Election Live - 4 May (2024)

Summary

  • Lib Dem peer claims David Cameron told Nick Clegg privately he doesn't think he'll win a majority

  • Mr Cameron calls it "desperate tactics" by the Lib Dems, but Mr Clegg says it's "a big fib" for the Tories to claim they can win outright

  • Labour and the Lib Dems focussed on the NHS while the Conservatives campaigned on tax

  • Labour sources tell the BBC the party is considering the option of having a minority coalition with the Lib Dems

  • Comedian Russell Brand endorses Ed Miliband

  • Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood says she would vote down a Labour Budget if it contained cuts

  • UKIP launches its Scottish manifesto in Falkirk

Live Reporting

Angela Harrison, Jenny Matthews and Tom Moseley

  1. Key seats to watchpublished at 15:03

    15:03

    Andrew Neil
    Daily and Sunday Politics

    Election Live - 4 May (1)

    There are 650 seats being contested on Thursday night, but there are some key battleground constituencies to watch to find out which party, if any, could win a majority. In a Daily Politics film, Jeremy Vine looks at the vulnerable and winnable seats, picking out a few in England and Scotland. Watch the clip

  2. Earthquake aidpublished at 14:58

    14:58

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Election Live - 4 May (2)Image source, AP

    UKIP leader Nigel Farage has endorsed doubling or trebling British aid to earthquake-struck Nepal.

    The UK government's humanitarian response package now stands at £22.8 million.

    But describing the UK contribution as "just a few million", Mr Farage told The World At One a short time agohe had "no objections to doubling or trebling that" - thereby taking it to more than £60 million.

    He said he did not want to see aid going to the "wrong places".

  3. 'Desperate tactics'published at 14:50

    14:50

    Election Live - 4 May (3)Image source, Getty

    Speaking to reporters on a visit to Wells in Somerset, Mr Cameron was asked again if he had told Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg that the Tories would not win a majority.

    "Certainly not," he said. "Nick Clegg is obviously increasingly desperate because he knows he is losing seat after seat across the country"

    The prime minister added:

    Quote Message

    I could tell you all the things he has said to me in private. That would certainly surprise you."

  4. A different dealpublished at 14:47 British Summer Time 4 May 2015

    14:47 BST 4 May 2015

    Professor at Nottingham Business School's Political Betting Unit

  5. Cooking with Deliapublished at 14:44

    14:44

    Election Live - 4 May (4)Image source, ITN pool

    And with small children thrown into the mix. No pressure Ed...

  6. 'Crutches kicked away'published at 14:41

    14:41

    Election Live - 4 May (5)

    Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson is warning that an alliance between Labour and the SNP at Westminster in would lead to "militant left-wing policies".

    She said Britain was facing the "desperate prospect of a weak Labour government having its crutches kicked away by an SNP using every vote to make the case for independence".

    Quote Message

    It would be a disaster for our economic recovery, with more borrowing and higher taxes to pay for unlimited welfare. The SNP's real motive would be to drive up resentment - all the better to create a wedge between our great nations."

  7. It’s the endowment effect, stupidpublished at 14:35

    14:35

    From Jonny Dymond, the BBC's Conservative campaign correspondent

    Election Live - 4 May (6)Image source, PA

    Don't expect a sunny burst of optimism to break through the clouds of negative campaigning in these last 72 hours before The Vote. Voters fear losing what they’ve already got more than they appreciate gaining something in the dim and distant future. Behavioural psychologists call it the "endowment effect" or "status quo bias".

    It’s why the Conservatives are believed to have scraped out a win in ’92, as nervy voters clutched their purses and wallets and looked at the "threat" of Neil Kinnock and his gang. And it’s what the Conservative campaign has been based on - telling people how good they've got it right now, and how Labour will blow it, rather than telling people how good they might have it in the future.

    Only on "Manifesto Day", and a handful of times since, did David Cameron lurch away from that message with his talk of the "good life" to come . Yes, negative campaigning is dreary and depressing, corroding the very soul of political life. But the fault, dear reader, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.

  8. Who gets first dibs?published at 14:30 British Summer Time 4 May 2015

    14:30 BST 4 May 2015

    Newsnight's presenter and chief correspondent tweets...

  9. Preparing for election nightpublished at 14:26 British Summer Time 4 May 2015

    14:26 BST 4 May 2015

    The BBC's home duty editor tweets this picture from Broadcasting House...

  10. UKIP 'going to win Falkirk'published at 14:23

    14:23

    Election Live - 4 May (7)Image source, PA

    UKIP has "massive support" in Falkirk and looks like its going to win in Falkirk, according to the party's leader in Scotland. David Coburn, candidate for the seat, made the upbeat remarks as he launched UKIP's Scottish manifesto in the town centre.

