BBC's rolling coverage of the 2015 general election.

There are only 20 days to go - and we'll be covering the campaigns and issues across the UK today. We'll also be garnering reaction to last night's televised debate between Labour's Ed Miliband, the SNP's Nicola Sturgeon, Plaid's Leanne Wood, the Green leader Natalie Bennett and UKIP's Nigel Farage.