The Full Election Story: April 28

• Gordon Brown is recorded referring to a voter he met on the campaign trail as a "bigoted woman"
• The parties face growing scrutiny of their spending plans amid claims they are not being upfront about cuts
• Live text reporters: Justin Parkinson, Lucy Wilkins and Rob Corp

0000As the final TV debate of the campaign looms large for the leaders of the three main parties, the newspapers are providing uncomfortable reading for Gordon Brown. The Daily Telegraph leads with the simple headline "Day of Disaster." Mr Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg will all be hoping to avoid such discomfort as they take to their podiums later in Birmingham.

2332 The Independent has an unusual take on Gordon Brown's woes. Under a large picture of Gillian Duffy, it proclaims: "Poll latest: Labour loses one voter." The Financial Times leads on the PM's own comment, made in his car shortly after his first meeting with Mrs Duffy: "That was a disaster."

2330Asked about the furore over Mr Brown's comments to pensioner Gillian Duffy, immigration minister Phil Woolas tells the BBC that "obviously it was not the best point in the campaign". But he says Labour will be able to move on from it and he does not believe it will affect the outcome of the election

2257 The Sun's front page for Thursday is just out and it makes unpleasant reading for the PM. It says: "Gillian only popped out for a loaf. She came back with... BROWN TOAST."

2249Neil Scott from Walsall, UK, writes: What I've "learned" today is that Gordon Brown has a different private face to his public face, just like everyone else. I'm tempted to change my mind and vote Labour now, just to show how sick I am with the holier-than-thou media who think the general public are idiots who need drip-fed opinions and treat people like Mrs Duffy as pawns.

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2240 The Daily Mirror reports that Gordon's wife Sarah has described her husband's apology to Gillian Duffy as "from the heart". Its headline states: "My Gord's so sorry." The Times is more to the point about Wednesday's events: "Trouble in Rochdale."

2225Thursday's newspapers are beginning to come in, with Gordon Brown's dealings with pensioner Gillian Duffy completely dominating the front pages. The Guardian's headline emphasises the magnitude of events, saying: "Brown 'penitent' after bigot gaffe torpedoes campaign." It also publishes a poll suggesting the Lib Dems are on course to win the most seats since their predecessor Liberal Party in 1923.

2221Gordon Brown's wife Sarah has just put up her latest blog entry - sadly it is for Tuesday, rather than the more eventful Wednesday. In it, she describes her method of relaxing after a busy day campaigning: "A small glass of wine, an episode of Glee, and a catch up on the phone with Gordon. Perfect."

2213The final prime ministerial debate will be held at Birmingham University from 2030 BST on Thursday, the BBC has revealed.

2200The Conservatives have widened their poll lead to seven points, a ComRes poll for ITV and The Independent suggests. It puts the party on 36% - up three points on findings published yesterday. Labour remain steady on 29%, while the Lib Dem drop three points to 26%. ComRes telephoned a random sample of 1,006 adults on Monday and Tuesday.

2153Michael Howard, the former Conservative leader, says Gordon Brown has made character an issue during the election campaign, meaning it is not easy for Labour to say now to reverse that decision.

2148Former Labour deputy leader Margaret Beckett says the media are using Gordon Brown's comments and apology as an excuse not to talk about policy.

2146Former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy says "real people" have been "unanimous" in saying the Gordon Brown episode will not influence their votes.

2125Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman says "gaffe" is the wrong word to describe Gordon Brown's comments about Gillian Duffy. She tells the BBC News Channel's Campaign Show he will be "very concerned" at the hurt he has caused.

2116Labour Party aides are expecting Thursday's newspapers to be "absolutely horrendous" reading for the prime minister, the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg says.

2109Author and broadcaster Stephen Fry tweets: "Haven't yet heard good anti-hung parliament argument yet. Interesting." Read Stephen Fry's tweets.

2022Ruralwoman writes: While I look forward to crash Gordon taking a long holiday in a few days' time, I actually feel quite sorry for him. That grumpy off-the-record comment will haunt him forever.

