BBC Radio 4 Today

"We have said a great deal about what we'll do on welfare," William Hague tells Today. True, but the Conservatives face criticism for not offering more detail about where the planned £12bn of cuts will come from. "We've set out more detail than any other party," Mr Hague protests.

BBC Radio 4 Today

Image source, PA

But the Conservatives changed their mind on VAT, didn't they? Isn't it better to be flexible? Mr Hague says things have changed because the deficit has been halved - it was much trickier back in 2010. Now, he says, "we are on course". Mr Hague wants the UK economy to be "more resilient in the event of unexpected crises" - and the good news is that the improved resilience means the tax guarantee is now possible.

BBC Radio 4 Today

William Hague is being interviewed on the Today programme about the Tories' tax policies. He explains the legislation the Conservatives are proposing "would make it much more difficult" to reverse the proposals. "This particular commitment is the best-suited of all our commitments to such categoric legislation - a clear guarantee," he says.

Robin Brant
UKIP campaign correspondent

Image source, Reuters

It'll be shock and awe part II from Nigel Farage today. As the final week of the election campaign approaches the UKIP leader has deployed the tactic that he is convinced worked so well for him and his party in the TV debates. A few weeks back it was foreigners with HIV getting free treatment on the NHS. Now it's the threat of Islamic State-inspired extremists coming to the UK on boats across the Mediterranean.

Mr Farage claims half a million could arrive in Europe. So he’ll be breaking off from the campaign on Wednesday to fly to Strasbourg to speak against plans for what he says is an EU common migration policy. It’s something he believes could pose “a direct threat to our civilisation”.

Image source, PA

Margaret Hodge, who spent the last parliament scrutinising all things public spending as chair of the Commons’ public accounts committee, faces a bit of difficulty this morning. The Labour candidate for Barking is the subject of aTimes story, externalwhich claims she has received over £1.5m from the tax haven of Liechtenstein. As Ms Hodge has been a vocal critic of “secretive” offshore funds, the paper reports, she now faces accusations of “sheer hypocrisy”. In response, she said she had “no influence or control” over the Stemcor trust that held shares in her father’s steel trading business. All she could do was pay her taxes and “ensure that any shares I held were above board”, she said.

Image source, PA

Labour has dismissed the Conservatives’ plan to legislate against increasing VAT, national insurance or income tax before 2020 as a “desperate last-minute gimmick”. Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Chris Leslie points out:

Earlier in the campaign Labour came under pressure from the Tories to rule out tax increases. The party’s manifesto pledged not to raise VAT, national insurance or the basic and higher rates of income tax. 

Nick Robinson
Political editor

Prepare yourselves. It’s highly possible that all the politicking might not be resolved once the results are all in at the end of next week. Instead the odds of a hung parliament and the increased complexity of the situation compared to 2010 mean that there’s a chance the make-up of the next government might remain an unanswered question for some time, our political editor Nick Robinson suggests. His blog poses the question: When will it all be over? It’s essential reading for anyone wondering what’s on the cards if the electorate doesn’t return a majority on 7 May.

This morning's front pages are dominated by politics. Two stories in particular are rather prominent: Ed Miliband's brush with Russell Brand and the Conservatives' tax push. But you don't need us to tell you that - take a look for yourself .

Trident, which featured heavily in yesterday’s Daily Politics election debate, is the subject of a nuclear-sized intervention from 20 ex-top brass types this morning. The signatories, which include three previous heads of the armed forces, three ex-Royal Navy chiefs, and two former GCHQ directors, have written to “the incoming prime minister 2015” to warn against the “enormous gamble” of not renewing Trident. The final decision on whether or not to go ahead with a like-for-like replacement of the UK’s nuclear weapons system will be taken next year. More here.

Image source, YouTube

Russell Brand’s little chit-chat with Ed Miliband is due to be released later today on the comedian’s YouTube channel, external. If you can’t bear the wait, perhaps the trailer might ease your unbearable anticipation. It features Brand questioning the Labour leader over tax evasion issues and Mr Miliband insisting that we “gotta” do something about it. He thinks he can.

Image source, Getty Images

The election campaign returns to a familiar battleground this morning - tax. It’s the Conservatives who are on the offensive with their pledge to rule out any rise in income tax, VAT or national insurance - the big money-spinners for the Treasury. What’s unusual about it is that they’re not just saying they’re going to do this - they’re going to pass legislation ensuring it is locked into the statute book. Here's our story. The prime minister will say later today:

Eight days to go. We'll say it again for extra politician-like emphasis - eight days to go. We're back again, Victoria King and Alex Stevenson, your Politics Live team. Stick with us for every development from the campaign trail from now until midnight.