George Osborne has drawn battle lines for the general election after unveiling his Budget for a "comeback country"
Ed Balls says there was nothing in a "pretty empty" Budget which Labour would reverse if it won the election
UKIP MEP and general election candidate Janice Atkinson has been suspended over what the party calls "allegations of a serious financial nature"
Danny Alexander says the Lib Dems would borrow less than Labour and cut less than the Conservatives
Mr Alexander unveils a "better" Lib Dem alternative to the Budget
There are 49 days until the general election
Image source, ReutersWe're going to keep this post short. Will Self has reviewed UKIP leader Nigel Farage's autobiography in the Guardian., external And if we were to borrow from Mr Self's entirely self-invented use of the one word review, it would be this: brutal.
The Daily Mash has its own take, external on calculating the impact of the Budget on personal finances, rather than crunching the numbers, the satirical website jokes that online Budget calculators, "are instead offering harsh moral judgments".
The piece continues: "Designed to show whether you are better or worse off, the calculators are now telling people they have wasted their time on this earth and that it may already too late to do anything about it."
For those brave enough, the BBC's very non-judgmental Budget calculator is found here.
tweets, external: Last night senior Lib Dem declared themselves happy with whole Budget. Today they r disowning. If I'm confused, what chance have the public?
tweets, external: David Cameron says five years ago the UK was almost as bust as Greece ("virtually in same boat"). Does he really think that?
David Cameron has been speaking in Brussels about the Budget, shortly before a summit of the European Council.
The prime minister said: "Yesterday's Budget shows that Britain's economy is growing strongly: we're creating jobs, we're creating security for Britain's families.
"Now, when I first came here as prime minister five years ago Britain and Greece were virtually in the same boat - we had similar-sized budget deficits. The reason we're in a different position is that we took long-term difficult decisions, and we had all of the hard work and effort of the British people.
"I'm determined we do not go backwards, but listening to other parties' reactions to yesterday's excellent budget shows they want to borrow, spend and tax more. I say let's build on the success we've had and not go back to square one."
The Spectator
Image source, BBC NewsFor the Spectator's James Forsyth, the failure of many Lib Dems to turn up for Danny Alexander's alternative Budget speech in the Commons was a mistake which allowed Labour to barrack "the statement very aggressively".
Mr Forsyth goes on to wonder, external: "If it is wise of them [Labour] to remind the Liberal Democrats of just how tribal they are just before an election which is likely to produce another hung parliament. Watching the Labour benches today was another reminder of how hard it is to imagine any Lib / Lab coalition".
Chris Mason
Political correspondent, BBC News
Our political correspondent is hosting a question and answer session on the Budget over on Facebook. You send him your questions and see his answers here, external.
The Guardian
Over on the Guardian website, author Jack Monroe has been discussing her decision to leave the Labour Party and join the Greens. She says her politics have not changed and accuses the Labour Party of leaving her and many other members behind. She writes: "For a long time now I have found myself defending my membership of the Labour Party while wondering what values of mine it defended any more." More here, external.
Daily and Sunday Politics
tweets:, external This Lib Dem yellow box is getting a photoshopping worthy of a Kardashian's rear
The Spectator
Image source, HBOGame of Thrones star Charles Dance has written off David Cameron as not "brave enough" to be a member of his fictional family in the successful fantasy series.
The Spectator's Steerpike diary reports , externalthat, at a live Q&A this week, the PM said his favourite character was Ned Stark - the heroic head of the Stark family. Asked his own view, Mr Dance, who plays Tywin Lannister in the show, said: "I don't think he's brave enough to be a Lannister."
In the series, the Lannister family's unofficial motto is: "A Lannister always pays his debts," - perhaps Mr Cameron can be grateful Mr Dance - who is self-professedly left-leaning - stuck to doubting the PM's courage, rather than his ability to balance the books.
Image source, Twitter tweets:, external I mean, I'm not very good at photoshop, but...
Image source, Twittertweets:, external BREAKING: Danny Alexander unveils plan to save money with replacement for ministerial cars
BBC News School Report
Image source, BBC School Report The political parties have made one-minute films aimed at getting their message across to future voters and sparking an interest in democracy and politics among young people. The videos were made for 11 to 16-year-olds as part of BBC School Report's annual News Day. In an un-scientific exercise, Pupils at Hertswood Academy in Hertfordshire watched the videos with Joe Twyman from YouGov and gave their reactions. They didn't hold back.
Image source, Twitter tweets:, external Danny Alexander presents his alternative budget.
Image source, Twitter 
Robert Peston
Economics editor
Why do the chancellor and the Office for Budget Responsibility disagree on whether public service cuts between 2016 and 2018 will be more than twice as deep as anything we've experienced since 2010? Our economics editor Robert Peston has been taking a look.
He writes: "It is because the OBR refuses to take account of £17bn of cuts and savings that the Chancellor says he would make outside of public services such as the police, the courts and the military." You can read more on his blog.
Image source, Twittertweets: , externalVery good. RT@LukeTimothy: @johnprescott #nationalbringyourlunchboxtoworkday
Colin Bryant, Politics live reader
writes: Someone said that Ed Milliband doesn't 'come across well in this digital age'! Well, I'd rather have a PM who will do right by the country, than a slick presenter!
Graeme Lowe, Politics live reader
writes: Ed Miliband was deliberately critical of Mr Osborne for not mentioning the NHS in his budget speech so Mr Cameron is going to have to spell out their commitment in words of one syllable. It will not be enough simply to say a strong economy is needed in order to improve the NHS, although true. Mr Miliband is relying on the electorate believing that because the NHS was Labour's baby, they are the only ones who care about it.
tweets, external: At IFS budget briefing: if @edballsmp sticks with Tory welfare cut he could INCREASE departmental spending by 9bn and end deficit, says IFS