Max, Bournville:

Lord Boyce, a former Chief of the Defence Staff has been speaking about the SNP's policy of not renewing the Trident nuclear weapons system. He told the News Channel that if the SNP decides a "nuclear deterrent is not something they require that's a political decision by them".

But he challenged the SNP's view that an independent Scotland would be able to join Nato. Lord Boyce said: "Where I think that they're probably somewhat off track - or off the planet actually - is by saying they also have an aspiration to join NATO."

"Nato is a nuclear alliance .All the members of Nato are signed up to some nations having a nuclear capability.

A new poll has emerged, external this afternoon from May2015.com, the New Statesman's sister website, giving the Tories a three-point lead. It's from BMG Research, not an established polling company but one which is trying to get approval. A pinch of salt, then, but the methodology is all available for scrutiny. It puts the Conservatives on 35%, ahead of Labour on 32%. UKIP and the Liberal Democrats are both seen to be polling slightly better than in some recent surveys, on 14% and 11% respectively.

Certain aspects of today’s political news would undoubtedly have had people’s mouths gaping had they been revealed a year ago, say. As Alex Stevenson and Victoria King wrap up for the day and hand over to the late team, here’s a few of the day’s eyebrow-raisers:

• Russell Brand is Britain’s most important political interviewer of the day (see 14.08 post)
• The SNP are set to take all of Scotland’s 59 seats, a pollster claims (13.25)
• David Cameron is being told off by his children for swearing while being “pumped up” (12.54)
• Nick Clegg is prepared to engage in talks with the leader of the UKID Party (12.08)

There’s a lot more politics to come tonight – and tomorrow – as we enter the final week of the campaign.

Within minutes of Russell Brand's interview with Ed Miliband being released on YouTube earlier this afternoon, Twitter was abuzz with reaction - and the hashtag #Milibrand was trending. Here's our overview of some of the best responses : some positive, some hostile, others simply baffled by the "ostentatious" nature of the tap in view behind the two men. The kitchens election continues...

The Guardian

Communication accommodation theory sounds rather complicated, doesn’t it? But actually it can be summed up by watching Ed Miliband’s interview with Russell Brand. The Labour leader’s "mockney" accent, a prime example of the phenomenon in which humans mimic others to win their support, has prompted just a little ridicule online.

Actually, Jessica Elgot writes for the Guardian, external, this is a more common phenomenon than you might think. Oprah Winfrey, Steve McLaren and Joey Barton have all been accused of it. And they don’t even have the same incentives as Mr Miliband does.

One comment following the Youtube video, external of Russell Brand's interview with Ed Miliband will be exactly what the Labour leader was hoping for:

Now Mr Miliband just needs to hope the commenter is registered to vote.

David McKay, Portknockie:

More on the theft of a van in London containing ballot papers destined for the constituency of Hastings and Rye, East Sussex. According to a Hastings council spokesman, the Metropolitan Police told the local authority there was "nothing to suggest the van was stolen because there were ballot papers inside". He added: "It seems that it was a coincidence that the stolen van contained ballot papers." The council says it has put a process into place to ensure the ballot papers are not used for "fraudulent purposes".

Image source, PA

Senior Conservative William Hague says that changed times have allowed the Conservative Party to promise the introduction of a Parliamentary Act that will rule out increases in income tax, VAT and national insurance contributions.

This might be a useful statement of intent but as a former leader of the House of Commons, the man responsible for looking after legislation, Hague should (and maybe does) know that any such Act would be, legalistically, total nonsense. Why so?

Let’s say that the Tories win the election and put a No Tax Rises Act on to the statute book. What then, in this legislation prevents the chancellor of the exchequer, whacking up tax? Absolutely nothing whatsoever.

Parliament cannot bind or restrict itself against future measures that it may or may not enact. If two pieces of legislation contradict each other, then the newer piece stands.

So a government could, if it wishes, pass a No Tax Rises Act on day one of a Parliament and, on day two, produce a Finance Bill that does exactly the opposite.

Image source, EPA

Concerned that voters haven't quite got the message that the Tories think that a Labour-SNP government would be a bad thing, the Conservative press office has put out some lines from Defence Secretary Michael Fallon. It follows today's Ipsos-Mori poll suggesting the SNP could win all of Scotland's 59 seats, and Nicola Sturgeon's comments in an STV interview last night that the SNP will have "bargaining power on every vote". Mr Fallon says:

The Daily Telegraph

Image source, PA

There are all sorts of post-election scenarios being talked about endlessly as polling day approaches - but Professor Tim Bale, writing for the Telegraph, external, has done his best to boil them down to two. You can probably guess what they are – but what’s interesting is his view that it’s Ed Miliband who stands a better chance of getting into No 10. That’s because of some basic maths.

The BBC's Kamal Ahmed asked Nick Clegg about Labour’s plans to increase tax credits in every budget of the next parliament, in line with inflation. Mr Clegg said: