With only eight days to go until the closest election in recent times, here is what you should be looking out for today:
Labour
Labour kick off the day by campaigning on safer communities, with Home Secretary Alan Johnson, Chief of Election Strategy and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and Communities Secretary John Denham hosting a press conference in London (8.30am). Later in the morning Chancellor Alistair Darling gives a speech in Edinburgh (11am). The economy remains in focus as Mandie speaks at the Institute of Directors Annual Convention (2.20pm) at the Royal Albert Hall. The event is also attended by George Osborne and Vince Cable.
Conservatives
A quiet day for the Conservatives. Shadow Chancellor George Osborne will deliver a speech at the Institute of Directors Annual Convention (11.30am) at the Royal Albert Hall.
Liberal Democrats
Nick Clegg hosts a press conference at the Work Foundation in London (7.30am), before travelling to Oxford in an attempt to capture more of the youth vote. He will be taking part in a student Q&A at Oxford Brookes University main campus, alongside Lib Dem Candidate for Oxford East Steve Goddard (1.30pm).
A busy day for Vince Cable, who will speak at the Institute of Directors Annual Convention (10.10am) at the Royal Albert Hall. He will then travel to Cornwall to attend Chamber of Commerce events with the Lib Dem candidate for Cornwall South East Karen Gillard at St Mellion International Resort in St Mellion, Saltash (2.30pm) and candidate for Cornwall North Dan Rogerson at St Joseph’s School in Launceston (4pm).
Other parties
UKIP leader Lord Pearson will meet and campaign with Conservative candidate Phillip Hollobone in Kettering this morning (10.45am) before joining Conservative MP Phillip Davies in Shipley (3.45pm), as part of the party’s policy of supporting Euro-sceptic candidates from other parties. UKIP have indicated they will apply today for a judicial review of the BBC’s decision to exclude the UKIP leader from the leaders’ debate. The party has said they would like to hear a positive response to their request from the BBC by midday.
Scottish National Party Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will take part in a charity green fashion show this evening, and is expected topromote the SNP’s environmental policies (7pm) in Holyrood, Edinburgh.
The media
BBC Two’s The Daily Politics programme will feature a live debate on health policy between Andy Burnham for Labour, Andrew Lansley for the Conservatives and Norman Lamb for the Liberal Democrats. They are cross-examined by Andrew Neil and BBC health correspondent Branwen Jeffreys (2.15pm). BBC One Scotland will take a closer look at the Scottish National Party with ‘Brian Taylor Interviews Alex Salmond’ (7.20pm), whilst on BBC One Wales Huw Edwards will interview Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones in ‘Election 2010: Wales Debates: Huw Edwards Interviews Ieuan Wyn Jones’ (7.30pm).
The big interview of the day, however, will be Gordon Brown‘s slot with Dermot O’Leary on BBC Three during ‘Dermot Meets…’, (8pm). O’Leary will pose questions submitted by first-time voters, and it will be followed by interviews of representatives from Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party (8.30pm).
Away from the campaign
Kempton Park in Surrey is to host ‘The People’s Race’ – a one-furlong race for humans along the racecourse. The winner of the 220-yard race gets £1,000
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