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1 May 2010updated 27 Sep 2015 2:21am

Election 2010 Lookahead: Saturday 1 May

The who, when and where of the campaign.

By Jon Bernstein

It’s the final Saturday of the campaign. Here’s what is happening:

Labour

The party will focus on the economy today, with Gordon Brown and Peter Mandelson campaigning side by side.

 

Conservatives

The Tories are concentrating on health today, introducing their “contract for a better NHS”. In the same spirit, they are also planning to send out a two-page document entitled “A contract between the Conservative Party and you” to two million households, home to 3.5 million voters.

 

Liberal Democrats

Nick Clegg heads west today. He’s due at a campaign rally in Somerset on behalf of the Wells candidate, Tessa Munt (11.30am), and then on to the Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre in Newport, Gwent, on behalf of the local candidate, Ed Townsend.

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Other parties

If you thought we’d seen all the manifesto launches of this campaign, think again. Today the Christian People’s Alliance unveils its policy portfolio ahead of Thursday’s election.

 

The media

Two of the national newspapers that backed Tony Blair in 2005 have deserted Labour this time around. The Guardian is backing the Lib Dems, while the Times is urging its readers to vote Conservative.

 

Away from the campaign

The sheep-shearing season officially begins today. Fact fans: in a normal year, one in four sheep shearers working in the UK is from either Australia or New Zealand. However, given the new points-based immigration rules, there is a quesiton mark over how many Antipodeans will make it this year.

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