That's it from the Politics Live team for today. It's been a busy Sunday, so here's a quick recap of what's happened:

• Conservative election candidate Afzal Amin has been suspended over allegations he schemed with the English Defence League (EDL) to win votes

• Mr Amin said the allegations were "completely untrue"

• Former SNP leader Alex Salmond - appearing on the Andrew Marr Show - predicted a "vote by vote arrangement" between a minority Labour government and the SNP after the election

• UKIP's Nigel Farage told Andrew Marr he will continue to be "utterly ruthless" in dealing with UKIP general election candidates who "step over the line"

• He also ruled out any cut to the top rate of tax in UKIP's manifesto

We're back at 06:00 GMT tomorrow. See you then.

Our parliamentary correspondent Mark D'Arcy, in his weekly look ahead, says the final sitting of the Commons on Thursday will begin with Business, Innovation and Skills questions. "Any last minute tidying up of Lords amendments will be dealt with and then there will be what is delicately described as 'an opportunity for retiring members to make short valedictory speeches.' I'm told around 30 retiring MPs may decide to bid farewell..."

What role could HS2 play in any post-election discussions? The Guardian, in its write up of this morning's Alex Salmond interview on the Andrew Marr Show, says the SNP politician could demand that work on a high-speed rail line starts in Scotland as the price of backing a minority Labour government. More here, external.

tweets:, external Average of the Sunday Polls LAB 34% CON 33% LDEM 8% UKIP 15% GRNS 5%

Afzal Amin, the Tory candidate for Dudley North who has been suspended over allegations he schemed with the English Defence League (EDL) to win votes, has just tweeted, external a link to his response over the claims.

He says recordings of meetings between himself and the EDL "are a gross misrepresentation of the reality".

He writes, external: "This was altruistic, community service work. Instead of these private discussions leading to something fruitful, [former EDL Leader Tommy] Robinson clearly wishes to further damage community cohesion instead of working to prevent conflict as he had originally presented himself as doing. I am saddened that the Mail on Sunday has furthered this agenda."

Image source, PA

More on electoral deals in Northern Ireland. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adam says the SDLP has made a "monumental blunder" in spurning a nationalist general election pact. In four constituencies, the DUP and Ulster Unionists have established a pact in an attempt to maximise representation. But the SDLP wasn't keen on doing the same with Sinn Fein.

Mr Adams said today: "The recently announced unionist electoral pact for the Westminster election is a negative alliance. It is aimed at preventing equality of citizenship, frustrating political progress and imposing a Tory austerity agenda.

"Unfortunately, the SDLP leadership has actively facilitated this by refusing to talk to Sinn Fein about how to counter the threat to pro-Agreement, progressive politics."

Image source, PA

Veteran Liberal Democrat Sir Malcolm Bruce has predicted Alex Salmond will be "shaken to his foundations" when voters thwart his hopes of returning to Westminster. Sir Malcolm - who is standing down at the election - currently holds the Gordon seat, which Mr Salmond is contesting on 7 May. Christine Jardine is hoping to keep the seat for the Lib Dems.

Sir Malcolm said: "He says he wants to shake Westminster to the foundations. Yet, everything he came into politics to achieve has been rejected here in the north east and I believe local people will reject him too. He will be shaken to his foundations. I know for sure Christine will serve the people of Gordon far, far better than he ever could."

Sky News

Image source, Reuters

Political journalist Andrew Pierce is scathing about Danny Alexander's alternative Budget, delivered 24 hours after the real thing. "Even Nick Clegg couldn't stomach it," and left the Commons chamber half way through, he claims. "I'm surprised the Speaker allowed it," he adds. Kevin Maguire, associate editor of the Daily Mirror, tries to be a bit more charitable. He says: "I see what he was trying to do, but it didn't work."

Nigel Farage says his children were forced to hide after anti-UKIP protesters invaded a pub where he was having a family lunch.