    Mr Coburn told the audience of supporters that Labour had "disgraced themselves here" while Falkirk voters were not interested in the SNP.

    Quote Message

    They are not interested in the Scottish nationalists because the Scottish nationalists are not good for the business of Falkirk. They are not interested in fracking, which is essential to keep Grangemouth (pictured above) open. They are not interested in coal technology or improving it. They really just want to send us back to a William Wallace pre-industrialised age ... but I think the vast majority of people would like to have their central heating thank you very much."

    David Coburn

  11. Brand backingpublished at 14:15 British Summer Time 4 May 2015

    14:15 BST 4 May 2015

    The editor of the Spectator tweets...

  12. 'One final message'published at 14:12

    14:12

    BBC News Channel

    Election Live - 4 May (8)

    "I suspect there's a sort of numb panic" - that's the assessment of the politicians' current mood from Prof Tony Travers, of the London School of Economics. We've been through weeks of campaigning, but "it's still absolutely level-pegging", he says.

    "The truth is that they must now be thinking, 'If we can just get one final message across we can perhaps get a few extra votes and that will allow us then to be in a better negotiating position on Friday.' I suspect that's what they're privately now thinking."

  13. No Brand endorsementpublished at 14:07

    14:07

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    "I am very pleased Russell Brand hasn't endorsed me," says Nigel Farage, with a chuckle."I don't think it'll make any difference to the campaign, at all."

    Asked whether he'd received any celebrity endorsements, Mr Farage said former BBC talk-show presenter Robert Kilroy Silk had once joined the party, but he added of that experience: "I think we were rather bitten by the celebrity culture so we haven't done much with it since."

  14. PM in Wellspublished at 14:03

    14:03

    From Jonny Dymond, Conservative campaign correspondent

    The prime minister did a 15-minute walkabout in front of Wells Cathedral during a May Day fair, chatting with smallholders and taking selfies with voters. Everyone was friendly and pretty pleased to see him, although there was a little bit of barracking from an anti-fracking protester.

  15. 'Driven down wages'published at 14:00

    14:00

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    "The future is global, it is not the EU," Nigel Farage exclaims. "The EU is now a millstone round our neck.

    "We have let into the EU 10 former communist countries. Many of them have communities that live in abject poverty and I don't blame anyone for wanting to better their lives... but the fact is they have driven down wages in this country."

  16. Greens on immigrationpublished at 13:57

    13:57

    Election Live - 4 May (9)Image source, Getty

    Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, herself born in Australia, has told an audience in Haringey, north east London, that voting Green could help to deliver a "fair, humane, decent" immigration policy.

    Quote Message

    For months we have seen the entire political establishment trying to out-UKIP UKIP, to sound tougher on immigration than UKIP. As a migrant... I've watched in horror as other parties have lined up to blame immigrants for a whole range of ills that come not as a result of immigration but as a result of government policies."

    She said it was "no great surprise" that the Tories "have tried to grab back their voters from UKIP". But she also turned her fire on Labour.

    Quote Message

    To many, what has been much more shocking has been Labour's failure of backbone and Labour's chasing after Ukip on immigration rhetoric. Rather than standing up to Nigel Farage and his chums, Labour has wilted."

  17. Shortage of womenpublished at 13:56 British Summer Time 4 May 2015

    13:56 BST 4 May 2015

    Political correspondent at the Guardian tweets...

  18. Meeting real peoplepublished at 13:54 British Summer Time 4 May 2015

    13:54 BST 4 May 2015

    The BBC's UKIP campaign correspondent tweets...

  19. Part of the establishment?published at 13:54

    13:54

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Election Live - 4 May (10)

    "I am not part of the establishment, I am anti-establishment... that is why they are gathering round together and being so beastly to me," Nigel Farage says after explaining he went to private school, and wants to create more grammar schools.

  20. Reaching voterspublished at 13:51 British Summer Time 4 May 2015

    13:51 BST 4 May 2015

    The Guardian's political editor tweets...

Election Live - 4 May (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Annamae Dooley

Last Updated:

Views: 5340

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (65 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Annamae Dooley

Birthday: 2001-07-26

Address: 9687 Tambra Meadow, Bradleyhaven, TN 53219

Phone: +9316045904039

Job: Future Coordinator

Hobby: Archery, Couponing, Poi, Kite flying, Knitting, Rappelling, Baseball

Introduction: My name is Annamae Dooley, I am a witty, quaint, lovely, clever, rich, sparkling, powerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.