Have Your Say

2015Gillian Duffy is being represented by a public relations agent and will not be giving any further comment this evening on her dealings with the prime minister, the BBC understands.

1958Labour general election candidate Kathryn Smith, who is standing in Gravesham, Kent, was arrested after crashing her car into a roundabout, her agent has confirmed. She is understood to have been breathalysed at the scene. Her agent said she had asked to provide a blood sample. Ms Smith was taken to hospital after the incident in Dartford, on Monday night, but was not seriously hurt.

1954Gordon Brown biographer Tom Bower tells Sky News the PM "doesn't understand English working-class fears" and has always thought "they are bigots".

1943Daily Mail sketch writer Quentin Letts says the prime minister's first conversation with Gillian Duffy was amicable. But Mr Brown's later remarks, made inside his car, left him looking "a little grubby", he adds.

1923Gillian Duffy's nephew Andrew Duffy says of Gordon Brown's comments inside the car: "It's a massive gaffe isn't it? What can you say? He's made a fool of himself really." On the PM's visit to his aunt's house, he adds: "I don't think she would be star struck, perhaps made him a brew and listened again, but at the end of the day he has apologised."

1910Paul From Oakley Vale writes: As an ex-BBC producer and former sound recordist myself I want to know when the reprimand will be applied to a) the sound recordist who carried on recording when a prime minister was clearly "off-camera" and in the private confines of his own car. And b) the reprimand to the opportunist news producer who exploited the sound recordists mistake for their own aggrandizement. Standards of decency and professional conduct have clearly been breached here. Have Your Say

1846PR agent Max Clifford tells the BBC News Channel he has had no contact with Mrs Duffy, amid speculation that she could sell her story. He describes Mr Brown's gaffe as a "total disaster" and predicted he would "get a good hiding from the media, particularly the Tory media", but adds "it is his fault".

1842Observer journalist, and consistent Brown critic, Nick Cohen says it is "another day wasted" for Labour, thanks to the Gillian Duffy incident, which exposed Mr Brown as a "Nixonian figure". He said Mrs Duffy was just raising the sort of issues many ordinary Labour voters were concerned about.

1836The full text of Gordon Brown's letter to Labour activists has been released. It is long and full of remorse. He says: "You know I have strengths as well as weaknesses. We all do. You also know that sometimes we say and do things we regret. I profoundly regret what I said this morning."

1828A bunch of yellow flowers have been delivered to Gillian Duffy's home by the Liberal Democrat leader of Rochdale Council, Irene Davidson.

1810Gordon Brown is reported to have e-mailed Labour supporters to apologise again for the Gillian Duffy incident, saying: 'The worst thing about today is the hurt I caused to Mrs Duffy'.

1758Bruno writes: I can't say I'm Mr Brown's biggest fan, but I do think that anyone's private conversation should remain so - private. If you go earwigging you should expect to hear things you don't like. Have Your Say

1745Gordon Brown is doing an impromptu walkabout among commuters at Manchester Piccadilly station, the BBC's Matthew Sydney says. His wife Sarah is with him. Mr Brown's spokesman says the prime minister wants to spend some time talking to voters. He adds that the PM's team managed to squeeze in some preparation for tomorrow's debate this afternoon.

1739 Regarding Gordon Brown's "bigot" gaffe, Michael Driscoll from Walton-on-Thames writes: What a storm in a tea cup. I'm a floating voter and this event would have no bearing whatsoever on my vote. Surely policies are the right benchmark to cast your vote on. The press seem thrilled to have got this soundbite.

Have Your Say

1733Nick Clegg discusses his relationship with Christianity. He tells PM: "I quite simply don't know whether God exists... I know it's obviously fashionable to say one does, but I don't." He adds: "I'm not a man of faith. Sometimes I very much wish I was, because I think having faith must be a great thing."

1722Nick Clegg offers some words of sympathy for Gordon Brown. He tells Radio 4's PM: "If we all had recordings of what we mutter under our breath we'd all be crimson with embarrassment... Gordon Brown has now gone out of his way to apologise. He was quite right to do so, and I think that's that."