The party leader was apparently with his wife and two younger children at a pub in Kent when the incident took place. Dozens of demonstrators initially went into the George & Dragon, where Mr Farage has previously been pictured having a drink, before realising he was in the other pub nearby.

They are said to have gone into the Queen's Head, chased the Farages out and then jumped on the UKIP leader's car bonnet as he drove away.

Mr Farage said afterwards: "I hope these 'demonstrators' are proud of themselves. My children were so scared by their behaviour that they ran away to hide.

"At the time of writing this a relative has gone to look for them, and they are not yet at home. These people are scum."

Image source, PA

Parliament will be dissolved this week ahead of the election. Mark D'Arcy, the BBC's parliamentary correspondent, writes on his blog that the Palace of Westminster has emptied out since the Budget. But there could be a few attempts at pre-election point scoring before Thursday, he adds. And there's the final PMQs before 7 May.

The Spectator

Most commentators seem to agree the Budget hasn't had a decisive effect on the polls. Over on the Spectator website, James Forsyth makes that point, and writes that the Tories don't think people will start to really engage in the election debate until after Easter. More here, external.

Image source, PA

Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader, has said she supports "system-wide approaches" to tackle the problem of the under-representation of women in politics. The SNP conference next weekend will discuss plans to return more female MSPs by creating a number of all-women shortlists for the selection of candidates in the 2016 Holyrood elections. Scotland on Sunday reports today, external that Ms Sturgeon could face a rebellion on the issue.

Speaking earlier, Scotland's first minister said she 100%" that people should be selected for posts on merit, but that measures should be looked at to address the factors in society which are "holding women back".

She said: "People say to me, 'I don't want quotas, I don't want all women shortlists because I believe people should get on on merit'. I absolutely 100% believe in that, I think people should get on on merit.

"The problem is that's not what happens very often just now. If we had a system that was purely based on merit, we'd have gender balance because women are 52% of the population, and unless you think that women are somehow less capable, then if we had a merit-based system we wouldn't have these problems of under-representation of women."

tweets:, external I know what the Tories are going for, but this new Miliband/Salmond video is just bonkers. Deranged.

In the Independent on Sunday, John Rentoul has been looking at the deals that could be done after the election. It is possible the Conservatives could be the biggest party, but Ed Miliband could be prime minister, he writes. The SNP would have no choice but to allow Mr Miliband to form a government, but could threaten to remove support at any time, he adds. More here, external.

tweets:, external Teenage candidates: Michael Burrows (Ukip, Inverclyde, 18) Solomon Curtis (Lab, Wealden, 18) George Aylett (Lab, SW Wilts, 19). Any more?

As we reported last week, the DUP and Ulster Unionists have agreed an election pact in some constituencies in a bid to increase unionist representation at Westminster. This morning, UUP leader Mike Nesbitt denied his party was getting less out of the deal than the DUP. Mr Nesbitt said the pact was part of his long-term strategy for the party. More here.

Dudley Conservative councillor Les Jones has been speaking about the suspension of Afzal Amin - the local Conservative candidate for the general election suspended over allegations he schemed with the English Defence League to win votes. He said he was shocked when he heard the allegations and thinks it will reflect badly on the whole political process.

He called for Mr Amin to stand aside, saying: "I think it would be the honourable thing for him to stand down now."

Image source, PA

In today's Observer, Andrew Rawnsley has been looking at the high approval ratings enjoyed by Chancellor George Osborne, despite him having missed a number of his key goals. Mr Rawnsley writes this is because Mr Osborne has controlled the narrative, been flexible and currently oversees an economy people are feeling increasingly positive about. More here, external.

What are the polls telling us? Ben Page from Ipsos MORI was discussing just that with Andrew Neil and the Sunday Politics panel earlier. You can see the clip here.

Daily and Sunday Politics

Alex Salmond wasn't the only Scottish politician doing the rounds this morning. Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy was also on a number of political programmes. He told Sunday Politics his party is "re-energised and pretty determined". You can watch his interview here.