‘No one can accuse Cameron of lacking passion in his ferocious attacks on Miliband and Nicola Sturgeon over the possibility of a Labour-SNP alliance…‘You’ve got to ask yourself, does Nicola Sturgeon at the end of a five-year Ed Miliband Government want the Government to be a success? No! She wants it to be a disaster, she wants people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to conclude the best thing to do is to break up the Union. This is not just about taking your money, this is about taking away your country.’’ – Mail on Sunday
‘Labour didn’t just leave a note; they left shops with their shutters closed; deserted homes with repossession notices in the windows; parents going home to tell their children they’d lost their job. That’s the real story behind the “no money” note – the human cost. Over the past five years we’ve been turning that around. People who were thinking of writing this country off are now writing about us as the success story of Europe – creating more jobs than all the other countries in the EU put together.’ – David Cameron, The Independent on Sunday
‘The Tories have taken the lead in the race for Downing Street as senior Conservatives revealed that David Cameron is planning to continue as prime minister even if he lacks a Commons majority. Today’s YouGov poll for The Sunday Times puts the Conservatives on 34%, one point ahead of Labour — a reversal of recent surveys. A second poll by Opinium also put the Tories one point in front, suggesting that the momentum is with Cameron. Senior Tories say the prime minister is planning to declare victory if he gets the most seats and votes on Thursday. He is expected to give a statement in Downing Street on Friday if the Tories are “clearly the largest party”.’ – Sunday Times (£)
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: If the Conservatives win more seats but Labour gains office, over half of party members think Cameron should remain Party leader
‘This is a defining week for Britain: one which will influence all our individual destinies. Rarely in the long democratic history of our islands has a General Election result been so unpredictable – or so important. A vote for a Labour-SNP pact would empower a cabal of nationalists and socialists who together want to break up the country and reverse five years of hard-fought economic renewal…Voters have a stark alternative: turn to Cameron for prosperity, security and unity; sharp turn left for profligacy and disarray. The Mail on Sunday urges its readers to make the right choice – for all our sakes.’ – Mail on Sunday Leader
>Today: Dr Rachel Joyce on Comment: Why I, as an NHS Doctor, will be voting Conservative
‘Ed Miliband has commissioned a giant stone inscription bearing Labour’s six election pledges that is set to be installed in the Downing Street Rose Garden if he becomes prime minister. The 8ft 6in-high limestone structure is intended to underline his commitment to keep his promises by having them literally “carved in stone” and visible from the offices inside No 10.’ – The Observer
>Today: ToryDiary: ‘My name is Milibandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!’
>Yesterday: Julian McCrae on Comment: Four tests for establishing whether the new Government means to keep its manifesto promises
‘University tuition fees could rise to £11,500 a year because of Tory plans for “extreme” spending cuts after the election, Labour claimed last night as Ed Miliband made a play for the votes of middle-class families. The “secret plan” for higher tuition fees would saddle graduates with an extra £7,500 of debt each, leaving them an average of £51,600 in the red, according to figures produced by Chuka Umunna, the shadow business secretary.’ – Sunday Times (£)
‘Ed Balls faced ridicule last night after two cheques he sent to a tradesman bounced – at a time when he is campaigning to be put in charge of the country’s finances. The Shadow Chancellor sent the cheques to a glazier who had carried out work at the £1million London home he shares with his wife, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.’ – Mail on Sunday
‘The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge glowed with pride as they left the hospital with their new baby daughter – just 12 hours after arriving at the Lindo Wing and ten hours after giving birth. The couple emerged on the steps outside St Mary’s Hospital in west London shortly after 6pm and the world was given a brief glimpse of the new princess, who was wrapped in a white blanket and held tenderly in her mother’s arms. The newest Royal, whose name is yet to be announced, was born at 8.34am weighing 8lbs and 3oz.’ – Mail on Sunday
‘In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Express, Miss Evans said Ukip would work with the Tories if it matched the manifesto commitment to spend two per cent of the UK’s GDP on defence. She said other potential negotiations would involve the Tories agreeing to a rapid referendum on EU membership, as well as their pledge not to levy tax on those earning the minimum wage. Miss Evans expects to play a key role in any talks, which may begin as early as tomorrow.’ – Sunday Express
>Yesterday: UKIPWatch: UKIP’s limp campaign is a victim of mismanaged expectations
‘“We will see what is on the table and what issues come out of a negotiation . . . and then people like myself and others will very staunchly and loudly argue for or against that agreement,” he says. Farron says the party must be “open minded” about speaking to the Tories or Labour, but says the Lib Dems should “walk away” if they do not get what they want. He is scathing about a Tory government, which he believes — without a tempering Lib Dem element — would be “a horror story”, creating an “uncivilised” country “that we should be ashamed of”.’ – Sunday Times (£)
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: The proportion of Party members expecting a second Coalition with the Liberal Democrats hits a record high