Job figures show that UK unemployment has fallen to its lowest rate since July 2008
Labour unveils its Scottish manifesto in Glasgow
Conservative leader David Cameron is campaigning in the Midlands and in Wales, with a speech on jobs
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
There are 20 days until the general election
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
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.
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
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."
Quote MessageWhat 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
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?
Image source, PAQuote MessageCome 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".
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.
Image source, Getty ImagesIn 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.
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".
Quote MessageA decade ago these were niche things. They are now the norm in many sectors - 1.8m zero hours contracts."
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., external
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 .
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 YourPics@bbc.co.uk.
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:
@chrisshipitv
tweets:
Quote MessageAlex Salmond tells @mmgeissler that EdMiliband has shot himself in the foot & a Labour/SNP vote-by-vote arrangement is 'probable' @itvnews
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.
A new academic prediction from the Polling Observatory, external suggests very little has changed in the polls over the past fortnight, despite much campaigning.
Will you vote in the #GE2015, external or abstain? What will make you more or less likely to vote? Join our debate at 4pm.
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
Image source, bbcTom Barton, BBC Political Reporter
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.”
Image source, PA
Image source, APIf 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, external.
Image source, Daily TelegraphFor he has used the force (or maybe it was just Google) and found a YouGov poll, external which has searched the heart of voters and discovered their love, or lackthereof, of Star Wars., external
Image source, Daily TelegraphWhat 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.
Image source, Daily TelegraphThe 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:
Quote MessageSo 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."
Image source, PAAndrew 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
