All you need to know about Day One of the UK's 2005 general election campaign, at-a-glance:
5 APRIL IN A SENTENCE
The phoney war comes to an end as Prime Minister Tony Blair travels to Buckingham Palace and asks the Queen to agree to a General Election.
CAMPAIGN CATCH-UP
Tony Blair announces to the assembled media in Downing Street that the general election is to be held on 5 May.
Tony Blair launched his campaign in Downing Street
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Michael Howard launches the Conservatives' campaign, offering an alternative to the "smirking politics of Mr Blair or the woolly thinking of Liberal Democrats".
Voters face a choice between economic success and instability, Chancellor Gordon Brown tells an audience of City business leaders.
Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy launches his campaign as it is revealed Labour parliamentary candidate Stephen Wilkinson has defected to his party, citing opposition to the war in Iraq and disillusionment with Tony Blair's "increasingly authoritarian" party.
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell strikes a deal with the Tories to limit to one the number of Las Vegas-style casinos to save the government's Gambling Bill - but other bills including plans for ID cards are expected to run out of Parliamentary time.
The government rejects a judge's claim it is "in denial" about the extent of postal voting fraud.
Tony Blair, Michael Howard and Charles Kennedy have agreed to appear on the same edition of Question Time, it is revealed.
The Green Party launch their election campaign by announcing they will contest 200 seats and offer the voters a "radical, honest alternative".
Starting with an attack on the established parties, the UK Independence Party says it will field 500 candidates on a manifesto of "radical ideas" to wrest power back from Brussels and the EU.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
It's a big choice, it's a big decision, the British people are the boss, and they are the ones that will make it.
Prime Minister Tony Blair
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
Outside Number 10, announcing the election, the prime minister was tense and still unsmiling. His statement was more staccato and terse than usual. But then part of his purpose must be to give people a sense of being on the brink of a momentous choice.
Mark Mardell
Chief political correspondent
PICK OF THE ANALYSIS
Despite gloomy predictions of voter apathy, this year's general election could be a historic moment with turnout unpredictable, polls at odds, and plenty of unusual campaigning along the way.
Andrew Marr
Political editor
Campaigning during this election will be more fun and more spontaneous, with viral e-mails, blogs, minute targeting of swing voters... and masochism.
Brian Wheeler
Political reporter
THE POLLS BROKEN DOWN
The first day of election campaigning sees the release of a raft of polls, with three showing Labour ahead of the Tories by 2-3%, but one (Mori) giving the Tories a lead of 5%. Mori's headline figure only counted those who declared themselves "absolutely certain to vote", a factor which could be key to interpreting the polls in the weeks ahead.
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Peter Snow analysis
