The political rich list: who are the biggest party donors?

Just 76 people accounted for 41 per cent of individual and corporate donations made to the political parties and other political causes in Britain over the past five years, it has been reported.

The first Sunday Times Political Rich List, published this weekend, found that 25 individuals had given more than £1m each, accounting for 28 per cent of £174.4m donated in private and corporate cash between 2010 and 2014.

The list is topped by the Scottish EuroMillions lottery winners Colin and Chris Weir, who together gave £6.5m to the SNP and the Yes Scotland campaign, the paper said.

Election 2015: David Cameron attacks SNP on The Andrew Marr Show

• Gary Gibbon Political Editor

David Cameron looked well hacked off on The Andrew Marr Show just now. The prime minister complained that Mr Marr was repeatedly interrupting him and doing it in a way David Cameron said he hadn’t in his previous interviews with Vince Cable and Nicola Sturgeon. “We’ve both been enjoying this interview.”

“I will be taking to the streets,” the PM said, in what sounded like a change of tack and a sign that the party needs to pull some other levers to get where it thought it would be already by now in the campaign. There’s no sign yet that Ed Miliband’s campaign is ready to take that risk so if he does the street routine Mr Cameron will have it to himself.

The main thrust of Mr Cameron’s interview was an attack on the SNP: “these people,” he said contemptuously, “who don’t care what happens to the rest of the UK” will be dictating life in England if they are propping up a Labour minority government. Andrew Marr said the PM was beginning to sound like an English Nationalist, which went down pretty badly.

The news that YouGov’s Peter Kellner has switched his forecast will strike particular fear in Tory high command. He’s a seasoned and very reliable follower of the British political scene who until now has consistently said he expects Mr Cameron to stay in No. 10. Today in The Sunday Times he says he now thinks Ed Miliband could take charge. It will add to nerves at the top of the Conservative machine and make them wonder what other stuff they need to dig out apart from the tea crate.

Election 2015: the latest polls put Labour narrowly in front

Labour has maintained a slim lead over the Conservatives in the Press Association’s poll of polls.

With 18 days to go until the General Election, Labour is on 34.1 per cent and the Tories are on 33.8 per cent. Ukip is in third place on 13.3 per cent, the Liberal Democrats are fourth on 8 per cent and the Greens are fifth on 5.1 per cent.

The poll of polls is calculated using a rolling average of every nationwide poll published in the last seven days.

Its figures suggest the country remains on course for another hung parliament, with no party likely to win the 326 seats needed to form a majority in the House of commons.

This is backed up by the latest projections of the election result:

An average of current forecasts by The Guardian, the New Statesman, the Polling Observatory and ElectionForecast.co.uk gives Labour a two-seat lead over the Conservatives, with Labour winning 275 MPs and the Tories 273.

Two new polls were published in the past 24 hours.:

A survey by YouGov put Labour on 36 per cent (+2), the Tories on 33 per cent (-1), Ukip on 13 per cent (-1), the Lib Dems on 8 per cent (-1) and the Greens on 5 per cent (nc).

A poll from Opinium put the Tories on 36% (nc), Labour on 32 per cent (-2), Ukip on 13 per cent (+2), the Lib Dems on per cent  (+1) and the Greens on 5 per cent  (-1).

Nicola Sturgeon: people will decide if there will be second independence referendum

Nicola Sturgeon has said she cannot give Ed Miliband a guarantee that there will not be a second independence referendum during the lifetime of the next parliament because such a decision would be taken by the Scottish people.

The first minister said she was “not planning” for another vote on independence but she did not have the right to categorically rule one out.

Ms Sturgeon was appearing on BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show when she was questioned about a possible deal between Labour and the SNP after the general election.

She confirmed she would lead any post-election discussions with the Labour leader.

Asked if she could give Mr Miliband a guarantee of no referendum in return for a Westminster deal, Ms Sturgeon said: “I have made very clear that if you vote SNP in this election, that is not a vote for independence, nor is it a vote for another referendum.

“I’m not planning another referendum. Why do I fall short of categorically ruling it out? Because I don’t think as a single politician I have got a right to do that.

“Whether there is another referendum, and whether Scotland becomes independent is not a matter for me to decide. It is a matter for the Scottish people to decide.”

Vince Cable: it will be difficult to work with either Labour or Tories

Liberal Democrat Cabinet minister Vince Cable has said it would be “difficult” for the Liberal Democrats to work with Labour or the Conservatives.

He said there was no chance the Tories could win an overall majority and would end up reliant on the support of Ukip and “30 or 40 maverick Tory MPs”.

“These are people who hate his guts,” he told BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show.

The business secretary said he had no personal preference over whether his party governed with the Conservatives or Labour in the event of another hung parliament.

The moment Ed Miliband gatecrashed a hen party

Nick Clegg challenges David Cameron over Ukip deal

Nick Clegg has urged David Cameron to publicly rule out a post-election alliance with Ukip.

The Lib Dem leader said he would not join a government with the SNP or Ukip and challenged the prime minister to do the same with Nigel Farage’s party.

At a rally in Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower, Mr Clegg said: “This morning, David Cameron refused to rule out on five separate occasions entering into an alliance with Ukip.

“David Cameron: don’t treat people as if they are stupid. You know, everybody knows, that you and the Conservative Party are not going to win a majority at this election.

“I have ruled out an alliance with the SNP, I have ruled out an alliance with Ukip, why won’t you do the same?”

Election 2015: Tories to offer cheap Lloyds shares to the public

The Tories are planning to sell shares in Lloyds bank to small investors at below market rates, if they win they general election.

Chancellor George Osborne set out plans to sell a further £9bn tranche of the taxpayers’ stake shares in the bailed-out bank in his final Budget of the last parliament last month.

On Sunday David Cameron announced that it will include a “retail offer” with a proportion of the shares being earmarked for sale at a discounted price for small investors.

Buyers who keep them for a year will be rewarded with a “loyalty bonus” of one additional free share for every 10 shares that they still hold.

Elections 2015: where do the major political parties stand on Mediterranean migrants?

• Fatima Manji Reporter