1713Tony Blair's ex-spokesman Alastair Campbell writes about Gordon Brown's feelings following his remarks about Gillian Duffy being recorded and broadcast. He writes on his blog: "I saw him at his Manchester hotel, where we are preparing for tomorrow's debate, when he returned from Rochdale. To say he was mortified is an understatement. I don't think I have ever seen him so angry with himself. And he was angry less about the obvious frenzy he had unleashed than the fact that he said what he did. She was so clearly not a bigot, and he knew that."

1703Peter Kellner, of the polling firm YouGov, says: "Those people who are fans of Gordon Brown will sympathise with him; those who don't like him will consider it a very bad thing. The question is the reaction of those in the middle... It may be that people will be absolutely appalled... But it may be that a lot of people will say he is a human, there is a lot of stress, isn't he allowed to say one thing to her in person, and then another in private?"

1656Comic actor Simon Pegg offers an answer to Gillian Duffy's question on immigration to the PM. The star of Shaun of the Dead and Run Fatboy Run tweets: "Seriously though, where are the Eastern Europeans 'flocking in' from? My guess would be Europe, possibly east." Read Simon Pegg's tweets.

1647Chris Mather writes: Whichever party or coalition of parties forms the next government, there will have to be savage cuts in public expenditure. And don't believe any politician who tells you they'll protect any particular service. They won't, because they can't.

Have Your Say

1638Regarding the coverage of #BigotGate, Enhughesiasm tweets: And to think the media were getting so close to having to actually talk about policies. They must be delighted. Read Enhughesiasm's tweets

1631"What has happened to Gordon Brown would not have happened to Tony Blair in 1997 because he had his own radio mic, that Labour staff controlled, I'm told," the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg says.

1620Today started with some people raising doubts about the role new technology was really playing in this election. By mid-morning we had experienced what could prove to be the key moment in the campaign - and it was all down to some rather old technology. Read Rory Cellan-Jones's blog

1617 Henryalex270 tweets: It took Brown 45 minutes to try and get one vote - with 60 million people in the UK it will only take Brown 5,136 years to convince the UK! Read Henryalex270's tweets

1612Gordon Brown and Gillian Duffy "got on well", Mehdi Hasan, the New Statesman magazine's political editor, reports a source close to the PM as saying. Read Mehsi Hasan's tweets.

1558 Bertsanders writes: This is exactly how politicians feel about the people. They set the rules and we must agree - once elected they become a benign dictatorship. It could have been any of them, they do not wish to listen to public opinion. Mrs Duffy expressed an opinion which could have been heard anywhere.

Have Your Say

1551Gillian Duffy, the woman earlier described as "bigoted" by Gordon Brown, will not be talking to the media following her personal apology from the prime minister, a Labour press officer says.

1548Gordon Brown's entourage makes its way from Rochdale to his Manchester hotel, where he is preparing for Thursday's prime ministerial debate. Outside Gillian Duffy's house, there is a crowd of journalists, while dozens of children, back home from school, are shouting excitedly. No sign of Mrs Duffy.

1544The prime minister says he is "mortified" at what happened. He says he is a "penitent sinner", who misunderstood what she had said to him earlier and that she has accepted his apologies.

1542Gordon Brown has left Gillian Duffy's house, after almost 40 minutes inside.

1538Health Secretary Andy Burnham says the PM will be "mortified" by the offence he has caused.

1535Gordon Brown has been inside Gillian Duffy's house for more than half an hour now.

1534Plaid Cymru's director of elections, Helen Mary Jones, tells the BBC's Toby Mason: "There's no wonder the Labour Party has largely kept Gordon Brown away from the public if this is how he behaves. It is right that he has apologised but if Mr Brown intends to say sorry to everyone he or his party has upset over the past 13 years, he's going to be an extremely busy man between now and next Thursday."

