Election 2010 Lookahead: Tuesday 13 April

The who, when and where of the campaign.

Conservatives

David Cameron will launch the Conservative Party election manifesto under the slogan “Vote for Change” at Battersea Power Station in London this morning (11am). Coaches will then depart from Battersea (12.30pm) for the regional launches, which will be conducted by members of the shadow cabinet, including the Tory shadow foreign secretary, William Hague, at a launch in the north-west (3pm) and the shadow defence secretary, Liam Fox, in the south-east (3.45pm).

Labour

A quiet day for Labour following their manifesto launch yesterday. But expect rebuttals of Conservative arguments following their own manifesto launch, to begin after 11am.

Liberal Democrats

Nick Clegg will be speaking about bankers’ bonuses this morning when he hosts a press conference at the Work Foundation in London (7.30am). The Lib Dems are to launch a five-point plan to deal with the excesses of bank bonuses this afternoon. Nick Clegg will also be meeting with the Lib Dem candidate for Bradford East, David Ward, at Printer Roller Services (11am) and the Lib Dem candidate for Luton South, Qurban Hussain, at 2k Manufacturing (2pm).

Other parties

The Ukip deputy leader and head of policy, David Campbell Bannerman, will launch the party’s manifesto today at The Atrium, Millbank, in London (9am) alongside the Ukip leader, Lord Pearson of Rannoch. They will be joined by the former leader Nigel Farage. Plaid Cymru‘s leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones, will also launch the Plaid manifesto in Cardiff today.

The media

The Tory shadow foreign secretary, William Hague, began the day by offering his thoughts on the Conservative election pledges on the BBC1 Breakfast show. Meanwhile Radio 4’s Today programme was visiting Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire to examine the prospect of Conservative gains in Wales. Later on this evening, Nick Clegg will feature in a special edition of ITV’s Tonight programme, Tonight: Spotlight on Nick Clegg, part of a series of profiles of party leaders (7.30pm).

Away from the campaign

A collection of fictional stuffed animals, including a yeti and a unicorn, is to be auctioned in Dorchester. The collection, previously housed in a museum of taxidermy on the Isle of Wight, was originally displayed in the 19th century to visitors who believed the exhibits were real.