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. Gavin Hewitt, BBC correspondent

    @BBCGavinHewitt

    tweets :

    Here's the question: will the Tories' fierce attacks on the SNP stoke up resentment among English voters leading to constitutional crisis?

  2. Gavin Hewitt, BBC correspondent

    @BBCGavinHewitt

    tweets :

    A truly significant day on the campaign trail. Tories have taken gloves off. The language, the warnings about Lab/SNP link up much sharper

  3. 'Appalling'

    Nicola SturgeonReuters

    David Cameron's comments today will appal people across Scotland, says Nicola Sturgeon. She's talking about this story in which the PM says a future Conservative government would carry out an annual review of the impact of Scottish devolution on the rest of the UK and offer other regions and nations to seek compensation if they believe they have been adversely impact by decisions made in Scotland.

  4. Robert Peston, BBC economics editor

    @Peston

    tweets :

    Vote SNP for a better Labour government is @NicolaSturgeon big simple message - hideous for @Ed_Miliband, music for @David_Cameron

  5. John McDermott, FT columnist

    @johnpmcdermott

    tweets :

    One of the smartest political moves Salmond ever made was to pass on the leadership to Sturgeon after the #indyref

  6. Get involved

    Text: 61124

    Election live reader:

    Nicola Sturgeon wants an independent Scotland but wants a say in Westminster! She is a hypocrite.

  7. On Labour

    There are many people in the ranks of the Labour Party who hear what the SNP say and agree with it more than what their own leadership says, Nicola Sturgeon says

  8. Green divisions?

    From Sean Clare, BBC producer

    The Green Party deputy leader has contradicted Caroline Lucas' call for voters to back Plaid Cymru candidates tactically in the general election. Former Green Party leader Ms Lucas - pictured below - earlier urged supporters in Wales to give their vote to Plaid where there was no Green standing. But Amelia Womack, the Greens' deputy leader, said today she "would never, never support tactical voting because otherwise you will never get the kind of government you want".

    Speaking at the launch of the Green Party youth manifesto Ms Womack said: "People voted for the Lib Dems to keep the Tories out and actually what they got was a Tory government as a result of the coalition. "Now more than ever the only vote is a vote you believe in and as a result I would never encourage anyone to vote tactically."

    Caroline LucasAFP

  9. Get involved

    Text: 61124

    Election live reader:

    Cameron has just sealed the fate of Scotland within the UK in his speech in Crewe and in desperation he has inadvertently confirmed his contempt for the Scottish people. SNP or not it proves he has never represented the best interests of anyone north of the border. The election has just got very personal.Them and us! Proof the union is no longer compatible or equitable in any sense, what we have really always known. Scotland deserves so much more!

  10. Inbox 'heaving'

    Nicola SturgeonPA

    My inbox is heaving with people from the rest of the UK asking if they can vote SNP, says Nicola Sturgeon.

  11. 'Hunger for change'

    Why are the English scared of you, Nicola Sturgeon is asked at the SNP manifesto launch. "I don't think they are," she answers. She says people across the rest of the UK are as a "hungry" for change as Scots are.

  12. PM on Mediterranean migrant tragedy

    This is a dark day for Europe, we should put the blame at appalling human traffickers. There is vital meeting taking place in Luxembourg today. We need a comprehensive approach. Search and rescue is only one part. We need to go after traffickers, help stabilise these countries."

  13. Paul Waugh, editor of PoliticsHome

    @paulwaugh

    tweets:

    ITN's Martin Geissler asks Sturgeon what single redistributive measure the SNP has pursed in last 7 yrs. She says hasn't had tax control"

  14. 'Fiscally responsible'

    Nicola SturgeonReuters

    Nicola Sturgeon is pressed over how the party will fund some of its spending commitments. She says the SNP will tackle the deficit more slowly than the other parties are proposing, which would make available "an additional £140bn" to spend on public services. This is "a fiscally responsible manifesto" but it doesn't allow the deficit to "tear up the fabric of our society".

  15. Chris Ship, ITV News deputy political editor

    @chrisshipitv

    tweets :

    Impressive performer Nicola Sturgeon. Answers questions fully and passionately #SNPManifesto

  16. Sofa buddies?

    David Cameron

    Nicola Sturgeon suggests David Cameron wasn't keen to sit next to her on the sofa during yesterday's Andrew Marr programme, when the prime minister warned about any SNP influence on a Labour government. Expect the PM to face a question on that at some point...

  17. Gavin Hewitt, BBC correspondent

    @BBCGavinHewitt

    tweets :

    The Tories basing more and more of their campaign on warnings of SNP who Cameron says 'don't want the rest of the country to exist.'

  18. 'Make no mistake'

    Speaking at the same time as Nicola Sturgeon, David Cameron told an audience in Crewe that voters could be "sleepwalking" towards a election outcome which would put government into deadlock and bring the recovery to a halt. He also argued that the SNP would use its influence to shift investment in jobs, roads and railways to Scotland and away from the English regions.

    Make no mistake, if Labour and the SNP get into power, you are going to see an alliance between a party that wants to spend, borrow and tax more, with a party that wants to spend, borrow and tax even more. You would see our deficit climbing up again, spending on welfare soaring again, businesses crushed again, jobs lost again. With Labour and the SNP, our economy will head into ruin again. And who will pay? You will pay - in higher taxes."

    David Cameron

  19. Building alliances

    Nicola Sturgeon is fielding several questions from the media, including on Scottish independence.

    Ms Sturgeon says: "Right now we remain part of the UK and of the Westminster system, and therefore my interest is in seeking to build alliances across the UK - as that will help the Scottish people."

    Man holding SNP manifestoReuters

  20. Carole Walker, BBC Conservative campaign correspondent

    @carolewalkercw

    tweets:

    David Cameron in Crewe warns of danger to economy and local schemes if Labour in power with SNP backing

    George Osborne and David Cameron