BBC Radio 4 Today

Is UKIP still capable of making life difficult for the main parties? How will they exercise influence? the Today programme asks.

The purpose of UKIP is to get out of Europe; but to get a referendum, don't people have to vote Conservative? John Humphrys asks the UKIP leader.

"We started as a protest movement against Britain's membership of the EU. We've moved on from that," Mr Farage says, pointing to his other manifesto commitments.

But the question is, how do we get a referendum, he says. He explains that Mr Cameron said in 2011 and 2012 it wasn't in the national interest, but now he says he is going to have a referendum.

"OK, there's only one way he can be kept to that promise - and certainly only one way we will get a full free and fair referendum - that is if there are enough UKIP MPs in the House of Commons to hold his feet to the fire."

The party leaders will be back out and about campaigning today, as the 7 May polling day draws ever closer.

David Cameron will be pushing for votes in the north of England with a pledge to ensure it grows at least as fast as the rest of the country.

Ed Miliband will say his first act as prime minister would be to release cash to make up the shortfall in benefit payments for tenants hit by the so-called bedroom tax.

The Tories or Labour will have to invest an extra "£8bn a year on the NHS by 2020 if they want the support of the Liberal Democrats in a coalition, Nick Clegg will say as he campaigns in Manchester.

You can read the full sketch here, external .

BBC Radio 4 Today

Douglas Alexander turns to the financial crisis and Labour’s record on spending.

He says: “Of course, there has been real hardship felt by people since the global financial crisis. But equally I thought it was important for Ed [Miliband] to place on record the fact the clue is in the title - it was a global financial crisis.

“Lehman Brothers didn’t collapse because Gordon Brown built too many schools and hospitals.

“Why is it that we have got a situation right around the world where governments are dealing with deficits? The global financial crisis caused deficits to rise, it wasn’t deficits that caused the global financial crisis, it was a failure of banking regulation for which Labour and others have apologised.”

BBC Radio 4 Today

Douglas Alexander says a Labour government is "within touching distance".

"We can have a Labour government next Friday but the only way we can have a Labour government is if people do something rather straight forward and simple which is to vote Labour," he says.

The Daily Telegraph

"What an extraordinary – and, for Labour, very dangerous – phenomenon," writes Michael Deacon, the Telegraph's sketchwriter, reviewing the BBC's special edition of Question Time, external.

Much of the discussion centred around the previous Labour administration, he says.

As he points out, the night was also about David Cameron v Liam Byrne, as Mr Cameron brandished a copy of the note left by the former chief secretary to the Treasury in 2010, which said “I’m afraid there is no money.”

As the writer points out, under questioning from the audience Ed Miliband knew he couldn’t afford to say that the note was a joke, and was trapped.

"Trapped by something he didn’t write; something that was written before he was even Labour leader. It’s a trap he may struggle to escape."

Image source, AFP

BBC Radio 4 Today

Image source, PA

As a Scottish candidate I can say this with some feeling: the SNP don’t want to help Labour, they want to harm Labour, shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander tells Today.

He says SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon tells voters to vote SNP in Scotland, Plaid Cymru in Wales and Green in England. He also warns the last time the SNP were in a position like this [in 1979] "they brought down a Labour government and brought in Margaret Thatcher".

He says the consequence of the SNP succeeding in Scotland is that the electorate won’t get a Labour government - they will get another Conservative government.

The Guardian

Ed Miliband has hardened his opposition to a deal with the Scottish National Party (SNP), saying that he was “not going to have a Labour government if it means deals or coalitions with the SNP”, the paper says, external, reviewing last night's Question Time.

The three main Westminster leaders – Mr Miliband, David Cameron and Nick Clegg – appeared in a BBC Question Time format that left them each "exposed to 30 minutes of hostile and informed questioning from a confident audience" the Guardian's Patrick Wintour and Nicholas Watt write.

Image source, PA

Taxpayer backed - yes, we still own about 20% of it - Lloyds has reported statutory profits fell 11% in its first quarter from £1.7bn to £1.2bn compared with the same period a year ago.

The Conservatives have said they will sell the remaining government stake in the bank in the next parliament with a 1980s-style share sale to the public at a 5% discount.

But that's only as long as the share price holds up above its current "break even" price.

The Daily Mail

"The election roared into life last night as real voters had their say in a high-octane TV clash with the three main party leaders last night," the Daily Mail says., external

"In the most dramatic scenes of a hitherto stage-managed campaign, Ed Miliband came under fire over Labour's record on the economy, immigration, welfare and Europe."

The papers says that David Cameron had a rough ride, as he was pressed on child benefit plans, his record on immigration and the number of families relying on food banks.

And Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg defended his decision to enter coalition with the Tories for the good of the country, the Mail explains.

"Miliband savaged for lies over spending” is The Times's headline, external .

"Ed Miliband suffered a bruising final television contest before the election as he was accused of 'lying' for refusing to accept that the previous Labour government spent too much," the paper writes.

The paper says that the audience at the Question Time special gave Mr Miliband the most hostile reception.

BBC Radio 4 Today

David Cameron seemed "much more passionate and committed," during last night's Question Time, Norman Smith tells Today.

He thinks there if there is a lesson for the political leaders and their campaign managers from last night, it is to let them have more direct contact with voters.

The leaders, he says, have “somehow been hermetically-sealed" from voters for much of the campaign - something that has served neither the public, nor the leaders themselves, he says.

BBC Radio 4 Today

The BBC’s assistant political editor Norman Smith tells Today that Ed Miliband has had to “toughen and toughen” his stance on any deal with the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) over the election campaign.

So much so that last night the Labour leader made a “last desperate plea” to voters in Scotland: “Do not vote for the SNP in Scotland and think you will get a Labour government."

It also means Mr Miliband has few options if he does become prime minister. Essentially, Labour will have to - and seem prepared to – go it alone with support from the SNP on a vote-by-vote basis.

But Norman says he spoke to Alex Salmond a few days earlier who said that would be tough for all involved. But, he says, he also got the impression Mr Salmond thought the SNP would have even more influence over Labour under those circumstances.

What were the stories to come out of last night's leaders' Question Time?

- David Cameron said he had rejected £8bn in child benefit cuts the Lib Dems claimed the Tories had proposed in government.

- Ed Miliband said Labour did not overspend when in power and that he would not lead a government if it involved a deal with the SNP.

- Nick Clegg was questioned over tuition fees, trust and coalition deals.

- In Glasgow, SNP Leader Nicola Sturgeon predicted Mr Miliband would not be able to get his policies through without working with other parties.

- UKIP leader Nigel Farage said on a programme broadcast in England and Wales that an EU referendum defeat would not kill his party.

- Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood refused to rule out a deal with Labour in a BBC TV special from Cardiff.

Image source, Reuters

So what did you think of the leaders' Question Time last night? Did it change your mind? Share your thoughts with us as usual via email on politics@bbc.co.uk or on twitter @bbcpolitics., external

So who "won" last night's Question Time? Commentators agree that all three leaders were all forced on the defensive, facing tough questions over economic plans.

An instant poll of Question Time viewers conducted by ICM for The Guardian found that 44% thought Mr Cameron had "done best", against 38% for Mr Miliband and 19% for Mr Clegg.

But many of the pundits on Twitter and elsewhere appeared to agree that the QT audience were the winners.

"This must be the soundest audience ever assembled by the BBC," tweeted Fraser Nelson of the Spectator magazine. "I love this audience!!! can we get them into all lobby press conferences," said Beth Rigby of the Financial Times.