Election 2015: Nationwide tours for party leaders

 

The main party leaders have begun a two-day UK tour as the general election campaign enters its final stages.

Conservative leader David Cameron has appeared with Boris Johnson in London, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has started a "two-day dash" from Land's End to John O'Groats while Ed Miliband has targeted key seats in the south of England.
Labour is warning of "savage cuts" to hospital budgets under the Tories.
But the PM said a SNP-backed Labour government was a "chilling prospect".
UKIP leader Nigel Farage is spending the day in South Thanet, the Kent seat he hopes to win for his party, after taking out a two-page advertisement in the Daily Telegraph urging people "to vote with their heart".


In other election news, with two days to go before polling day:

• SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon questioned the legitimacy of a UK government which did not include Scottish MPs
• The Green Party, which is hoping to retain its one parliamentary seat, promises to scrap work capability assessments - and also urges voters to "send a message" on climate change in Thursday's poll
• Conservative Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said voting UKIP was "like a suicide note" for hopes of an EU referendum while Nick Clegg said a referendum is not a coalition "red line" for the Lib Dems
• The head of the Bow Group conservative think tank has endorsed leading UKIP candidates
• The Independent says it was backing a continuation of the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition

Polls suggest the election is still too close to call, and in the final days the parties are focusing on their core messages amid speculation about post-election deals if there is a hung Parliament.