1527The Mirror's Kevin Maguire tweets: "OK. Only Mrs Duffy can save Brown. He's in her house now. Will she stand on the doorstep and grant him forgiveness?" Read Kevin Maguire's tweets.

1521Gordon Brown could say a few words for the media when he leaves Gillian Duffy's house in Rochdale, the BBC's Iain Watson, who is outside the building, says.

1518 Dominicwilcox tweets: You couldn't make up this Gordon Brown story, he's just gone back to Rochdale to knock on the door of the woman he called a bigot. Read Dominicwilcox's tweets

1515The PM has been in Gillian Duffy's house for more than 10 minutes now. How much longer will he stay there?

1505Gillian Duffy's curtains are drawn, as Gordon Brown offers his apologies. His security guards are waiting outside the house in Rochdale.

1503Gordon Brown is at Gillian Duffy's house. He smiles and nods to the media, before entering through her porch.

1502Press and TV reporters are waiting outside Gillian Duffy's house in Rochdale, where the prime minister is expected to arrive soon to apologise for his remarks.

1455Ian Dunt from politics.co.uk says he expects "a fair share of hate mail" for his defence of Gordon Brown. He writes: "If we despise the robotic version of politicians which have invaded our TV screens, the pre-programmed cabinet-level automatons who emit soundbites and vacuity, then we must accept that politicians will behave like humans."

Ian Dunt's blog at politics.co.uk

1449Gordon Brown will apologise in person to Gillian Duffy, the woman he referred to as "bigoted", the BBC learns.

1446Back at the health spokesmen's debate, Labour's Andy Burnham says relaxing licensing laws was not a "terrible mistake". But Lib Dem Norman Lamb says it was and Conservative Andrew Lansley argues that a review of arrangements is needed.

1442Out campaigning in Oxford, Nick Clegg says it is not bigoted to raise questions over the immigration system. He adds that it is not "frustrating" to be asked questions while electioneering. Voters must be treated with the "respect they deserve" and Gordon Brown's comments about Rochdale pensioner Gillian Duffy were "insulting", the Lib Dem leader says.

1438Health Secretary Andy Burnham defends a Labour election broadcast questioning the Conservatives' commitment to quick cancer treatment. It is "legitimate" to say that if "standards" are removed, waiting times could rise. Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley says the Tories want cancer survival rates "at least as good" as elsewhere in Europe, if not better.

1431Lib Dem health spokesman Norman Lamb promises to make "achievable" savings to the NHS budget. These include making greater efficiencies, he adds.

1428Health Secretary Andy Burnham says NHS clinical staff will not face cutbacks. Lib Dem Norman Lamb says the NHS has taken on 5,000 more managers in the last year. Conservative Andrew Lansley says the rate of increase in managers is higher than that for nurses.

1421It's the health spokesmen's debate on BBC Two's Daily Politics. Health Secretary Andy Burnham talks about the microphone incident. He says Gordon Brown is a man of "decency and integrity".

1419Observer columnist Andrew Rawnsley says the PM's remarks, caught on microphone, were less "volcanic" than some of his "outbursts".

1415Lord Mandelson says Labour is a "compassionate party". Gordon Brown, "more than any other", wants to help people, he adds, calling the PM's apology for his remarks "heartfelt".

1409Business Secretary Lord Mandelson says politicians, including Gordon Brown, are "human". They say things "in the heat of the moment" and "sometimes say things they simply do not mean", he adds. "It's not in his nature to want to hurt people like that," he tells Sky News.

1407 The Daily Telegraph's Benedict Brogan believes this is a "gaffe that could kill off" the prime minister. He writes: "The contrast between him patting her on her back and praising her for being from a 'good family' and trashing her in the privacy of his Jaguar will horrify the Labour Party, never mind the electorate."

Benedict Brogan's blog at the Daily Telegraph

1355A firm which tracks "sentiment" on Twitter says Gordon Brown's ratings plunged deep into negative territory after the "bigot" incident. Lexalytics' chart shows his score falling to the lowest levels we've seen in this campaign. The volume of tweets also hit very high levels, increasing tenfold in 20 minutes, says the BBC's Rory Cellan-Jones.

