Image source, Twitter

We've learned some more about the precise state which Nick Clegg's constituency office, which was briefly occupied by student protestors earlier, was turned into. The group has stated: "We transformed the space, symbolic of betrayal and the politics of the neoliberal establishment, into an autonomous, collectively-run learning space: The Free University of Sheffield." This unusual higher education venture didn't last long as police officers succeeded in moving the demonstrators from the Sheffield Hallam office into the adjacent car park. "We are trying to project an image of what we think education should look like by subverting an oppressive neoliberal space into an accessible, free and non-hierarchical one," activist Alison Kwan said.

Image source, Lord Ashcroft

Lord Ashcroft has polled 12 marginals in total, four of which are potentially vulnerable Conservative seats. His snapshot suggests Labour could take two of them - but suggests there is all to play for in three of them.

• Colne Valley, a three-way marginal in 2010 won by Jason McCartney, is under threat

• High Peak, Andrew Bingham's seat, has an identical swing of 5% to Labour - but as the Tory majority is under 5,000 Lord Ashcroft puts Ed Miliband's party ahead

• Norwich North, won by Chloe Smith in a 2009 by-election, is set to return to the Labour fold. UKIP is polling especially strongly here, registering 16%

• The Vale of Glamorgan is currently held by Alun Cairns - and he's enjoying a 6% swing in his favour

Image source, Department of Health

Last month parliament approved new laws to allow the creation of babies from three people - the first legislation of this kind anywhere in the world. As a result mitochondrial donations could take place as early as the end of this year. Today saw what the Department of Health said was an "historic moment" as health minister Jane Ellison, above, signed the regulations.

Channel 4

Keith Vaz, chair of the home affairs select committee, has demanded that the Home Office steps in to insist that "the culture must change" at Britain's detention centres. It follows a Channel 4 News investigation which has revealed guards showing contempt for detainees. Mr Vaz says he will seek to summon the chief executives of the private companies running centres like Yarl's Wood to give evidence in parliament if significant changes are not made. "We cannot wait for the outsourcing companies to do this," Mr Vaz told Channel 4 News. "This is a government responsibility."

Channel 4

UKIP's immigration spokesman Steven Woolfe, interviewed on Channel 4 News, has denied his party has U-turned after leader Nigel Farage used his speech earlier to confirm the party will no longer seek an overall cap of 50,000 on net migration previously outlined by Mr Woolfe. "We haven't abandoned it. What we're looking at here is not a cap on migration," he says. "The important point is are we going to reduce the number of migrants to this country? The answer to that is yes."

Sky News

Labour's Ben Bradshaw says the broadcasters' have been "naive about the Conservatives' intentions" when it comes to the election debates, telling Sky News that they should "stick to their guns" and "empty chair" the PM if necessary, replacing him with a "teddy bear". But Tory MP Peter Bone says the broadcasters have made a "mess" of negotiations and insists it is wrong to suggest that Mr Cameron wants to swerve the whole thing. However, he says a debate on 30 April would be unsatisfactory as large numbers of people will have already voted by post by then.

tweets, external: Would it be more appealing if we told the leaders the debate would be moderated by Mrs Merton?

House of Commons
Parliament

In the Commons, UKIP MP Douglas Carswell (seated above) is holding an adjournment debate about competition in the financial services industry to complete the day's proceedings. His fellow defector, Mark Reckless, has been chipping in too - after being rebuked by the Speaker for a minor breach of parliamentary convention.

tweets, external: Latest Ashcroft polling in Scotland is shocking. When the only ray of light is that your leader might keep his seat, be concerned.

Conservative MP Bob Blackman, who is defending a 3,403 majority in his Harrow East constituency, is defying the expenses watchdog after being told he must repay £1,006.20 of overclaimed mileage. Mr Blackman faces a £1,000 fine if he doesn't pay up by next week, but is insisting he has been the victim of "arbitrary and draconian" treatment. He's only prepared to pay £237.

Here's the highlights of Lord Ashcroft's findings from Scotland:

• Of Scotland's 59 seats, as many as 56 could be taken by the SNP

• Former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy is set to lose his seat in Ross, Skye and Lochaber

• The Conservatives' sole seat in Scotland is very, very close to being taken by the SNP

• Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy is on track to hold his seat

• The SNP has a 6% lead in the seat being vacated by Gordon Brown in Kirkcaldy

tweets, external: .@LordAshcroft has polled in 4 @Conservatives (over lab) marginals, says too close to call in three of four

Lord Ashcroft is briefing journalists on his latest polling findings at an event in London and details are seeping out over Twitter. Here's a few of the stats lobby colleagues have found particularly illuminating:

• 40% are not feeling the effects of the economic recovery

• 58% don't want any more austerity, compared to 42% who say we need more

• UKIP is the most popular party when it comes to immigration, on 31% to 22% for both Labour and the Conservatives

House of Commons
Parliament

The Commons, which has spent the afternoon debating a Labour motion describing the government's deficit reduction strategy as a "failing austerity plan", has made up its mind in a vote. The motion's been defeated by 298 votes to 216, a government majority of 82.

tweets, external: I wonder: does the Conservative message that the worst has passed actually make it easier for people to give it over to "nice-but-wet" Ed?

Tony Blair's former spin doctor Alastair Campbell has been talking on BBC Radio 5 Live about foreign affairs this afternoon. He says he thought Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, was a "scary guy" after first meeting him before he became president. "When Tony first invited him to Downing Street Putin hadn't won. He was an interesting sort of guy, very clever." Now, he says, "it's too simple to say he's a bad man" because he feels Ukraine "was a put-up job". In comments that add significance to David Cameron's August 2013 defeat on military action in Syria, Mr Campbell adds: "I think the moment at which he felt emboldened was Syria - that was the moment when he felt 'these guys aren't strong'." You can listen to the clip in full here.

Image source, Getty Images

Here's more from Ed Miliband on leaders' debates and his challenge to David Cameron: "I want these debates to happen. I want the seven-way debates to happen, I want the two-way debates to happen. And I think the British public need them to happen and frankly David Cameron has first of all made these excuses about the Greens, then the Greens were invited. Then he talked about Northern Ireland and now he's saying he doesn't like the timing of the debates. I'm saying to David Cameron it's time to stand up and be counted because the British public deserves these debates to happen. I want them to happen and frankly he should stop making excuses and wriggling.

"If he thinks they are an essential part of our democracy, it's time he stopped wriggling, it's time he stopped running scared and he actually said these debates are going to happen and he's going to take part.

"Yes I'll do it earlier than planned because David Cameron has made another excuse today saying he doesn't like the date. Well if he doesn't like the debate, then let's move the date and let's make the debates happen."

tweets, external: David Cameron said he would do the live TV debate with me if it happens earlier than planned. I will do it anytime, anyplace, anywhere.