Summary

  • Former Conservative Prime Minister Sir John Major warns a Labour-SNP government would be "a recipe for mayhem"

  • Labour says it would launch what it calls an "NHS rescue plan", including a recruitment drive for 1,000 new nurses

  • Ed Miliband accuses David Cameron of putting the union at risk by "talking up" the SNP

  • Nick Clegg says Lib Dems would allow councils to charge 200% council tax on second homes in rural beauty spots

  • BBC Radio One's Newsbeat stages hour-long debate on health, education and immigration for 100 young adults

Live Reporting

Kristiina Cooper, Andy McFarlane and Anna Doble

  1. Nurses recruitment drive

    Nurse behind blue curtainReuters

    Labour’s NHS week continues today with a focus on nurses. Their policy summed up is that not only do they like nurses, but they also want more of them. Lots more of them, in fact: Labour's aim is to get 20,000 more nurses working for the NHS by 2020, and thinks it needs an extra 1,000 to begin training this year in order to achieve that goal. Ed Miliband will be out campaigning later at Manchester Metropolitan University, highlighting figures suggesting one third of NHS Trusts were investigated last year over concerns about safe staffing. More here.

  2. 'Daily dose of blackmail'

    Sir John MajorPA

    This campaign has already seen a major intervention by Tony Blair - and now his predecessor in Downing Street, Sir John Major, is being rolled out by the Conservatives to speak out against the “recipe for mayhem” of a Labour government backed by the SNP. Sir John, who was a passionate voice against Scottish independence last autumn, is in partisan mode today as he warns Ed Miliband would be “held to ransom on a vote-by-vote basis” by Nicola Sturgeon and co. Our story previews his comments.

  3. Good morning

    Welcome to another day with Politics Live, 16 days to go until polling day. It's Alex Stevenson and Victoria King here. Stick with us and you won't miss a thing from the campaign trail.