1350Conservative Home blog editor Tim Montgomerie says it is "devastating" for Gordon Brown to have been recorded describing a woman he met on the campaign trail as "bigoted". He says that Tories need not make to much of it, instead leaving it to the press to "bury" the PM's electoral chances.

1343 Asked about Mr Brown's comments, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg says: "He has been recorded saying what he has said and will have to answer for that."

1337Gordon Brown's former spin doctor Charlie Whelan tells followers on Twitter to "calm down" about "Mikegate". "Who has not let off steam under stress and strain of campaign?" he asks. Read Charlie Whelan's tweets.

1329It's a disaster for the prime minister because Mrs Duffy is typical of the white working class traditional Labour voter Gordon Brown needs to hold on to. Now she is saying she won't be voting Labour, says BBC political editor Nick Robinson. What we have seen is no huge surprise, as he often flairs up in private. If we hadn't had heard the off-camera words, this would've been a lively election moment, which would've been to the prime minister's credit.

1324A political spokesman for the prime minister says: "Gordon has apologised to Mrs Duffy personally by phone. He does not think that she is bigoted. He was letting off steam in the car after a difficult conversation. But this is exactly the sort of conversation that is important in an election campaign and which he will continue to have with voters."

1320Labour minister Joan Ruddock says she is sure the prime minister will be "mortified". He really gave Gillian Duffy time and courtesy, she says. It was "unfortunate" she turned to immigration, Ms Ruddock adds.

1310Reporters at Sinn Fein's manifesto launch in Belfast have been given a free computer memory stick, says BBC Ireland correspondent Mark Simpson. It contains the party's united Ireland manifesto, and is branded with the Sinn Fein logo plus a sticker which says 1GB. Aides quickly emphasised that the GB stands for gigabyte and not Great Britain.

1308Conservative Party chairman Eric Pickles tweets on what is now known as #BigotGate on Twitter: "Every voter should know that Brown's view of the electorate is you either agree with him or you are the enemy." Read Eric Pickles's tweets

1305The SNP had asked the Court of Session in Edinburgh to rule on whether the BBC had breached its rules on impartiality by excluding it from the final TV debate. But this was dismissed by the judge, Lady Smith, after a two-day hearing. If the SNP had succeeded, the BBC warned the debate may not have been able to go ahead due to the technical difficulties of trying to prevent viewers in Scotland from seeing the contest on satellite and the internet, says our correspondent Raymond Buchanan.

1303The SNP has lost its legal action at the Court of Session in Edinburgh after challenging the BBC's decision to exclude the party from the final prime ministerial TV debate.

1301Gordon Brown has phoned Gillian Duffy to personally apologise, he tells reporters.

1250While Jeremy Vine played the tape of his comments, TV cameras filmed Gordon Brown (in a studio in Manchester) with his head in his hands.

1247Gordon Brown is asked by Vine about his comments towards Gillian Duffy. The prime minister says he apologises "if I said anything that is hurtful and I will apologise to her personally". Vine then plays the tape of Mr Brown's unguarded comments. The prime minister repeats his apology.

1244Back in Rochdale, Gillian Duffy says she'd like an apology from Gordon Brown and an explanation about why her comments were considered bigoted. Initially she thought "he was understanding, but he wasn't, was he." Asked if she'd like to talk to him again, she says: "I don't think I'd like to speak to him."

1241The BBC has now got a copy of the tape of Gordon Brown's unguarded comments in Rochdale. You can hear them for yourself by clicking here.

1239"I wanted regulation to be tougher", Gordon Brown tells Jeremy Vine. Their exchanges have been dominated by the recession, by the monitoring of banks, and the economy. "At the end of the day, the banks were withholding information from the regulators," the prime minister says. He accuses some bankers of "moral bankruptcy" and adds some of their activities "may be criminal".

1233Gillian Duffy, who Gordon Brown was heard to describe on microphone was a "bigoted woman" - following a conversation he had with her on the street in Rochdale - has said she is "very annoyed" by the prime minister's comments.

