Question Time leaders special

Summary

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg each faced the audience in a Question Time special
Mr Miliband rules out a Labour coalition or a deal with SNP, while Nicola Sturgeon says SNP MPs will have 'big clout'
The prime minister says he has no plans to cut child benefit or tax credits, despite Lib Dem claims
Mr Clegg says he's not sorry for his "brave and plucky" decision to enter coalition
Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood hints at a deal with Labour, while UKIP's Nigel Farage says an EU referendum defeat wouldn't 'kill' his party
There are seven days left until the general election

Live Reporting

Kristiina Cooper, Tim Fenton, Andy McFarlane and Andree Massiah

Mind the gappublished at 15:48
The Spectator
The gap between rich and poor is "outrageous" and the pay differentials tolerated within companies "extraordinary", Boris Johnson has claimed.
The London mayor told the Spectator politicians should talk and care about inequality, using an extended aeroplane metaphor to illustrate his point.
"'I don't mind people in the sharp end of plane guzzling Château Margaux, if that's what they want to do," he said in an interview with the magazine.
"If beloved people that we know want to get on a plane, turn left, ensconce themselves in some ludicrous boudoir where hot towels and free copies of The Spectator are thrust on them every 30 seconds, then let them. It provides jobs.
"But what people won't accept is those at the back of the plane finding their in-flight meal getting smaller and smaller and their conditions getting more and more cramped."
Mr Johnson - touted by David Cameron as one of his potential successors - said the current gap between the richest and poorest was "outrageous", adding: "The wealth gap has been allowed to get too big."
Russell Brand and Greenspublished at 15:44
Deputy Political Editor, Daily Mirror tweets
Getting ready for tonight's BBC Question Timepublished at 15:35
BBC Political Correspondent tweets
New arrivalpublished at 15:24
From Wigan Today
"Labour success" for Lisa Nandy, the (Labour) candidate for Wigan .
The local paper, Wigan Today, reports that she has given birth to a son.
The shadow minister for civil society and partner Andy "are said to be thrilled by their first child together", the paper reports. The couple have named the baby Otis.
Mysterious Scotlandpublished at 15:20
Daily Politics
BBC Two
Earlier on Daily Politics, the Sun's former political editor Trevor Kavanagh explained why the Sun was backing different political parties north and south of the Scottish border.
“Scotland is a mysterious country," he says. "But we have two different papers the Scottish Sun and the English Sun, two different editors, two different political editors and two different lots of readers."
Get involvedpublished at 15:18
Text: 61124
Concerned NE voter:
How many other people in England do not realise that Nicola Sturgeon isn't actually standing for election in Westminster. A lot of people round here are shocked to be told that it's Alex Salmond who will be the SNP leader in Westminster and ask in that case why is Miss Sturgeon so prominent in the campaign for whatever promises she makes, the Westminster MP's are not bound by them but can go their own way. Alex Salmond as deputy prime minister or chancellor? It's an even more worrying prospect on this borderland with Scotland.
Election maths explainedpublished at 15:07
John Lanchester
The author of How to Speak Money, Capital and IOU: Why Everyone Owes Everyone and No One Can Pay has his go, external at explaining how the votes and seats might add up.
Correspondent round-uppublished at 15:00
tweet us @bbcpolitics
BBC correspondents tweet about today’s election issues:
Ipsos Mori: polls in contextpublished at 14:59
As you'll be aware by now we reported earlier that the Conservatives had taken a five point lead over Labour in the latest Ipsos Mori opinion poll.
But this is what Ipsos Mori's head of political research, Gideon Skinner had to say about that:
Quote Message
The Conservatives will clearly be pleased with their first poll lead this year in this series, and confirmation that they have the edge on being seen as the most capable leaders. But this is still just one poll, and they will want the reassurance of this pattern being maintained in upcoming polls - and regardless, the political situation remains on a knife-edge.
'Most important' TV debates?published at 14:54
Spectator writer tweets:
Blunkett: People in Scotland have 'switched off'published at 14:48
The World at One
BBC Radio 4
Former Labour cabinet stalwart David Blunkett, speaking on Radio 4's World at One a bit earlier today, said Labour have somehow allowed the SNP to position themselves as the counter-austerity party and voice of Scotland.
That's despite Labour having had a Scottish prime minister and chancellor for the entire time it was in office.
People in Scotland are not prepared to take leaflets or discuss policies, he said. It's as if part of the Scottish people have switched off.
Getting them to switch back on will be one of Ed Miliband's greatest challenge, Mr Blunkett added.
