Ed Miliband's still in full flow at his People's Question Time. Privatisation of the NHS would be an "absolute disaster", but a "hospital is only as good as the services in the community", he said. If there is not an adequate number of GPs "people end up in hospital and the pressure on A&E becomes unbearable". He said the future of the NHS lies with integrating services and getting people the help they need at home before hospital.

tweets:, external Tories insist Miliband's SNP comments "change nothing" - but the Labour position looks much more politically rational now

A Conservative Party spokesman said: "This changes nothing. Ed Miliband will not rule out a deal with the SNP because he knows it's impossible to become prime minister without being carried into Downing Street in Alex Salmond's pocket.

"There have been over 1,200 votes in this parliament. Vote by vote, bill by bill, issue by issue, Ed Miliband would have to do a deal with the SNP on each and every one of them. Who knows what Ed Miliband will sell out to Alex Salmond on: more borrowing, more debt, higher taxes or weaker defences. But one thing's for certain: it's hardworking taxpayers who will pay the price for this chaos."

tweets:, external Nicola Sturgeon on Miliband: "He simply ruled out a formal coalition - something the SNP made clear was not our preference anyway."

"I'm classed as a scrounger by the Tory press," says a former soldier from the audience who admits he has suffered with mental health problems. "Well, you'll never be classed as a scrounger by me," Miliband replies. He adds: "Thank you for the service you provided our country, and thank you for raising the issue of mental health." He says that under a Labour government he would "make sure the services are there", and make more of a priority of child and adolescent mental health issues. "Mental health is not just a health services issue, but it's about the actual reception you get for having had a mental health problem by the rest of society."

Mental health appears to be becoming a campaign battleground. It was also mentioned at length during Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg's speech at his party's spring conference yesterday.

tweets:, external so much bad blood between Cameron and former Tories turned Kippers it won't be tough to rule out a kip deal.

"Let's engage young people about the difference we can make to them," Ed Miliband says in response to a question about allowing 16-year-olds to vote. He tells his People's Question Time in Leeds that such a move would "force" government to improve what it offers young people. He also says education is not just academic it should be a "life education".

BBC Radio 4

Stewart Jackson, Conservative MP, speaks to the World at One about Grant Shapps. "He stumbled in an interview about the precise date he ceased to have a business interest. But let's be clear, there was no wrongdoing," he says. Mr Jackson adds that "there's nothing new in the story". "This is low politics from the Guardian and Labour," he goes on. He says he doesn't think there's concern about MPs having second jobs "if people are transparent" about them.

James Landale
Deputy Political Editor, BBC News

Two things have driven this announcement. One is internal pressure from Labour MPs in Scotland and England who say that unless a coalition is ruled out, they'll continue to be put in a very difficult position on the doorsteps. Secondly, it's the relentlessness of the Conservative campaign. They've published attack ads, led on the issue in prime minister's questions. That has, anecdotally at least, begun to bite in some constituencies. But Ed Miliband has only ruled out coalition - something that's unlikely to happen anyway. He hasn't ruled out any looser arrangement or pact.

tweets:, external Difficulty for Ed M is that no-one really talking about an actual coalition btw the 2, he can't/hasn't/won't rule out relying on SNP support

Ed Miliband says Labour will not go into coalition government with the SNP. "There will be no SNP ministers in any government I lead," he adds.

The Labour leader is running through his five election pledges, as announced at the weekend. He waves the pledge card - joking that it's not quite a John Prescott moment - and urges those listening "to talk their friends and family" about those promises.

Ed Miliband has just started speaking. This election is not simply a choice between leaders or parties, but between different visions of our country, he tells the audience in Leeds.

tweets:, external Mixed day in the polls/predictions for Team Ed. MORI has 9% Lab lead (39-30). But Kellner spells gloom, external

We're expecting to hear from Ed Miliband shortly at his latest People's Question Time event. Here he is being introduced on stage now.

tweets:, external Ipsos-MORI/Standard poll finds only 30% saying they like EdM but 52% like LAB. 39% say they like Cameron but only 32% like his party

tweets:, external Coalition not needed -replacing SNP MPs for Lab MPs does not affect PM arithmetic, but saves Scotland gambling with Lab for "Vow" progress

tweets:, external Sturgeon getting herself into a terrible mess today. You either want a Labour UK govt or you don't.

Liberal Democrat campaign spokesman Lord Paddick said: "Grant Shapps has serious questions to answer and he must come clean about the use of his Michael Green alter-ego during his time in Parliament.... politicians are perfectly entitled to have outside interests but they must be open about them." You can read the news story about Grant Shapps, with all the background in it here.

Gavin Barwell, the Conservative MP fighting to hold onto the marginal seat of Croydon Central, has had a bit of a Basil Fawlty "don't mention the war" moment, according to the London Evening Standard., external The paper says he was asking local people to sign letters to friends and neighbours endorsing his re-election, and urged them: "I'm not asking you to write a political letter - in fact, it'll be much more effective if it doesn't mention the Conservative Party or David Cameron."