Daily and Sunday Politics

Chris Leslie, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, is on the Daily Politics talking about VAT after Labour pledged not to increase the tax in the next parliament. "It's important, from our instincts, that Labour governments haven't raised the main rate of VAT. But every single Conservative government for the past 40 years has," he says. He's asked what increases would take place in income tax or national insurance, and replies by saying income tax would only be increased for the higher-rate taxpayers. Can he rule out raising national insurance? "We've got no need to."

David Cameron hits back at claims he blundered by saying he would not serve a third term if retains power in May. "What I did in my kitchen was give a very straight answer to a very straight question. And I think people will understand that a full second term, a full five years, is a very reasonable, sensible thing to say."

David Cameron named three potential successors in his BBC interview: Theresa May, Boris Johnson and George Osborne. We heard from the London mayor earlier, and now the chancellor has answered questions about the PM's comments too. Mr Osborne would only say his Conservative colleague "leads a really strong team" on his own possible future candidacy. And on the third-term announcement itself? "I think it's really refreshing we have a prime minister who gives a direct answer to a direct question," he says. We'll be hearing more from the chancellor later when he takes questions from MPs on the Budget.

Groans all round at the Age UK meeting, as David Cameron says he wants to take some questions from the media. "Only two," says Mr Cameron, "they have been sitting quietly at the back."

House of Commons
Parliament

There's very much an end-of-term feel to today's Commons questions. Nick Clegg's enemies are being nice to him. "For the last five years I've tried to irritate the deputy prime minister by asking questions exposing Liberal Democrat failures," Tory backbencher Peter Bone says. He praises Nick Clegg's "good grace and good humour" in answering them and adds: "I think history will look at the deputy prime minister in being very courageous in bringing his party into government at a time of crisis."

Image source, Sky

I would like to see a minister at cabinet level who represents the interests of older people, says a 91-year-old questioner. The prime minister is having a hard time getting a word in to reply. "We as a group need the same recognition as you give to children," the audience member says. When he does reply, David Cameron says he wants "every single one of my ministers to care" about older people. He says that if pensioners feel they haven't got what they need, the person to blame is him, not any of his ministers.

House of Commons
Parliament

Stephen Mosley, the Conservative MP, gives the coalition nine out of 10 for its performance over this government's lifetime. Invited to give his own assessment, Nick Clegg says: "I will leave the markings and scores to other people." But he does note that the government survived - in spite of suggestions from many it would not make it through the full five years.

House of Commons
Parliament

Harriet Harman comes back at Nick Clegg by summing up the deputy prime minister's time in power with three policies: the bedroom tax, tuition fees and tax cuts for millionaires. "The reality is the only thing that people in this country will remember him for is giving a whole new meaning to the phrase, 'Yes prime minister'," she says. Mr Clegg offers a serious response when asked about his claim that he is even more anti-establishment now than he was five years ago. "I think the era of single party government in this country is over," he says. "I think the fact that this coalition government has in very difficult circumstances presided over what is now the fastest growing economy in the developed world… after the absolute economic mess that she bequeathed to us, is quite an achievement."

House of Commons
Parliament

Harriet Harman uses her last questions of this parliament to condemn Nick Clegg's record in government. She opens by quoting the Liberal Democrat leader saying in an interview last week that "the way that politics works is bust and Westminster is a joke". Was he referring to himself? Mr Clegg is deeply sarcastic in reply. "Er, I wonder what answer I should give to that?" he says. "No, of course not."

tweets:, external That Cameron not-doing-a-3rd-term-thing is classic eg of something that at Westminster sounds mad but in normal life sounds quite...normal.

Image source, Sky

"I know some of you will have seen electoral carnival many times around. But this election really really matters," the prime minister says.

Daily and Sunday Politics

On Tuesday's Daily Politics, Jo Coburn is joined Danny Kruger, former speechwriter to David Cameron, to discuss the prime minister's revelation that he will not serve a third term if his party stays in government. She will also talk political apathy with Queen guitarist Brian May, who now heads the Common Decency Campaign, and Alex Robertson, from the Electoral Commission. The Democratic Unionist Party is the fourth largest party in the current Parliament, and could be a kingmaker after 7 May - and the DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson will also be on Tuesday's programme. And there will be the results of a survey about what UKIP and Green Party councillors really think. Desktop viewers can watch the programme live from 12:00 GMT on the Live Coverage tab above.

David Cameron is listing his commitments to pensioners - changing the rules around annuities, protecting the NHS and retaining universal benefits like free bus passes. We are also doubling the research budget for dementia, he says, adding: "I see this as a personal priority."

"I don't want my political epitaph to read that I just cleared the up the mess... I want a different kind of Britain," he goes on.

On The Runs - republicans suspected of involvement in terrorist crimes but who had never been charged - were sent to over 180 Irish Republicans. But they shouldn't have existed at all, the Northern Ireland affairs committee of MPs has concluded this morning. Its chairman Laurence Robertson says the scheme had caused "further hurt to people who have suffered far too much already". More here.

tweets:, external I have just finished 175th + final cabinet of this coalition @David_Cameron tells @ageuk. So confident no coalition negotiations

Image source, Sky

Cheers for David Cameron as he arrives on stage at the AgeUK conference. He tells the audience he's just come from the last cabinet meeting before the election.

Speaking after cabinet earlier, Nick Clegg was asked for his response to the news that no survivors are likely in the Alps plane crash. The deputy prime minister said: "My heart goes out to the family and friends of those people who appear to have lost their lives in this devastating air crash in the Alps. It really must be the most traumatic time for all of them. I know all of our thoughts are with them right now."

House of Commons
Parliament

Nick Clegg is now answering questions in the Commons. Labour frontbencher Stephen Twigg invites him to condemn the "Conservative government" for being "no friend of the north". Mr Clegg replies that the coalition had to work to fix Labour's mess. "The problem is that because of mismanagement on their watch, the economy blew up," he says.

tweets:, external With his retirement looming, David Cameron is attending a conference held by Age UK

Image source, Michael Deacon

tweets:, external No-one tasted the Co-ale-ition beer at Cabinet this morning, apparently...