Twenty five days to go and counting:
Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats
All three parties are being a little cagey about their campaigning plans today, perhaps too busy finishing off their manifestos (Labour is due to unveil its own tomorrow, the Tory party on Tuesday). So we know, for example, that Nick Clegg is visiting three constituencies today and travelling in a plane chartered from RAF Northolt, but to which constituencies, we don’t know. Meanwhile, we’re guessing it’s a day of rest for Sam Cam after her visit to Yorkshire yesterday and some expert video blogging. Meanwhile, the big question in Labour circles is whether Gordon Brown will disappear to Hampden Park at 3pm to watch the Scottish Cup semi-final featuring Raith Rovers and Dundee United. Brown is a lifelong Raith Rovers fan.
Other parties
The British National Party‘s Nick Griffin continues his “National Weekend of Action”, aka some canvassing in Barking and Dagenham with the BNP London Assembly member, Richard Barnbrook. In response, the RMT union has organised an anti-BNP rally in Barking. Among those expected to attend are the union’s general secretary, Bob Crow, the musician Billy Bragg and the former England footballer Luther Blissett, representing Show Racism the Red Card.
The media
With the usual mix of The Andrew Marr Show and the Politics Show today, let us mark your card for the other leaders’ debates. While Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg are prepping for their first head-to-head-to-head on Thursday 15 April (8.30pm, ITV1), leaders from the Scottish Parliament will also be debating soon. For your diary, the dates to see the Scottish First Minister and SNP leader, Alex Salmond, the Scottish Conservatives leader, Annabel Goldie, the Scottish Labour leader, Iain Gray, and the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Tavish Scott, are 20 April (STV), 25 April (Sky) and 2 May (BBC).
Away from the campaign trail
. . . and on to another campaign. Sudan is holding its first multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections in 24 years. Today’s twice-delayed poll is the first since 1986, when Sadiq al-Mahdi’s Umma party was victorious. Three years later the government was overthrown in a military coup that ultimately brought Omar el-Bashir to power.
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