‘Can I interest you in the Scottish Labour manifesto?’

Election 2015: number of people in work hits record high

The Tories and Lib Dems hail new figures showing the number of people in work at a record high.

Iain Duncan Smith says “zero-hours contracts” offer a chance for a flexible work life balance – to hoots of derision from Labour.

Election 2015: Labour to set out key immigration policies

Labour will promise to crack down on the exploitation of immigrants today as it sets out one of its key policies ahead of the general election.

Ed Miliband will say that under a Labour government 100 staff will be challenged to increase prosecutions and fines against bad employers who encourage low skilled migration and undermine the minimum wage.

Mr Miliband will say abusive practices such as forcing scores of workers to live in cramped houses for illegally low wages is driving unskilled migration and hurting conditions for local workers.

And he will condemn the prime minister for not meeting his promise to cut immigration to the tens of thousands, insisting Labour will not make pledges it cannot meet.

Labour success in Margaret Thatcher’s old constituency?

Michael Crick reports from Finchley, Margaret Thatcher’s old seat, where it has been predicted Labour could take the seat back from the Conservatives.

Alex Salmond increases pressure on Ed Miliband over SNP deal

Alex Salmond steps up the pressure on Ed Miliband, warning the Labour leader he will find it difficult to avoid doing some form of deal with the SNP in the event of another hung parliament.

Mr Salmond, who is bidding to return to Westminster, said all parties would have to face up to the “electorate’s judgment” after polling day on 7 May.

He said Mr Miliband had been “foolish” to rule out a coalition with the SNP – even though it was not really on the cards – and suggested that he reacted because he was “under pressure from the Conservative press”.

If the election resulted in a hung parliament with neither of the main parties able to form a majority government, Mr Salmond predicted the “most likely” outcome was an agreement by the SNP to support Labour on a vote-by-vote basis.

“I think that after the election every Westminster politician will have to come and face the reality of the electorate’s judgment,” he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

Labour will get rid of… Katie Hopkins

The Cambridge Universities Labour Club have made this cheeky campaign poster against Katie Hopkins, which has gone viral on social media.

The former Apprentice contestant has a well-documented history of making controversial statements and has previously said that she would leave the UK if Ed Miliband became Prime Minister.

Ms Hopkins – in her column today – compared migrants to “cockroaches” and suggested using gunships to stop them crossing the Mediterranean.

Nigel Farage: Churchill had to do deal with Stalin

• Fatima Manji Reporter

Ed Miliband pledges to tackle migrant worker abuse

Ed Miliband pledges a new crackdown on illegal exploitation of migrant workers, promising a Home Office task force to boost prosecutions and fines on bad employers.

Speaking in Wirral West, a marginal seat held by the Tory Employment Minister Esther McVey, the Labour leader said exploitation drives low skilled migration and holds down wages for British workers.

David and Samantha Cameron join Gravesend’s Vaisakhi celebrations

David Cameron and wife Samantha have visited a Sikh temple to mark the Vaisakhi festival.

The prime minister, wearing a traditional orange patka, and Mrs Cameron, in a blue headscarf, chatted with the faithful at the Gravesend Gurdwara in Kent.

After briefly joining thousands of people in a parade carrying the Sikh holy book to the temple, Mr Cameron was due to deliver a speech in the main hall.

However, as he was about to arrive a senior priest apparently objected to prayers being interrupted, and there were some heated scenes before the address was moved to a side room.

The Tory leader told the audience the Vaisakhi festival was a “big, bold” sign of their devotion.

“I wanted to make sure Downing Street was part of this too, and I’m proud to be the first prime minister to host a Vaisakhi reception at Number 10,” he said.

Eddie Izzard joins Labour election campaign in north west

Election 2015: Nicola Sturgeon hails Scottish National Party

Nicola Sturgeon has joined Alex Salmond on the general election campaign trail. The SNP leader on Saturday said that recent polls show that the party has “become the national party of Scotland in all senses.”

Ms Sturgeon was with her former boss in Inverurie, in the Gordon constituency, where Mr Salmond is standing for a return to Westminster in a seat currently held by the Liberal Democrats.

The first minister said: “In this election Scotland has an opportunity like never before to make its voice heard at Westminster, but it is clear that the only party who can be that voice is the SNP.

“Polling shows that the SNP has become the national party of Scotland in all senses – leading in the polls across all areas and demographics of Scottish society.”

Election 2015: on the campaign trail as parties talk about immigration

• Fatima Manji Reporter

Who are the biggest donors to the main UK political parties?