Election diary

GORDON BROWN

It was going so well: then came along his three disgraced former parliamentary colleagues and their legal aid.

DAVID CAMERON

Just when it looked like he would be ignored on a day centred around Gordon Brown's manifesto, up popped the three former Labour MPs.

NICK CLEGG

Another day he has struggled to get noticed as the political agenda centred on the big two.

ALEX SALMOND

Was ridiculed for making exaggerated claims about cuts in Scottish funding without any real evidence to back it up.

Tories and SNP in fuel price fight

THE SNP and Conservatives have traded blows on fuel prices – despite having almost identical policies.

The SNP wants a fuel regulator to be introduced, while the Tories plan a stabiliser. Both would decrease duty when the price of oil goes up, and vice-versa.

Angus MacNeil, SNP transport spokesman in Westminster, said: "For two years the SNP have put forward a fuel regulator and the Tories refused to vote for it."

She doesn't bear a grudge, then...

ANNABEL Goldie has been on the election trail, offering support to a candidate who called for her to stand down as leader.

Peter Lyburn, who is standing in Perth and North Perthshire, criticised Ms Goldie in 2007 and called for a rejuvenation of the party leadership.

Labour MSP John Park said: "Mr (David] Cameron's candidate, Peter Lyburn, has made it absolutely clear that he doesn't want Ms Goldie as leader of the Scottish Conservatives, but she is telling people in the area that she supports him."

Jack and Jill… on memory sticks

THE Labour manifesto was posted online and distributed to the press and members via a USB memory stick.

The presentation included short animated cartoons, featuring characters called Jack and Jill designed and produced by Ridley Scott Associates.