With another 16 days to go in this election campaign, here is what is happening today:
Labour
With Gordon Brown locked in a bunker with Alastair Campbell et al. trying furiously to stop him smiling, things are quiet today for Labour. Health Secretary Andy Burnham debates the future direction of health policy against his Tory and Lib Dem opponents at the Cavendish Conference Centre in Westminster (10.30am).
Conservatives
For those struggling to get their fix of David Cameron in the run-up to tonight’s action, the Tory leader is featured on a CBBC election special this afternoon (4.35pm; see below). According to the BBC, Cambo has been out jogging in Bristol and insists he is “really, really enjoying” the campaign, despite yesterday’s egging. Elsewhere, Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley debates health in Westminster (10.30am).
Liberal Democrats
Ahead of the Bristol match-up, Nick Clegg visits a parent and toddler group in the city (11am), presumably ignoring the morning papers. Former Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy meets campaigners and voters in Cambridge with Lib Dem candidate Julian Huppert (11am). Health spokesman Norman Lamb is in Westminster with Messrs Burnham and Lansley debating health (10.30am).
The media
Dominating media coverage will be the build-up to tonight’s Sky News Debate, hosted by Sky political editor Adam Boulton in Bristol and focusing on international affairs (8pm). Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems received a huge poll boost following the first debate on ITV last week, which drew peak viewing figures of 10.3 million.
At the BBC, David Dimbleby hosts Question Time in Greenwich, with a panel including William Hague, Yvette Cooper, and Menzies Campbell (10.35pm). The programme is broadcast live so that both the audience and panel can comment on the Bristol debate.
CBBC broadcast Election: Your Vote, a special featuring children interviewing David Cameron, Home Secretary Alan Johnson and Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik on key issues that matter to their age group. It is presented by Angellica Bell and the debate is chaired by Andrew Neil, in front of a live audience of 140 children. Sharon Osbourne, Julia Bradbury and Evan Davis appear as celebrity mentors (4.35pm).
On UTV, The UTV Leaders Debate sees the leaders of the four main parties discuss all the major issues facing Northern Ireland in the upcoming elections before an audience of first time voters, chaired by Jim Dougal (9pm).
Other parties
In Edinburgh, SNP Deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon joins Edinburgh East MSP and Justice Sec Kenny MacAskill, SNP Edinburgh East candidate George Kerevan and Edinburgh North and Leith candidate Calum Cashley in an SNP branded taxi “to make the point that only SNP MPs are championing stable fuel prices at Westminster” (10.15am).
Away from the campaign
If you think a lot of people will be watching the leaders debate, the NFL draft pulled in 39m viewers last year. The annual pick of college American football players by the huge sport franchises gets underway at 11.30pm (coverage on Sky Sports over the weekend).
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