1230Still with Gordon Brown on Radio 2, he's discussing the economy with Jeremy Vine, who asks him if he accepts any responsibility for the recession. Mr Brown says we had a global financial breakdown, "a power cut in the financial system". "I take responsibility for everything that happened in the economy," the prime minister adds, "because I was managing the economy." It was very difficult to foresee the credit crunch and global recession, he adds.

1224The prime minister is now speaking to Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2. He has yet to be asked about his comments about a woman who he met in Rochdale. According to Sky News - whose microphone Gordon Brown was still wearing when got into his car - he also said "they should never have put me with that woman. Whose idea was that? It's just ridiculous..."

1220The prime minister's unguarded, on-mic but off-camera comments could be potentially damaging to him, says BBC political correspondent Iain Watson - who is in Rochdale where the encounter with the woman happened. Mr Brown described his conversation with her as a "disaster".

1215Prime Minister Gordon Brown was caught on microphone today describing a voter he had just spoken to in Rochdale as a "bigoted woman".

1214UKIP's leader Lord Pearson faces a rebellion by the south-west England branch of his own party and one of his MEPs after urging voters to back Tory candidates in three constituencies there, reports BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins. In a statement issued by UKIP in the South West a spokesman said his actions were "frankly beyond belief". A UKIP MEP for the south-west of England Trevor Colman told the BBC: "As far as we're concerned these are legitimate targets and we're giving people the chance to vote for UKIP." Lord Pearson prompted that reaction by writing to a Somerset newspaper group telling voters to support Conservative rather than UKIP candidates in Wells, Somerton and Frome and Taunton Deane.

1210Shadow chancellor George Osborne tells the Institute of Directors that under a future Tory government, there will be a new sign erected over the country, saying "Britain is open for business". He also wants to see a more balanced economy, with a banking sector that supports the British economy rather than one which "enslaves" it.

1205The SNP's case at the Court of Session over its exclusion from the BBC's prime ministerial TV debate has been adjourned after submissions finished. The SNP's QC argued "there is no right to see an unfair debate". The BBC insists the threat to ban the PM debate (in Scotland) is unpractical and pointless, reports Raymond Buchanan in Edinburgh. The judge, Lady Smith, says she hopes to have a result by lunchtime.

1159Shadow chancellor George Osborne sets out his stall on the economy at the Institute of Directors conference. The parties have been defending their spending plans amid claims they are not being upfront about the scale of future cuts.

1154In today's Daily Telegraph, Tory blogger Iain Dale suggests that "the internet has become all but an irrelevance" in the campaign, although he concedes that it has had an impact on campaign posters that have been repeatedly spoofed. Musings on the internet's role in these elections are bound to be a big part of the wash up.

Blogger Iain Dale writing for the Daily Telegraph

1147Gordon Brown defends his policies on education, immigration, the deficit, health and "helping people" in a sparky exchange with a woman in Rochdale. Starting off with heckling from a distance, the woman ended up telling him about her grandchildren and travel delays from ash. Mr Brown even complimented her choice of coat today - red.

1133From hairdressers to tree-trimmers, Gordon Brown continues his push to meet the voters with a visit to a community scheme in Rochdale.

1124Has the British National Party resorted to subliminal advertising, albeit of the extremely low cost variety? Read our Political Ad Breakdown and decide for yourself.

1114RadialSymmetry would like to ask Gordon Brown if he agrees "that we are now seeing the final death throes of the two-party system" and Rob Wiseman wants to know if "the rising value of our stakes in Lloyds and RBS can be used to offset the proposed employees' increase in National Insurance". Put your questions to the prime minister and Jeremy Vine will ask him some today on BBC Radio 2 between 12.00 and 12.45.

Have Your Say

1109Mr Brown takes up the offer of a visit to the hairdressers in Oldham, but declines a trim, opting instead to talk business. The customer in the chair looked quite bemused, as a media scrum surrounded the small shop, reports Jane Hill.

