Stage-managed election? We are a ‘Conservative rent a crowd’

Michael Crick and Tim Bouverie are in Chester speaking to the ‘normal people’ turning out to meet David Cameron this afternoon. Seems he’ll be expecting a friendly reception…

Tim Bouverie sends this report:

David Cameron is talking about the threat the SNP could be to other parts of the UK this morning. He’s saying that a Conservative Government would review the affect of Scottish decision making on the rest of the UK on an annual basis. He’s been speaking in Crewe, a campaigning stop which must be a sign of concern for the Conservatives.

It is 87th on Labour’s list of target seats – the Tories memorably won it in a 2008 by election – and it marks the beginning of a days campaigning for the Prime Minister in seats under threat from Labour.

Meanwhile George Osborne is in the West Country visiting yet more Liberal Democrat seats and underlining the Conservative strategy of targeting vulnerable constituencies of their coalition partners.

They are not optimistic about taking many of Labour and think their best chance of a majority is shoring up their key vote and taking as many seats from the Lib Dems as possible in the South West.