ToryDiary: Tories need contingency plans for a hung parliament
Howard Flight on Platform: Darling's last stand - The Budgetary challenges bequeathed by the Chancellor to the next Conservative government
LeftWatch: Michael Fallon forces Alistair Darling to admit that his NI rise will cost jobs
Local government: Leaders of three flagship London Councils are asking the new Government for the freedom to show how to save £13.9bn of public money while delivering better services
Parliament: Ann Widdecombe uses her final speech in the Commons to highlight the plight of the non-working mother and people trapped on deprived, crime-ridden estates
Mark Prisk MP on CentreRight: Freeing freelancers
Tory lead constant at 7% in YouGov/Sun daily poll - Yesterday evening's Tory Diary
Gordon Brown is to urge all parties to show a "united front" against those opposing immigration out of prejudice - BBC
The politicians aren't talking about Europe, immigration and party funding - Gaby Hinsliff for Channel 4
Michael Gove proposes Saturday schools to help under-performing pupils
"Saturday morning classes for children from disadvantaged homes will be set up if the Conservatives win the general election. Michael Gove, the shadow Education Secretary, said he wanted schools to open for longer during the week and on Saturday mornings to help close the achievement gap between poorer pupils and those who are better off." - Independent
Tories pledge small business tax reform
"Shadow Business Minister Mark Prisk said the Tories would carefully scrutinise the controversial IR35 legislation which has hit the self-employed." - Telegraph
The election debates
Bruce Anderson expects Cameron to win: "When the voters have the chance to see the politicians as they are, David Cameron should benefit. Nick Clegg will come across as an amiable lightweight: merely a sober version of Charlie Kennedy. However much his minders rehearse him, Gordon Brown’s personality will shine through: a blend of aggression, desperation and self-pity. To appear rather better than all that, David Cameron will only have to do one thing: to come across as he really is. Mr Cameron is strong, able, articulate, likeable – and committed to his country’s well-being. He has it in him to be a formidable prime minister." - Bruce Anderson in The Telegraph
Tories are worried about LibDems getting an easy ride: "Senior Conservatives, including David Cameron, were irritated by the way Mr Cable was able to present himself as a referee between two opponents rather than facing pressure over his own policy positions." - Times (The Independent came to the same conclusion: "It was noticeable how Vince Cable ganged up with Darling against Osborne much more frequently than with Osborne against Darling. The best outcome for the Liberal Democrats in this election is a hung parliament, so it makes sense for them to concentrate on discrediting the Conservatives. If Nick Clegg follows the same tactic, it could make Cameron look isolated. But if he is astute, he will t urn it to his advantage by making himself look like the man they are both trying to stop because he is making the running.")
Brown's eyesight will mean he will choose his standing position: "Gordon Brown has been given the right to decide where to stand during the leaders' general election television debates after his political opponents agreed the prime minister's partial blindness merited special treatment." - Guardian
Anatole Kaletsky: The Tories aren't serious about the deficit"if they genuinely believe that Britain has suffered 13 years of shocking economic mismanagement since 1997, that reducing debt is an overriding moral obligation and that the country is now on the brink of bankruptcy, then Dunkirk-style sacrifices must be demanded. In that case — which might be described as the Greek scenario — the Tories are grossly irresponsible to promise tax cuts or protect spending programmes such as the NHS, not to mention foreign aid, bus passes and winter fuel payments." - Anatole Kaletsky in The Times
1.8 million watched Ask the Chancellors - Times
Tony Blair returns to attack the Conservatives... "The Conservatives' "time for a change" mantra, he argued, would not wash. It left him, he said, "puzzled", "confused" and he described it as "vacuous"... Blair also criticised the Tories on law and order, suggesting they had gone too far to the left: "They've gone liberal when actually they should have stuck with a traditional Conservative position"." - Guardian
Spare us election sermons from the man who corrupted and degraded British politics - Peter Oborne in the Daily Mail
> Watch Blair's speech in full
...as the Blairites and Brownites unite against Cameron
"It is a reunion that few would have thought likely when Gordon Brown became prime minister in 2007. Alastair Campbell, Peter Mandelson and Tony Blair himself have made a decisive return to the political fray to help save the New Labour project from extinction. Over three terms in power the tensions between the “Blairites” and “Brownites” threatened to destabilise the government and forced many of its most prominent characters into the wilderness. Now, several key figures are back in the New Labour “bunker” advising the prime minister ahead of the general election." - FT
> The Right could usefully show the same discipline and avoid 'blue on blue' friendly fire
Roman Catholic voters have been urged to ask election candidates how they would support marriage, in a move likely to benefit the Conservatives - Telegraph
Martin Poppleford: Tories haven't changed enough on gay rights "When Labour won power in 1997, it went out of its way to convince the electorate that the party really had changed. The scrapping of clause four was its way of driving home that the party really had moved on. For the Tories to convince more gay and lesbian voters, they need to slam the door on the party of section 28. At the moment, they still seem to want to leave it a little ajar." - Martin Poppleford in The Guardian
> Martin Poppleford's interview with the Tory leader for Gay Times did not go well.
Mutualisation is the future for public services, Labour tells councils"The government today announces a "mutual manifesto" as it unveils plans to allow people to own and run a plethora of local services including council estates and SureStart centres." - Guardian
And finally..."A Conservative MP has admitted sending a letter to Lord Mandelson in which the Business Secretary was referred to as "Mr Mandelweasel". Isle of Wight MP Andrew Turner said the bizarre comment was "a bit of a boob" for which he accepted responsibility." - Metro
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