1055Typicallistener writes: I'd like to see an end to tax credits for households where children are over 11. Once a child is at secondary school, the parent can be expected to work full time, many do. And we have the minimum wage to provide an agreed minimum income.

Have Your Say

1053Iain Martin argues in the Wall Street Journal that the Greece crisis makes Europe an election issue, while Max Hastings expresses dismay in the Daily Mail that politicians haven't been talking candidly about the economy. Read our round-up of commentators' views on spending cuts and the election.

1049A thirsty Mr Cameron thanks his hosts, makers of a world-famous beverage, and then drops a heavy hint - "they haven't given me any yet". Campaign donations have increased since the televised debates began, so maybe he's hoping for a bit more in the final few days.

1040The SNP deputy leader, Nicola Sturgeon, has just arrived at the court of session in Edinburgh. Asked if she was confident of the party's position, she said: "We'll see what the court has to say". The party have asked the court to ban the BBC's prime ministerial debate from being broadcast in Scotland unless the nationalists take part.

1037David Cameron is facing some tough questions from the Coca-Cola workers. Immigration, child tax credits, homeownership, the benefit system, foreign takeovers of British companies, and planned cuts have all been raised.

1031Talk of Peppa Pig's absence from a Labour event on Tuesday is still generating jokes on Twitter. The Sunday Telegraph's political editor Patrick Hennessy tweets: If Peppa defects to Tories, will Cameron proclaim the Pig Society? Read Patrick Hennessy's tweets

1025David Cameron asked workers at Coca Cola in Wakefield what the secret recipe was for Coke. They answered that's the $60m question.

1022Lib Dem Vince Cable is speaking about the economy at the Institute of Directors conference. Getting rid of red-tape can play a role in growth, as can a well-educated workforce, he says.

1019 JimGR tweets: Over the course of the general election it's remarkable quite how touchy some politicians are, given they voluntary put themselves under scrutiny. Read JimGR's tweets

1017An entrepreneurial Oldham hairdresser comes right out and offers Mr Brown a haircut if he has five minutes to walk across the road to her salon. He'll even get a discount. He does have a TV debate coming up on Thursday...

1011Phil Woolas is relishing his job as compere, saying he'll be like Robert Kilroy-Silk - talkshow host, reality show contestant and former MEP. Presumably Mr Woolas isn't planning an appearance on Big Brother.

1003PM Gordon Brown praises the success of neighbourhood policing, saying it's important to him that everyone feels safe in their homes and streets. In an echo of his predecessor, he says: "We are the party that is tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime."

0954Phil Woolas gets a rousing round of applause as he introduces "the boss" (that's Gordon Brown, in case you were unsure) to the audience at the Oldham community centre.

0947Tina from London writes: There are double standards on law and order - those MPs who forgive themselves so readily over expenses can't wait to throw our young people into prison for stealing a lot less.

Have Your Say

0944The community centre in Oldham has been festooned with red balloons and rosettes for the visit of the prime minister, reports Jane Hill. His question-and-answer session could take about 45 minutes.

0930While his ministers have been explaining crime and spending pledges to reporters in London, Gordon Brown is on the verge of a visit to a CCTV monitoring centre in Oldham, where he'll also take questions from the public.

0921A statistician who correctly predicted Barack Obama's results in 49 of 50 states, says he's not forecasting such a victory for Labour, the Guardian reports. "Baseball nerd" Nate Silver was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people for the accuracy of his statistical predictions. Should Labour be worried?

0903Lord Mandelson comments on continuing speculation about a hung parliament. With a straight face, he says Lib Dem Nick Clegg is sometimes talking to "the man in the moon, happy to go into a coalition with him".

0853Greek troubles are mentioned again, and Lord Mandelson is asked: Could we go the way of Greece? He says that it shows the "fragility" of the situation, so it would be wrong to take risks with the recovery. "Britain is not Greece," he says.

