All eyes on Scotland

Quick, follow me! We might be able to catch a flight from Glasgow to Spain!

Hung Parliament? Yes please!

Scotland took centre stage today as its airports became virtually the only place in Northern Europe where planes could take off. Also today, the Scottish National Party launched its manifesto, on a platform of ‘vote for us, that way nobody wins’.

Or rather, Alex Salmond believes if there’s a hung Parliament, then the SNP will hold the balance of power, which seems to somewhat neglect the fact that the Liberal Democrats would actually hold the balance of power. Even if by some statistically near-impossible twist of fate sees the SNP making the crucial difference to the numbers in any coalition negotiations, could any Westminster government survive being held hostage by Scottish nationalist MPs?

Salmond is, however, right when he says the prospect of a hung parliament “causes panic in the Labour and Tory ranks”. With the Liberal Democrats still riding high in the polls, both Labour and the Tories have been turning their guns on the Nick Clegg and his band of would-be gatecrashers. David Cameron yesterday junked his planned party political broadcast (which had been Labour-bashing) in favour of restating his ‘big society’ theme and a generally more positive approach.

Cameron’s next stop may be to his banker friends to plead for more money. The Times is reporting that publication of donations on May 4 has scared off previously pledged donors leaving the party with a £3m black hole. And they want to run the economy…

…amongst UKIP’s money-raising ploys are citrus air fresheners emblazoned with “Enjoy the smell of freedom – leave the EU”


QUOTE OF THE DAY

Dermot: Okay listen. Just to give people at home who are first time voters this election round, er sort of a taste of where you come from. What about you, you were a first time voter in '87. What inspired you? Presumably you voted Liberal in '87?
Clegg: Yeah I've always - I'm just trying to think um.
Dermot: Just clear that up, you have always voted Liberal?
Clegg: I've always voted Liberal, absolutely. Um.

– BBC Three’s Dermot O’Leary proves a tougher test for Nick Clegg than Jeremy Paxman


THE GREASY POLL
Lab 27, Con 33, LibDem 31 (YouGov)