The Andrew Marr Show

Nuclear weapons are there to deter, says Michael Fallon, and won't say in what circumstances they would be used.

"The key of nuclear is uncertainty and ambiguity in the mind of enemies and that's why we never rule out when they're used."

The Andrew Marr Show

Michael Fallon says defence spending over five years of a new parliament added to two years of the last parliament is to increase to £1bn extra a year. 

Fallon: "We can't force people to join the Army, the Army has to compete with other sectors.

"We are spending a lot of money on recruitment and also on the equipment that they need."

The Andrew Marr Show

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon denies any "accounting deceit" to meet the Nato target of spending 2% of GDP on defence. 

"Have you ever met someone covered in brass, a retired general, who doesn't want more spent on defence?"

He says he's "proud" of their record. 

The Andrew Marr Show

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon is on Marr and defending the size of the armed forces.

The reuglar army is at 79,000, beneath the government's pledge of keeping it at 82,000 due to recruitment issues.

"We are determined of course to improve the offer we make to our service men and women."

The Andrew Marr Show

Emily Thornberry insists there's "everything still to play for" in the forthcoming general election. 

She says Labour is putting out "enormously popular" policies which provide "answers to day-to-day problems". 

The election is not about "Theresa May's hair or whether Jeremy Corbyn should shave", she adds somewhat cryptically. 

The Andrew Marr Show

Emilly Thornberry has told Andrew Marr the most the most important part of the UK's defence is being part of Nato and under a Labour government they would not withdraw co-operation.

"We are committed to that ... and we have been committed to Nato for a number of years."

In the past Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called Nato "a danger to world peace".

In response Ms Thornberry said: "Jeremy has been on a journey to coin a phrase," adding there had been a number of discussions within the party on the issue.

"It's quite clear that the predominance of opinon in the Labour party is we're committed to Nato.

"If we were to pull our of Nato... for example, how would be get our forces off Salisbury plain without the assistance of Nato?"

The Andrew Marr Show

Emily Thornberry defends Labour's proposed Robin Hood tax on financial transactions, saying it would help stabilise the stock markets.

The Andrew Marr Show

Asked if a Labour government would ever take military action without UN backing, Emily Thornberry tells Andrew Marr: "I don't think it is right to make interventions without taking a decision on a multilateral basis."

She says Donald Trump is being "encouraged to act unilaterally" by Theresa May's "unconditional" support.

Asked who was right on Kosovo, Robin Cook or Corbyn, she says Robin Cook. 

The Andrew Marr Show

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry says of Donald Trump's planned state visit to the UK: "He's been invited and don't think it would be right to disinvite him."

"It was a mistake to invite him so quickly," and she would "work with him but I would be prepared to stand up to him". 

Image source, PA

The Scottish Conservatives have announced a policy U-turn on opposing free prescriptions.

Leader Ruth Davidson said she recognised the "large amount of support" for free prescriptions in Scotland, telling a Holyrood press conference a commitment to maintain them would now to be included in her party's manifesto. 

Her party's long opposed the policy, brought in by the SNP government in 2011, fighting last year's election for the Scottish parliament with a plan to return the charges.

 At the time Ms Davidson said free prescriptions had cost the NHS in Scotland £60m and said her party would introduce a £8.40 fee.

The Times

There's an interview with Theresa May in the Sunday Times, external in which she returns to the familiar theme of the stability she says she can offer in contrast to Jeremy Corbyn. 

She also takes a quick-fire question round - showcasing her ability to play it safe...

• Heels or flats? Flats during an election
• Sherlock or Midsomer Murders? I’ve watched both
• Broadchurch or Line of Duty? I haven’t watched either
• Whisky or wine? Depends on the circumstances
• Merkel or Macron? I’m going to work with both of them
• Football or rugby? Rugby
• Indian or Chinese takeaway? I cook — I don’t buy takeaways

The Guardian

 A "progressive alliance" between Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Greens would fail to stop Theresa May securing a strong majority even if it agreed to run a single candidate in every seat, according to analysis published in the Observer.

The new research was carried out for the Constitution Society by Martin Baxter, a psephologist who runs the Electoral Calculus website.  

It suggests even the most comprehensive and successful alliance between the three parties would still lead to a comfortable Conservative majority of 64 seats.  

His current forecast is for a Conservative majority of 174 seats.   

Read more here., external

The Daily Mail

A "mega poll" of 40,000 voters, published by Lord Ashcroft, predicts a Labour collapse and election triumph for Theresa May greater "than even Margaret Thatcher at her peak", says the Daily Mail. 

Quoting polling expert Professor John Curtice, from Strathclyde University, it says the survey points to a majority for Mrs May as large as 172 seats with "disproportionately" large swings to the Conservatives in the north of England and the Midlands.

Professor Curtice predicts nearly one in three Labour MPs could lose their seats because support for the party was "falling most heavily where Labour has most to lose".Read more here., external

Image source, PA

Former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown has launched a petition to stop further cuts to the Royal Marines as part of the party's efforts to underline its commitment to defence. 

Lord Ashdown, a former Royal Marine, said: "In an unpredictable age, we need forces that are fast, flexible and mobile.

"But the government has just announced damaging cuts of 200 Marines, with no assurance that there won't be more cuts in the future."

In March, Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon refused to deny reports of cuts to the Marines.

The Lib Dems also confirmed their commitment to meet the Nato target of spending 2% of GDP on defence, as have the Conservatives and Labour. 

The Guardian

The Observer reports, external a leading donor to the Leave campaign has pledged to fund a campaign to unseat almost 140 pro-remain MPs in an attempt to ensure there is “no backsliding on Brexit” after the election.

Jeremy Hosking, a multimillionaire City asset manager, told the Observer he was prepared to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds targeting MPs who supported Remain despite representing areas that voted for Brexit.

Image source, PA

The Conservatives are promising a "new generation" of social housing will be built in England if they win the general election.

They say they would make it easier for councils to purchase derelict land for new rented housing projects.

Their plans involve offering "fixed term" council houses to be sold off after 10 to 15 years, with any proceeds reinvested in social housing.

Labour said the plans were "political spin, with no substance".

"There's no commitment on the number of new affordable homes or on new funding," said the party's housing spokesman, John Healey.

Read more here.

Why the debate over exactly who should pay tax - and how much - is so difficult to settle.