Here's a quick look back at the main stories from the world of politics today:

• Labour leader Ed Miliband ruled out a formal coalition with the Scottish National Party in the event of a hung parliament, but not a looser arrangement

• David Cameron said it was "despicable" Mr Miliband had not ruled out a post-election deal with the SNP

• SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said in a speech that her party could help overhaul the UK's "crumbling" institutions

• Newsnight reported claims an undercover police operation that gathered evidence of child abuse by Cyril Smith and other public figures was scrapped shortly after the MP was arrested

• Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps said he had "screwed up" by suggesting he had never had a second job while an MP

• UKIP was put on the list of "major parties" entitled to at least two party election broadcasts - but the Green Party was not

That's all from the Politics Live page for tonight. We'll be back from 06:00 GMT with all the day's election news, comment and pre-Budget predictions. See you then.

BBC News Channel

Joanne Hart says the UK is not used to discussions over coalitions or pacts - we're more used to majority governments. Torcuil Crichton says Labour wants to talk down the idea of pacts. The party fears that if it starts the conversation on coalitions, it will start talking itself out of power and a possible majority.

BBC News Channel

On the paper review, Torcuil Crichton from the Daily Record and Joanne Hart from the Mail on Sunday are discussing the Times splash. The paper reports a Home Office minister - Lord Bates - saying immigration must be reduced as foreign-born mothers are having too many children. Mr Crichton says Lord Bates is wrong - without immigration into the country, "we will fossilise and die off". We need migrants to boost the economy, he says. Ms Hart agrees, saying "Today's migrants are tomorrow's citizens if it's handled properly". And English people aren't having enough children, she adds.

tweets, external: Tuesday's guest of the day is @Nigel_Farage joining @Jo_Coburn for our eve-of-Budget #bbcdp programme from 12-1

BBC Newsnight
BBC Two, 22:30

Alison Millar, a lawyer representing victims of abuse, has been telling Newsnight the Home Secretary Theresa May should make it clear to officers that they would not be bound by the Official Secrets Act if they wanted to pass on information about investigations into Cyril Smith and an alleged child sex abuse ring in London. The Metropolitan Police is under investigation over claims of a cover-up. It is not commenting because it says the investigation is live.

BBC Newsnight
BBC Two, 22:30

Image source, PA

"There isn't going to be a coalition... and we aren't looking for any sort of deal", Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy tells Newsnight. He says Labour wants to retain the Barnett formula and the SNP want to get rid of that - a form of austerity Mr Murphy says Scotland has never seen the likes of before.

Mr Murphy says the party with the most seats in the Commons will form the next government - Labour will only be in charge if they are the biggest party, he says.

tweets, external: Now on @BBCOne #Panorama @clivemyrieBBC reports on #WhatBritainWants: somewhere to #work

BBC Newsnight
BBC Two, 22:30

Image source, PA

Nicola Sturgeon has told Newsnight nothing Ed Miliband said today changed anything - a coalition was "highly unlikely" anyway. She said the party had had no talks. Earlier today the Labour leader ruled out a formal coalition with the SNP.

Scotland's First Minister also said her party wanted an alternative to spending costs: "That's what I stand for."

Ms Sturgeon says she also cares about people in England and progressive change - not just in Scotland.

tweets, external: A must-watch #Newsnight report tonight by @nickhopkinsnews on appalling allegations of a Met cover-up of child abuse in Lambeth.

tweets, external: Extraordinary report on Newsnight regarding child abuse cover-up allegations

tweets, external: Danger for Tories of £1m inheritance tax threshold is that reinforces reputation as the party of the rich: just 6% of estates would pay.

BBC Newsnight
BBC Two, 22:30

A bit more from Newsnight. The programme has been told an undercover police operation which gathered evidence of child abuse by Cyril Smith and other public figures was scrapped shortly after the MP was arrested. The Liberal MP was held during a 1980s probe into alleged abuse of teenage boys in south London, a source has said. He was allegedly released within hours of being taken to a police station. Here's more.

BBC Newsnight
BBC Two, 22:30

An undercover investigation into allegations the late Liberal MP Cyril Smith and other prominent figures abused teenage boys was shelved after arrests were made, BBC Newsnight reports.

The Guardian

The Guardian is reporting George Osborne has drawn up plans which would allow parents to pass a property worth up to £1m to their children without facing inheritance tax. The scheme would also reduce the bill on properties up to £2m by £140,000, the paper says. The information comes from documents leaked to the paper, it says. The move was blocked by the Lib Dems, according to the report. More here, external.