Labour MP Lucy Powell parlays the question on the 2% of GDP defence spending target into a broader point about the Conservatives' alleged "colossal" spending cuts. There must be an election on.

tweets:, external MPs approved a motion (nonbinding to the government) calling for 2% of national income to be spent on defence http://bbc.in/1xhSX4c #bbcqt

Question Time is under way from Leeds. Defence is first up. Do we need a real terms increase in spending in an increasingly uncertain world, asks audience member Paul Sykes.

Not long now to Question Time. The panel in Leeds includes Labour's general election campaign guru Lucy Powell, Tory defence minister Anna Soubry, former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy, Green Party leader Natalie Bennett and Private Eye editor Ian Hislop. Stay with us for live updates.

A fair few political commentators remain preoccupied by the kitchen sink. Ed Miliband's two kitchen sinks that is. The Labour leader is under fire from several newspapers who claim he posed with his wife Justine in a small "kitchenette" for an at-home interview - but he in fact has a second, bigger kitchen.

Daily Telegraph political correspondent Ben Riley-Smith says Mr Miliband's attempt to portray himself as a "man of the people", external backfired, with the apparent gaffe seeing the Labour leader dubbed "Two Kitchens".

But Times columnist Jenni Russell sprung to his defence, tweeting, external: "Ed Miliband's kitchen is lovely. Daily Mail pix: the functional kitchenette by sitting room for tea and quick snacks."

The Guardian's deputy live editor Polly Curtis, meanwhile, isn't really sure it matters at all, tweeting, external: Massive argument in my house about whether it's even interesting that Ed Miliband has two kitchens #kitchengate

tweets:, external Thanks to everyone involved in tonight's @BBCFreeSpeech. One hour, unscripted, tough questions. Really enjoyed it. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b055tx34/free-speech-series-4-1-im-ed-miliband-ask-me-anything …

The Times

Staying on Mr Miliband's travails, the Times, in an opinion column, feels the Labour Party's "problems go much deeper than its leader. A refusal to embrace new ideas has infected a whole generation". "The fear of victory is gradually being replaced by the more probable fear of defeat. Fewer and fewer Labour MPs now believe Ed Miliband will make it over the line. In such in a mood, politicians begin to prepare for all eventualities," the paper says. , external

The Spectator

James Forsyth, political editor of the Spectator, has been giving his verdict on Mr Miliband's turn in front of young voters. "When Ed Miliband ran for the Labour leadership in 2010, his supporters boasted that he spoke human. Tonight... Miliband showed flashes of his ability to connect with an audience. But, overall, it was a patchy performance. Miliband was very good on some subjects and dealt neatly with some left-field questions. However, he still doesn't have the right answer to the question of whether he would do a deal with the SNP after the election in the event of a hung parliament. He dismissed the ideas as 'a piece of nonsense from the Tories'. But, in contrast to a grand coalition with the Tories, he didn't actually rule it out."

Full blog here., external

Image source, FT

While Mr Miliband has been busy wooing young voters, David Cameron has popped up in tomorrow's Financial Times, defending his plans for a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU. He tells the broadsheet "this is the moment Britain stops sleepwalking towards the exit". "The British public can see what's happening, that Europe is changing in front of their eyes and they haven't been asked about it." He also says the referendum could be held next year - but he expects it will take longer.

And here's the view from the street (...well, Twitter):

@Mancman10 tweets:, external Well done Miliband he thrives in the unscripted Q&A format,tough audience&he remained cool&calm,It's why Cameron won't face him #askmiliband

@RedPeter99 tweets, external: Ed might not have convinced the chest beating knuckle draggers but anyone with fair judgement will agree he did well on #AskMiliband

@Official_Craig tweets, external: I've never voted labour before, but Ed did really well during that #AskMiliband - and he may (MAY!) have just persuaded me to vote #Labour

Some commentators have taken to Twitter to mull over whether Miliband gave a definitive Yes/No answer on the idea of a Labour/SNP coalition.

Paul Waugh of PoliticsHome tweeted:, external Did Ed Miliband just finally answer the SNP-Lab coalition Q?: 'It's absolute nonsense..It's not going to happen" #AskMiliband

BBC political producer Sam Macrory thought not, tweeting:, external I'm not planning a coalition with them. It's nonsense' - says Miliband, not quite entirely ruling out a deal with the SNP #AskMiliband

#AskMiliband is trending in the UK, external. We'll bring you some of what the punters - and commentators - have had to say.

tweets, external: Love him, loathe him. One overriding conclusion from #AskMiliband: Live TV political debates are a obviously a good thing.

tweets:, external What did you think of @Ed_Miliband tonight? Did he leave you cold? Did he appeal to you? Did you change your mind about him? #AskMiliband

That's it from a rather lively debate with Labour leader Ed Miliband, who took questions as diverse as whether it matters that he "looks like Wallace", to how it felt to "stab his brother in the back" and what his biggest fear about being PM was.

Next up on BBC Three's Free Speech are Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon and the Greens' Natalie Bennett on 17 March.

Miliband is asked why Labour won't give the public a referendum on the EU - he says if he becomes PM it simply won't be his priority to have a debate about this.

"For jobs, for business, for families - it's the wrong thing to do."

It's an answer that goes down well with this audience and is afforded one of the biggest cheers of the night.

What would Ed Miliband do if he discovered his children with a bag of cannabis when they are older? He would discourage them from using it, he says, as he rejects a call to decriminalise the drug on the grounds that it is not as harmful as alcohol and tobacco. Mr Miliband thinks it would send out the wrong signal and alcohol and tobacco have been around a lot longer so he would not ban them. But legalising cannabis would make education free, says someone on email (it would give a new meaning to higher education anyway...)

Asked for an explicit answer on whether Labour would go into coalition with the SNP, he says he couldn't be clearer - "it's complete nonsense", he doesn't "want" or "need" to go into a coalition with them.

There's laughter when it's a resounding No from Miliband on joining forces with the Tories.

"This coalition has looked like an excuse for breaking policies... I'm focused on getting a majority," he adds.

There's laughter from the audience as Miliband says "I still want a majority Labour government" when he's asked who he would go into coalition with.

"I believe I can win a majority government. I'm focused on winning a majority."

Miliband says he's "open" to the idea of online voting after being told two thirds say they would be more likely to if they could do it on the internet or through an app. But he adds the issue is more about making people feel their vote will make a difference.