Summary

  • The Scottish National Party launches its manifesto

  • A future Conservative government would conduct an annual review of Scottish devolution to ensure the rest of the UK does not "lose out"

  • Labour has begun a week of campaigning on the NHS

  • The deadline to register to vote in the general election is midnight

  • Sinn Fein is to seek an extra £1.5bn for Northern Ireland in any post-election negotiations

  • There are 17 days left until the general election

Live Reporting

Kristiina Cooper, Angela Harrison and Victoria Park

  1. Kevin Schofield,

    @schofieldkevin

    tweets:

    The SNP, which wanted to break up the UK last year, now say they'll help govern for the good of the country. I think that's called chutzpah."

  2. Labour launches green manifesto

    Frances Perraudin

    The Guardian

    David Cameron and a husky in 2006PA

    writes: "Labour has promised to retrofit 5m homes over the next decade, making them warmer and cheaper to heat, and to create a million new green jobs.

    Launching its green manifesto nine years to the day after David Cameron’s hug-a-husky photo opportunity in the Arctic, the party said it would establish energy efficiency as a “national infrastructure priority”."

    Read more

  3. Robin Bew, managing director of The Economist Intelligence Unit

    @RobinBew

    tweets:

    Anti SNP rhetoric steps up in #UK election. Fuels independence debate as suggests local parties can have no legitimate role in running Union"

  4. No regrets

    ITV's Lorraine Kelly show

    Commenting on possible coalitions if the election produces no overall winner, Nick Clegg says the real question is not who is going to go into Number 10, but who will be there alongside him. Unpredictably, he thinks it should be the Lib Dems. Put to him that the Lib Dems might not win enough seats, he contends: "I think we will."

    Time for one last question: any regrets? Overall, no, he says - and that wraps up the interview.

  5. Tim Sculthorpe, Parliamentary editor at the Press Association

    @timsculthorpe

    tweets:

    @nick_clegg says no coalition or arrangement with @theSNP or @UKIP. Could make a three way deal difficult-impossible. For everyone."

  6. 'Lop-sided debate'

    ITV's Lorraine Kelly show

    Nick Clegg on LorraineITV

    Turning to last week's TV debate, which featured the leaders of five opposition parties at Westminster, Nick Clegg underlines his frustration at not being able to take part. He says it was a "lop-sided debate", with no-one to defend the government's record. While we've had to do some really difficult things, he says, there's nothing fair about passing on the country's debt to the next generation.

  7. 'A good hearing'

    ITV's Lorraine Kelly show

    Nick Clegg on LorraineITV

    Liberal Democrat leader and deputy PM Nick Clegg is on ITV's Lorraine Kelly show, and he's asked if his party's poll ratings are disheartening. The snapshot polls don't tell the story of what's happening in specific areas, Mr Clegg says. In places where Lib Dems can tell their story, on doorsteps etc, we are getting a good hearing, he insists. Mr Clegg emphasises how much he enjoys campaigning, adding that he is "really proud" of what his party has achieved in office.

  8. Desperate tactics?

    BBC News Channel

    What does Andy Burnham make of the SNP's plans to vote on issues affecting the rest of the UK, such as health which is devolved to Scotland? If other parties want to vote on our Budget then that is a choice for them, he tells the BBC.

    Mr Burnham says the Conservatives are talking up the SNP threat because their election campaign is failing. It's "pretty desperate tactics", he adds.

  9. BBC's Norman Smith

    @BBCNormanS

    tweets:

    I'm thinking this one of best climbing walls I've seen. Altho all looks a bit serious #vdiff

    Climbing wall in ScotlandNorman Smith

  10. 'Steadily downhill'

    BBC News Channel

    Andy Burnham

    Ahead of Labour's "NHS week" launch, shadow health secretary Andy Burnham says the NHS has gone "steadily downhill" over the past five years, citing pressures on A&E. The NHS can't afford five more years of another Conservative government, he adds, saying the Tories want to cut social care which will "entrench crisis" across the NHS.

