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It was St George’s Day today, and party leaders raced to roll out their visions for a better, prouder and stronger England. While Ukip accused the establishment of “cultural self-loathing”, Gordon Brown said the Conservatives’ anti-Scottish sentiment had turned them into the English National Party, and Nicola Sturgeon maintained her stance that England would need the SNP to keep Labour in check were they to form a government. Here’s everything else that happened.



The big picture

Today’s campaign centred on the economy, as the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) published its pre-election analysis of the economic policies of the four largest parties: Labour, the Conservatives, the Lib Dems and the SNP. The IFS accused the major parties of keeping voters “in the dark” by spelling out only the “broad outlines” of their tax and spend plans following the general election. The think tank’s deputy director Carl Emmerson said:



There are genuinely big differences between the main parties’ fiscal plans. The electorate has a real choice, although it can at best see only the broad outlines of that choice.

Quite predictably, the parties used various findings as weapons with which to attack their opponents, while simultaneously picking out the negative assessments about their own pledges that they could deny. So voters are still in the dark. One thing was clear though - this is not an issue that parties want to seem weak on. What’s that? “It’s the economy, stupid.” Duh.

party manifesto launches Photograph: ,

What happened today

George Osborne faces a £30bn black hole in his spending plans if he is to pay for the Conservatives’ manifesto giveaways and meet his deficit-cutting targets over the next parliament, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. The think tank calculated that the Conservatives would have to slash an extra £30bn from Whitehall departments over the next five years — even if they succeeded in raising £10bn from as yet unidentified welfare cuts, and £5bn from anti-tax avoidance measures.



The think tank calculated that the Conservatives would have to slash an extra £30bn from Whitehall departments over the next five years — even if they succeeded in raising £10bn from as yet unidentified welfare cuts, and £5bn from anti-tax avoidance measures. The IFS also calculated that debt would be higher under Labour, which would mean higher interest payments for the government, potentially leaving it less well placed to deal with future adverse events.



Scotland’s block grant would actually be cut under the SNP’s plans, but not under Labour’s. The IFS said the SNP’s claim to end austerity is misleading.



Gordon Brown delivered a campaign speech in Kirkcaldy, where he pledged emergency £5000 for 117 food banks 24 hours after a Labour win. Brown also revealed that Labour will create funding to help on loans to drive pay day lenders out of Scotland; help with energy bills and cookers so children can get hot food; help with bus fares to reach food banks as part of emergency help with finances.



Peter Mandelson lent his support to Ed Miliband and said he was proud of the Labour leader. The former Labour cabinet member also said it didn’t seem like David Cameron’s heart is in the campaign anymore.



Nicola Sturgeon has said she would support a Labour government even if the Conservatives were the biggest party.

Tristram hunt said Labour would fire teachers not qualified or training to become qualified by 2020.



A new Survation poll put the Conservatives four points ahead of Labour.



And in non election news, Lutfur Rahman, the mayor of Tower Hamlets was kicked out of office after being found guilty of widespread corruption in seeking office last May.



Quote of the day

“They wake up in the morning thinking of how to make Scotland independent. We wake up in the morning thinking of how to advance social justice” - Gordon Brown on the SNP. Regardless of its validity, it’s a great line.



Laugh of the day

Mark Taylor UKIP (@MarkTaylorUKIP) To the guys who phoned my campaign mobile and sang; "There's only one Nigel Farage", I say thankyou. A moving moment & a superb performance.

That’s it from me today. Join me and the rest of the Guardian election team again tomorrow, as we bring you the latest news, reaction, analysis, pictures, video, and jokes from the campaign trail. Don’t worry, we will continue to do this until polling day, and possibly later.

