• David Cameron told the BBC he would not seek a third term as prime minister if the Conservatives remain in power after the general election - and named three potential successors

• Afzal Amin resigned as Conservative candidate for Dudley North after being accused of scheming with the English Defence League

• UKIP expelled MEP Janice Atkinson and her chief of staff Christine Hewitt over expenses allegations. Ms Atkinson said she would appeal

• Home Secretary Theresa May made a speech on Islamist extremists, saying the UK would no longer tolerate people who "reject our values"

• Labour promised not to put up VAT if they win the election. Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls will give more details in a speech in Birmingham tomorrow

• Mr Balls and Chancellor George Osborne appeared in separate question and answer sessions on Sky News

• UKIP set out how they would lower public spending and said defence spending would stay at 2% of GDP

• MPs completed their debate on the budget

• That's all from the Politics Live Page for tonight. Thanks for staying with us. We'll be back in the morning from 06:00 GMT. Goodnight.

Mike Smithson, PoliticalBetting.com

Liz Truss moves in to 33/1, external

BBC Newsnight
BBC Two, 22:30

It will be Nicola Sturgeon who decides who to lend her [SNP] votes to, Fraser Nelson tells Newsnight. The editor of the Spectator says: "The SNP will be oddly, the king-makers. I don't know why we are voting in the election because it will be decided in SNP headquarters in Edinburgh."

Buzzfeed

Business Secretary and Lib Dem Vince Cable is pictured dancing - a hobby of his - alongside an interview he has given to Buzzfeed, external. He says: "It's very good for fitness, it may not look tiring but it is extremely tiring. And it keeps you mentally fit because you have to concentrate on that and nothing else and not some political worries - you can totally switch off, which is a good thing."

@MatthewdAncona

tweets:, external Cameron confronts his shelf-life: my reaction in @guardian

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour lost a series of votes, including efforts to oppose income and corporation tax rates, by straightforward Government majorities. The rest of the budget proposals were then agreed en bloc. Tomorrow, the Chancellor faces questions on the budget from the Treasury Committee.

House of Commons
Parliament

Concluding the debate, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander again says that the Liberal Democrats would like to see a different approach to fiscal policy but tells MPs that this budget has the blessing of both coalition parties. The budget, he says, "reflects the hard work the coalition has carried out over the last five year to turn around the mess we inherited from the previous Labour administration."

BBC Newsnight
BBC Two, 22:30

Tony Blair's former media adviser Alastair Campbell said David Cameron's comments were a "potential disaster" for the Tories.

"He has created a massive distraction...a soap opera," when he should be concentrating on the election campaign, he said.

Conservative chief whip Michael Gove told Newsnight he was "not surprised" by the comments, which he said were an "honest reply" to a question.

The MEP who has been expelled by UKIP, Janice Atkinson, has said she is "deeply disappointed" by today's decision and intends to appeal.

"I was elected to represent the constituents of the south-east of England and I will continue to work tirelessly on their behalf and for the best interests of our country," she said.

She and her chief of staff Christine Hewitt were thrown out of the party this evening over claims they took an inflated restaurant receipt to claim on expenses.

Responding to Labour's pledge not to raise VAT if elected on 7 May, a Conservative Party spokesman said: "Ed Miliband and Ed Balls have repeatedly said they will raise taxes. It is time that they came clean with the British public about which taxes they will raise - income tax or national insurance?"

House of Commons
Parliament

Referring to Danny Alexander's alternative Liberal Democrat budget, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Chris Leslie, said: "We've had one and half budgets in two days from two parties that have nothing to offer the majority of people in this country."

Both budgets, he said, were based on "party political interests and their perceived electoral advantage."

Image source, PA

A UKIP spokesman says the decision to expel MEP Janice Atkinson from the party means she no longer represents UKIP in the European Parliament.

Ms Atkinson and her chief of staff, Christine Hewitt, were thrown out of the party for bringing it in to disrepute after Ms Hewitt was secretly filmed allegedly getting an inflated receipt in a restaurant.

The women have 14 days to appeal. The spokesman declined to say how or when a new candidate would be chosen.

MEP Janice Atkinson - and her chief of staff Christine Hewitt - have been expelled by UKIP for bringing the party into disrepute over claims about inflated expenses, a party spokesman said

Labour has promised not to raise VAT if elected on 7 May.

In a speech in Birmingham tomorrow, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls will say: "VAT is the tax that hits everyone - with the same rate paid by the pensioner as the millionaire...The Tories and Lib Dems raised it within weeks of the last general election - despite David Cameron telling the British people a few days before the election that he had 'no plans' to do so and despite the promises of Nick Clegg...We will not put up VAT. And we will not extend it to food, children's clothes, books, newspapers and public transport fares. We will not raise VAT because it's the tax that hits everyone."