    Mr Burnham goes on to say that Labour's plans - for an additional £2.5bn a year for the NHS - are properly funded.

  11. 'Remorseless logic'

    BBC News Channel

    News Channel discussion

    Alex Massie, journalist and commentator, says the polls in Scotland have been consistent since October so we should assume the nationalists will win 40-45% of the vote - a very similar proportion to those who voted Yes to independence. "The logic is remorseless," he says, "If you voted Yes last September... why on earth would you vote for a unionist party in May?"

    Despite that though, fellow journalist Ruth Wishart says we must remember the SNP isn't a single issue party. She says some Westminster commentators are only catching up belatedly with Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP, who, of course, have been in government in Scotland for some time. "It's not an inexperienced crew we're talking about," she adds.

  12. No more rose garden?

    The Guardian

    Nick Clegg and David CameronPA

    With the polls pointing to the likelihood of another hung parliament, there is much talk of possible coalitions or deals parties may put together to form a government. The Guardian reports that Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George has said there will not be another coalition between the Conservatives and Lib Dems.

    Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has said his party would form a coalition with either the Tories or Labour.

    But political editor Patrick Wintour writes that St Ives MP Mr George told a public meeting last week a second coalition with the Tories “is not going to happen. We have had enough of it. The Tories would not want it and I am sure my party would not go for it."

  13. David Hughes, Press Association

    @DavidHughesPA

    tweets:

    Clegg's trip to South West follows last week's ComRes ITV poll suggesting a 13pt swing to Tories in regional battleground"

  14. Get involved

    Email: politics@bbc.co.uk

    Dave, North Devon:

    It’s about time the UK wakes up, or does so at lease by 7th May. Sturgeon is intent on dividing England before moving on to destroying the UK. We will wake up one morning to find that Berwick, Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Carlisle etc are in Scotland ! Centuries ago armies fought over the borders, she is just going to walk in while the UK sleeps if we aren’t careful.

  15. David Hughes, Press Association

    @DavidHughesPA

    tweets:

    Nick Clegg heading to Cornwall to campaign on education with promise to end political interference in courses and exams.

  16. Get involved

    Email: politics@bbc.co.uk

    Taffy Jones:

    If Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP are prepared to stop the armed forces from functioning just to get their way over Trident they are now a direct threat to the national security of the UK. It may have slipped their unscrupulous minds, but one of the main duties of the forces is the defence of the North Sea oil fields which they set so much store by in the referendum. It is vital that they are kept from power.

  17. Coming up...

    For anyone just joining us, a big hello. Here's a run-down of some of today's events, timings and all:

    • 08.55: Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is interviewed by ITV's Lorraine Kelly
    • 09:00: Green Party leader Natalie Bennett launches a youth manifesto in Kentish Town, north London
    • 10.30: David Cameron makes a speech warning about the SNP
    • 11.00: Nicola Sturgeon launches the SNP manifesto in Edinburgh
    • 1100: Labour launches its NHS Week with a Q&A with shadow chancellor Ed Balls, shadow health secretary Andy Burnham and shadow health minister Liz Kendall
    • 11.00: Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Lord Wallace to set out the party's defence plans at Royal United Services Institute, Whitehall
    • 16.30: Ed Miliband addresses the Scottish Trades Union Congress

  18. Norman Smith, BBC assistant political editor

    @BBCNormanS

    tweets:

    Loving venue for @theSNP manifesto launch. Utterly stunning Edinburgh international Climbing Centre #tightrope"

    Edinburgh International Climbing Centre

  19. Sophy Ridge, Sky News political correspondent

    @SophyRidgeSky

    tweets:

    Only 39% of women under 24 voted at the last election, compared to 65% overall. You have until midnight to register to vote"

  20. Robbie Gibb, editor of BBC's Daily & Sunday Politics

    @RobbieGibb

    tweets:

    It's the 1st of 9 Daily Politics Election Debates. Today is the Environment with @afneil & @RHarrabin 2pm BBC2 #bbcdp