Meanwhile he said it was possible to have minority government with no formal agreement, and not be run by a minority Scottish party.
He said Labour was massacred in the 1983 election but now could win scores of seats in England and Wales - but not able to offer majority government because of what had happened in one part of the country.
Mr Blunkett also said Labour would reach out across the political divide, to those who voted Conservative, Lib Dem, and SNP. That type of action would pull people together, he said, but the cutting-edge programmes that Labour wanted to implement might have to be delayed until the party can get a majority.
Royal baby?published at 14:46
Political Editor of @indyonsunday tweets
Get involvedpublished at 14:46
Text: 61124
Daily Politics viewer:
Re child benefit. Reports are always accompanied by clips of toddlers and are reported in relation to those with young children, but my experience of 3 teens is the 16-19 age is far more expensive. They wear adult priced clothes, eat as adults need suits for school, travel expenses especially for uni visits and have more expense related to 6th form
UKIP complaintspublished at 14:45
UKIP leader Nigel Farage says he is unhappy about BBC "bias".
Mr Farage will appear on a 30 minute 'Ask Farage' Question Time to be shown at 2245 BST tonight on BBC One in England.
The UKIP leader says:
Quote Message
We have this bizarre state of affairs where the BBC, an organisation we are all charged £145 a year to have the benefit of seeing, aren't regulated by Ofcom, have made their own minds up (about major party status) and frankly produce the News at 10 every night as if there were just two choices in England in this election."
Image source, PA
More from Danny Alexanderpublished at 14:31
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander has been at it again today. This time saving the wages of Welsh public servants.
Mr Alexander said he blocked plans that would have "slashed" Welsh workers' pay last year.
He said the Conservatives wanted to vary public sector pay around the UK, despite dropping the idea in 2012.
At the time, a letter emerged in which Mr Alexander told First Minister Carwyn Jones he wanted regional pay.
The Conservatives have accused the Lib Dems of hypocrisy, calling Mr Alexander regional pay's "foremost champion".
The letter to Mr Jones said Mr Alexander was "keen to see local, market-facing pay introduced across the UK".
Election = Eurovision?published at 14:24
Observer writer tweets:
On the QTpublished at 14:22
BBC News Channel
We're gearing up for tonight's special Question Time in Leeds.
BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins looks at the preparations being made by the party leaders ahead of tonight's programme. Ed Miliband and David Cameron have been out and about this morning, answering questions and meeting voters. Nick Clegg has been doing his regular radio slot on LBC radio, and says he's not too nervous.
The audience will be made up of equal party (25% each) of Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem and undecided voters.
What are we going to learn tonight? Sophie Long asks You Gov's Joe Twyman.
"I would be amazed if there was a surprise. But that doesn't mean that one or more of the candidates might not throw in something that is unexpected - a policy announcement or a bit of information we haven't heard before.
"It's unlikely that there'll be any slip-ups. But we'll see."
Send us your viewspublished at 14:09
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Daily Politics viewer:
Let's get beyond polls and see a new model of collaboration. Dave, Nick and Ed working together for the good of the nation, the economy and union would be a great new model and produce sensible solutions that avoid the extremes. We could then be, almost, all in it together for the good of all.
Ed Balls Daypublished at 14:08
The World at One
BBC Radio 4
So how did Ms Cooper celebrate Ed Balls Day? (Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper are married.)
She says the whole thing has got slightly out of control with various companies - Pizza Hut for instance - coming up with inventive ways of celebrating the day.
One person on Twitter even commented on how commercial Ed Balls Day had become and how we "needed to get back to the original meaning of the day" - although, to be honest, we're not really sure what that was.
As a reminder - and for those that don't know what on earth Ed Balls Day is - here's a rundown of the day the internet seems destined never to forget.
Cooper: Labour to scrap police commissionerspublished at 13:59
The World at One
BBC Radio 4
Yvette Cooper is asked about policing numbers next. She says Labour has identified £8m of savings through the abolition of police and crime commissioners and through making police forces work together on procurement contracts.
She says under the Conservatives' plans there will be 10,000 fewer police officers at the end of the next parliament. Labour would save those roles, she says. Asked why not simply create a national police force, she says there needs to be local accountability but forces could work better together.