A quick summary of the day's election news:

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg took turns to face the audience during a Question Time special. These were the highlights:

• Ed Miliband emphatically ruled out a Labour coalition or deal with the SNP
• David Cameron said he rejected plans to cut child benefit, despite claims made by the Lib Dems
• Nick Clegg said he was not sorry for his "brave and plucky" decision to enter a coalition
• Commentators didn't think there was a game-changing moment but everyone seemed to think the audience was the winner
• The other party leaders appeared in TV question and answer sessions. UKIP's Nigel Farage said a defeat in an EU referendum wouldn't "kill" his party. Meanwhile, the SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said her party would have a "big influence" at Westminster
• And Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood hinted at a deal with Labour - even if Ed Miliband refused to work with the SNP

James Landale
Deputy political editor

"In the old days, there were the stocks and the pillory. Today we have BBC Question Time. Again and again the audience voiced the lack of trust that they and many others have for their political leaders.

"David Cameron was accused of deceiving the public over benefit cuts. Ed Miliband was accused of lying over Labour's possible future dealings with the SNP. Nick Clegg was asked why anyone should believe him after breaking his promise on student fees.

"The age of deference is long gone. But so too is the respect that politicians once had. In an election campaign that has seen the parties exchanging new policies almost everyday, the studio audience revealed just how few promises are actually believed.

"If the political world is to regain that trust, then much will have to change after the election, regardless of who wins."

Phew, we hope you've had time to boil the kettle - or crack open a cold one. The politics programming just keeps on rolling on tonight.

This Week is under way on BBC1, with Michael Portillo and Alan Johnson on the sofa to enjoy presenter Andrew Neil's mirth at the prime minister's Aston Villa/West Ham "brain fade" earlier in the week.

Viewers in Wales, of course, will be enjoying Nigel Farage's Ask the Leader session.

The question and answer session with Leanne Wood closed with a question about Welsh independence. The Plaid Cymru leader said she "supports Wales becoming an independent country". But she does not think it would be sensible to hold referendum now because Wales "does not have the infrastructure" to support independence.

Pressed on when Welsh independence might occur, she replied that she hoped it would be during her "political lifetime". She was reluctant to state how many years away that was but eventually settled on 30 as the "outer limit".

Host Jo Coburn has to cut the UKIP leader short, as the Nigel Farage's Ask the Leader session draws to an end. But Mr Farage carries on debating with the audience regardless. Moments earlier, he'd been criticised for his smoking habit. "We all have our sins," he replied.

On the subject of defence, Mr Farage says Tony Blair was “stupid” to follow George W Bush into the Iraq War, while David Cameron was “mad” to bomb Libya.

However, he likens a strong defence force to an insurance policy. “You probably won't have a fire this year, but if you do, you'll probably want some insurance,” he suggests.

Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood is "not opposed" to a referendum on the EU but says Wales is a "beneficiary" from membership. She says jobs in Wales are reliant on trade with other EU countries and that Wales receives structural funds because of the poverty levels in the country.

Image source, Hulton archive Getty

The Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood, promises she wouldn't do any deal that propped up a Conservative government. She says most people in Wales would find that "unforgiveable".

"I come form the valley where people have very,very strong views about the Tories going back to the days when Thatcher closed the pits."

The Green Party leader complains that the main parties would all renew the Trident nuclear weapons system, spending millions of pounds on a "cold war relic" while public services "are being slashed".

"None of these parties can be trusted to take bold actions to heal our planet like cutting fares on public transport or banning fracking," she says.

Image source, Getty Images

Asked whether it’s wrong to blame immigration for all the UK’s problems, Mr Farage declares he’s “pro-immigration”. But he clarifies: “I’m pro-controlled immigration.”

"I’m not blaming immigrants for anything," he says, but he argues that the level of immigration in recent years has put pressure on housing, schools and health services.

Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett says tonight's programme was a clear example of why a real alternative was needed in British politics.

"Though the three leaders may sound different the fact is that they all sign up to many facets of business-as-usual politics", she said. "Each of the parties on show tonight will continue with the vicious austerity programme that’s harmed so many in this country."

The 'Ask Leanne Wood' programme, recorded earlier, is now being broadcast on BBC Wales - or watch on the Live Coverage tab above. The Plaid Cymru leader is proposing more investment in public services and getting "more money paid into the tax pot". She says that should be achieved by tackling tax avoidance and evasion. She suggests employing more inspectors so tax dodgers could be "investigated and brought to book".

Asked whether HSBC bank was considering moving its HQ away from the UK because of doubts over the country’s EU membership, Mr Farage replies: “HSBC are leaving because they see a banking regime and a regulatory regime that makes London too expensive to do business."

The broadcast of Nigel Farage’s Ask the Leader event is under way in England, with the UKIP leader being asked whether an “exit from Europe” would be damaging for the economy.

“We’re not exiting Europe. I love Europe,” he replies. But he goes on to say that the European Union has “hijacked” the continental project and that he wants an “amicable divorce” to be followed up by a free-trade agreement.

And the reaction to that Question Time special continues with Andrew Neil and the This Week panel of Alan Johnson, Miranda Green and Michael Portillo, coming up live on BBC1 at 23:20 BST (a bit later in Wales). Also on the programme are satirist Jolyon Rubinstein and the writer and director of Channel 4 satirical comedy Ballot Monkeys, Andy Hamilton.