UK election at-a-glance: 21 April

DAY IN A NUTSHELL

It's Day 16 in the election campaign and the fight back against the Liberal Democrats' amazing run of form has truly begun. Gordon Brown is calling for a "new politics" of a Labour-Lib Dem alliance to keep the Tories out of No 10. In return, Nick Clegg calls Mr Brown a "desperate politician".

Conservative leader David Cameron has been hit by an egg apparently thrown by a construction student.

Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, the SDLP launches its manifesto and white suit man Martin Bell introduces a whole new bunch of independent candidates. See how the day unfolded here.

QUOTES OF THE DAY

"I think he has a very good song to sing which is a plague on both your houses."
Conservative leader David Cameron on how Nick Clegg did in the first leaders' debate, speaking in a BBC Three interview with Dermot O'Leary to be broadcast on Wednesday at 8pm.

"I just think it would be just wrong for any politician and I am not going to do it, to second guess what 45 million people are going to decide."
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg asked about the possibility of a hung parliament in an interview on BBC Three interview with Dermot O'Leary to be broadcast at 8.30pm on Wednesday.

"I am not surprised by anything."
Prime Minister Gordon Brown when asked if he was surprised by the Nick Clegg "phenomenon".

"There is a growing celebrity culture in this country. It is inevitable that the leaders' families are more prominent than a decade ago. The Obama election has played into that as well."
Energy Minister Joan Ruddock.

CAMPAIGN CATCH-UP

The three main parties' Treasury spokesmen clash over whether a hung Parliament would be bad for the economy.

Their debate comes after Ken Clarke warns a hung Parliament could result in the International Monetary Fund having to step in to bail out the UK.

Gordon Brown, in Wales for the first time during the election campaign, dismisses a question about why he had not visited earlier.

The Liberal Democrats launch their Scottish manifesto promising "fairer policies".

SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie promises to use their "leverage" in the Commons in the event of a hung Parliament.

The British National Party calls for restrictions on imports from China to protect British jobs.

5 LIVE IN LUTON

BBC Radio 5 live is touring the country providing a platform for its listeners to cross-examine party bosses about their policies, priorities and principles. Victoria Derbyshire chaired Wednesday's event, in Luton, where British National Party deputy chairman Simon Darby was one of their guests. During a discussion on immigration, Mr Darby found himself challenged by a member of the audience. You can watch their exchange by clicking here.

VIEW FROM ABROAD

Spanish daily newspaper La Razon says that while there are clear differences between Barack Obama and Nick Clegg, they "share some key points that have encouraged Britons to say 'yes we can, too'".

It writes: "The first is how they became known. For both of them it was an unexpected event. The crucial moment for the then senator for Illinois was when he won the Iowa caucus vote. For Clegg, it came last week, when he came out the clear winner of a debate, to the disbelief of the Tory leader, who had been pampered by the opinion polls until that point.

"The second is the message of 'real change' in contrast to the 'old politicians'. Like Obama, the Briton has stood as the genuine alternative before a country tired of 13 years of Labour and of the promises of a Conservative leader who doesn't quite convince them.

"The third is the vote of the younger electorate. It was this segment of the population that played a decisive role in the victory of the US President and it is this group once again that has swept the Liberal Democrat leader to historic results in the latest polls.

"The fourth - and most important - is that both of them have seen how their name sits nicely on the posters that offer people 'hope'. The latest polls reveal that since Clegg appeared in the debate Britons are more inclined to vote."

TODAY'S NEWSPAPERS

A newly-designed Independent goes with a red and yellow picture of Gordon Brown on P1. It's to illustrate an interview in which he calls for a "progressive alliance" of Labour and Lib Dem supporters.

The Guardian, however, suggests that all is not well with the Labour leader's new stategy. "Labour cracks emerge over possible deal with Lib Dems", it says.

And the Daily Telegraph suggests it may be in vain. "Brown is just so desperate, says Clegg" reads its headline.

FACT OF THE DAY

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg's father was also called Nick. And he was a Tory.

FIGURE OF THE DAY

47 - the number of candidates standing in the general election who have been endorsed by the Independent Network.