0846Katie Piper appears after Alan Johnson and outlines the role CCTV played in her case. She was badly injured when an attacker threw acid on her face on a busy high street in daylight. CCTV was key to securing a conviction. She says when she feels uncomfortable in public, she'll move to be near a CCTV camera.

0843Home Secretary Alan Johnson outlines the problems, including binge drinking and teenage pregnancy, but says Labour has the solution. He then moves on to CCTV and its role in policing. People could have the right to request CCTV in some areas, he says.

0837Labour's Lord Mandelson says Britain needs answers to problems it faces. He begins his speech with criticism of the Tories about its "misuse" of crime statistics.

0831The Labour press conference is about to get under way with Home Secretary Alan Johnson and Communities Secretary John Denham in a "rare appearance," reports Laura Kuenssberg. They'll be focussing on CCTV and cutting down on crime. Appearing with them will be Katie Piper, who was badly hurt in an acid attack by a boyfriend.

0822"Fantasy politics" is how David Miliband describes the Tories and Liberal Democrats when the issue of a hung parliament is put to him on the BBC Today programme. How about sharing Downing St with Nick Clegg? "Our leader is Gordon Brown, we have chosen our leader. We're not having the leader of other parties telling us who our leader should be."

0819With the stock exchange nervous about events in Greece, Foreign Secretary David Miliband praises the IMF for action on helping the Eurozone country during its financial crisis, but he criticised David Cameron for comparing the British and Greek situations as similar. "Let's put the Greek bit out of this equation," he said.

0808Following Tuesday's appearance of an ex-EastEnders actress at a Tory event, another one has stepped into the campaign. Michelle Collins, aka Cindy Beale, is fronting a video criticising Tory plans to give tax breaks to married couples.

0757Business leaders are concerned about the economy, with the director general of the Institute of Directors, Miles Templeman, saying "the overall deficit challenge" is not something that any of the parties are talking about.

0744A day before the final televised prime ministerial debate, two different courts could give rulings today on whether it's fair for the BBC to exclude smaller parties from the broadcasts. The UK Independence Party are threatening to apply for an injunction this afternoon unless their leader, Lord Pearson, is included in the programme, while a court in Edinburgh is looking at an objection from the Scottish National Party.

0724UKIP says its leader Lord Pearson has written to a local newspaper group in Somerset urging voters to support Conservatives - rather than his own candidates - in three West Country constituencies. In the letter to Mid Somerset News and Media he said voters should back the Tory candidates in Wells, Somerton and Frome and Taunton Deane, says the BBC's Ross Hawkins. The UKIP candidate in Wells, Jake Baynes, was previously asked to stand down, but refused. Last night though, the Taunton Deane candidate Tony McIntyre said he had not been told to step aside, and knew nothing about the letter until he was contacted by the BBC. UKIP has a policy of supporting Eurosceptics from other parties, and has decided not to contest half a dozen constituencies to help other candidates.

0656Recalling Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable's description of the scale of spending cuts required to sort out the public finances as "the elephant in the room", the BBC's Norman Smith says: "The elephant is plonked on the sofa, watching TV and drinking a cup of tea."

0645Have Labour unveiled their secret weapon? Diehard supporter and Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's mind games have ruined many a promising career among his rivals - and now he's turned his fire on David Cameron and Nick Clegg. Sir Alex applies his classic quote from March 2003, describing the tight Premier League campaign, to the election race. He tells the Daily Mirror it's "squeaky bum time" for the Tory leader, who he reckons has "been leading the table all season and [has] gone four defeats on the trot". Meanwhile, he says he's "no clearer" what the Lib Dem leader stands for than he was before the TV debates. Tory and Lib Dem supporters will be praying their men handle the pressure better than Kevin Keegan.

0611Good morning all. Welcome back. If you've picked up one of the tabloids this morning, you can be forgiven for thinking you're still dreaming. The headline on the Sun's top political story reads: "Pig deserts sinking ship" - a reference to cartoon character Peppa Pig being pulled from a Labour campaign event. Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror's front page shows its "election chicken" ambushing shadow business secretary Ken Clarke. Surreal.