Schools should vary term dates to allow cheaper holidays

One nation means the poor as well as the rich being able to afford a family break.

Battlegrounds Revisited 2) The South West

We continue our post-match inspection of our battleground profiles with the Liberal Democrat graveyard of the South West.

Lord Ashcroft: The Conservatives lead by four points in this week’s Ashcroft National Poll

Plus: this week’s focus groups in Plymouth Moor View and St Austell & Newquay; responses to the manifestos; and what are the leaders’ favourite TV programmes?

Lord Ashcroft: Clegg is two points behind Labour in Sheffield Hallam. My latest Lib Dem marginals polling.

The battlegrounds show a mix of results. But UKIP is down across the board.

Bernard Aryeetey: We name the key marginals in which housing is a vital issue for the Conservatives – and the other parties

St Austell & Newquay, Hampstead & Kilburn, Great Yarmouth…what Shelter found, using Lord Ashcroft’s polling as the basis for our research.

The Election Battleground 2) The South West

The second piece in our series explores the intense struggles across the South West of England.

Crosby tunnels behind enemy lines

CCHQ is not giving up on the prospect of snatching seats off Labour and LibDems, though there is a fly in the ointment…

The four seats chosen to kick off the General Election campaign

As well as taking a crack at Vince in Twickenham, the PM and Chancellor have been to Halifax, St Austell & Newquay and Telford.

Is UKIP set to damage Labour more than the Conservatives?

Fascinating research from the Fabian Society.

If UKIP voters switch in those Blue-Yellow marginals, they look more likely to vote Tory than LibDem

The average across these seats is: Rule Out Conservatives – 63 per cent; Rule out Labour – 75 per cent; Rule out LibDems – 74 per cent.

Lord Ashcroft: A big lesson from the Blue-Yellow marginals – don’t assume uniform swing

My poll of closely-contested Conservative-Liberal Democrat seats indicates that were the general election held now Nick Clegg’s party would lose 15 MPs to the Tories.