BBC Radio 4

Image source, Sainsburys

Former Sainsbury's supermarket chief executive Justin King is on Today talking about a report he has written about the UK food sector. It's a big success story and makes a vital contribution to the UK economy, he says. But the UK government gives it very little recognition. "The government takes a very narrow view," he says.

tweets:, external I fear the report's conclusions are far too definite for the evidence it has. This is data fitted around an argument. Read more., external

But the National Union of Teachers dismissed the report (see previous entry), calling its finding about the raising of standards "spurious". Deputy general secretary Kevin Courtney said the push for more free schools was not really "parent-led" - as the government says - but was now "dominated" by academy sponsors.

Image source, PA

David Cameron's speech today coincides with the publication of a report by the Policy Exchange think tank, external which argues that the extra competition from free schools raises standards among neighbouring schools. Running counter to the Labour argument, the right-wing think tank says free schools therefore shouldn't be confined to areas with a shortage of school places because they can have a wider improving effect.

tweets:, external piece ends with marginal dad concluding PM 'is clearly a proper dad who cooks meals for his kids and he knew Villa's next league fixture'.

tweets:, external a very sympathetic double page spread in @TheSunNewspaper as they arrange lunch for a key marginal family and @David_Cameron #ge2015

Image source, PA

On Sunday, newspaper reports suggested the Home Office was planning tougher action on those deemed to be radical Islamists. But today, a former senior Muslim police officer has said another branch of the government's counter-terrorism strategy - Prevent - had become "a toxic brand". Dal Babu said it had lost the trust of many Muslims, in part because some of the police officers involved lacked basic knowledge of race and faith issues.

As well as the prime minister, we're also expecting a speech today from shadow chancellor Ed Balls. In it, he'll paint a picture of the "extreme" and "unprecedented" public spending cuts he says are looming if the Conservatives are re-elected. In particular, he'll sound alarm bells about the future of non-protected government departments, such as policing and social care.

Top of the agenda today is an announcement from David Cameron that a further 500 free schools would be opened in England in the next five years under a Conservative government. Free schools, of course, are set up by academy sponsors, charities, teachers and groups of parents, and operate outside local authority control. Labour are highly critical of the policy, saying they are "funnelling money into areas of surplus school places".

Image source, Daily Telegraph

Several papers are already looking beyond the election to potential cuts to come. The Daily Telegraph follows up a story from the weekend about defence cuts. It says one estimate suggests the army could be left with just 50,0000 soldiers - its lowest level since the 1770s.

Image source, robertss

Meanwhile, potential big cuts in the civil service occupy top story slot in the Financial Times. The paper says more than a third of workers in the Department of Work and Pensions could lose their jobs in the next five years. The government has said reports that 30,000 posts could go is "purely speculation".

Welcome to another day's coverage from the Politics Live team. Victoria King and Matthew Davis are up bright and early for another day covering the run-up to the general election. We'll take you through all the day's action and reaction, from the Today programme to Newsnight and everything in between. As ever, we want to know what you think of the day's big issues. Email us politics@bbc.co.uk or tweets us @bbcpolitics, external.