Tweet of the Day
The Lib Dem manifesto is going to run to about 160 pages, twice the length of the Conservatives. Sky News’ Political Editor Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) tweets: “The manifesto has landed. Its thick. 160 pages of pure @LibDems”
Rumour of the Day
Pressure is on Zac Goldsmith to stand down following the launch of the Conservative’s manifesto…
Conservative candidate for Richmond Park, Zac Goldsmith, who was MP for the constituency in the last Parliament, has come under pressure over his views on Heathrow expansion. He previously said that he “would not want to stand as a Conservative candidate on a manifesto that is ambiguous on this issue.” However, the Conservative manifesto published yesterday left the door open to expansion, saying the party would respond to the independent airports commission on the issue. His Liberal Democrat rival, Robin Meltzer has called for Zac Goldsmith to stand down. Responding, the former MP said that since 2012 nothing has changed due to the work of the airports commission and he would trigger a by-election if the expansion was given the green light.
Manifesto Watch
Connect previews the launch of the Liberal Democrat manifesto…
Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg will launch the Liberal Democrat manifesto in Battersea this morning and although expectations are lower than during ‘Cleggmania’ in 2010, the Liberal Democrats are likely to play a big part in any post-election negotiations that may occur. Late last year, the Liberal Democrats took the unusual step of publishing a ‘pre-manifesto’ which is likely to play a major part in what is published today. The manifesto will contain guarantees for both spending on education and health, including a pledge that spending on education will rise in line with economic growth and with the rise in pupil numbers. Throughout the campaign, Nick Clegg has sought to position his Party in the middle ground between what he describes as the “swivel-eyed right-wing backbenchers” or a “hapless Labour minority administration with the SNP”. Whether it will be enough to prompt a recovery in the polls is yet to be seen but it is clear that the party is aiming for another key role in government.
Constituency Overview: Key Seats to Watch – Thurrock
With UKIP launching their election manifesto today in Thurrock, Connect takes a look at one of their must-win seats…
Keep an eye on this constituency during election night - a three way battle will commence between incumbent Conservative, Jackie Doyle-Price, former Special Adviser to Ed Miliband, Polly Billington and the former Head of UKIP's Policy Unit, Tim Aker. The once safe Labour seat was won by the Conservatives in 2010 on the narrowest of margins and both the BNP and UKIP gained large support. The momentum is currently with UKIP, with voters feeling uninspired by Polly Billington and Jackie Doyle-Price, and a Lord Ashcroft poll finding UKIP six per cent ahead of Labour in July last year. The seat is typical fertile UKIP territory with a large white working class population who have experienced the effects of deindustrialisation.
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