Papers assess election campaigns

The day after the general election date was announced, politics and the first day of campaigning dominate the papers.

May the 6th is "D-Dave" says the Sun, declaring it "a day of destiny".

The Daily Mirror stamps its opinion firmly on its front page with photos of David Cameron and George Osborne under the headline "Don't get conned".

The Daily Express believes "another five years of Brown and we're finished", while the Independent says the election is "a step into the political unknown".

'Class war'

"Now The Class War Begins", declares the Daily Mail , saying "Labour attack dogs" have launched "spiteful assaults" on David Cameron's upbringing.

The Guardian claims Mr Brown contrasted himself with "Eton-educated Cameron" in a "highly personal pitch to voters".

The Times says Gordon Brown is directly appealing to middle class voters.

David Cameron's decision to start his campaign in the Midlands and Yorkshire is proof the "battle" is the marginal seats of "Middle England", it claims.

Slogan humour

The Guardian reports that Nick Clegg's advisers think he should play the outsider, "Clegg the insurgent", versus the two parties of the establishment.

Meanwhile the paper's columnist Simon Hoggart is amused by slogans.

While the Lib Dems claim "Change that works for you", the Tories have the meaningless "Vote for change", he says.

Labour's slogan, on the other hand, is seen by Hoggart as "no change", even though when Brown became prime minister he said "Let the work of change begin", he writes.

Big picture

Similarly Quentin Letts in the Daily Mail finds humour in the whole affair.

Referring to the Lib Dems' soundbite that the campaign will not be a "two-horse race", he says Clegg was "first out of the traps...going like the clappers!"

Commenting on Cameron's launch, the sketch writer says "an elderly beardy with a fedora" could have been party donor Lord Ashcroft in disguise.

Finally he says Brown was joined by the "Politburo" which "fanned" out either side of him outside Downing Street.