Ed miliband

A common technique in gothic horror novels is to avoid describing whatever monster the author is trying to scare readers with. The imagination is even more powerful than the pen, and silence on the details of the beast means those reading will concoct their own personal nightmare as they read on. This was always the risk with the Tory refusal to set out the detail of the £12 billion of welfare cuts they plan to make in the next Parliament. Ed Miliband is trying to exploit that lack of detail today by launching a ‘dossier’ that sets out the ‘secret plan’ the Tories have on welfare cuts. In his speech this morning, the Labour leader said: ‘Today we show what another five years of Tory government would mean. A Tory secret plan.

Yesterday David Cameron described Russell Brand as a 'joke' after it was revealed that Ed Miliband had paid a late-night visit to the comedian's home for an interview: 'Russell Brand is a joke. Ed Miliband meeting him is a joke. This election isn't funny.' listen to ‘David Cameron says Russell Brand is a 'joke'’ on audioBoom Brand has now responded and has ridiculed Cameron for claiming to be a football fan when he was once a member of the elite Bullingdon Club.

There will be more promises from the party leaders today — plus a comedic twist. David Cameron will pledge a five year ‘tax lock’ that will be enshrined in law, while Ed Miliband will attack the proposed £12 billion welfare cuts and promise to raise working-age tax credits in line with inflation. And then we have Russell Brand. To help guide you through the melée of stories and spin, here is a summary of today’s main election stories. 1. The taxman banished David Cameron doesn’t appear to feel confident that the electorate believes his promises.

Lyndon Johnson’s first lesson of politics was to be able to count. It’s something that many of those commenting on the various post-election scenarios could do with remembering. Let’s start with those who think that there is some overriding importance in being the largest single party and that this gives you the right to form a government, even if you lack a majority. It is never clear what people expect the other parties to do in such a scenario. Assume, for example, that after the election the Conservatives are the largest party but without a majority, and there is an anti-Conservative block that is larger. Do we really expect the anti-Conservative parties just to shrug their shoulders, say ‘oh well’, and put the Conservatives into power?

In today's election podcast special, Fraser Nelson, James Forsyth, Isabel Hardman and I discuss David Cameron's ramped up rhetoric on the SNP threat to the Union, the Tories' promise to create 50,000 new apprenticeships from Libor fines and Labour's latest attempts to talk about controlling immigration. We also briefly look at the Liberal Democrats 'red lines' for future coalition negotiations and Ukip's attempts to woo voters in the north.

The Sun reports this morning that Ed Miliband recently made a late-night visit to Russell Brand's £2 million home. Details on what was discussed remain unknown, although Labour has now confirmed that rather than Miliband's own François Hollande moment, or a pre-emptive mansion tax inspection, it was in fact an interview. A friend of mine lives opposite Russell Brand and snapped this picture of Ed Milliband leaving his house...urm pic.twitter.com/kHGVWFbpVZ — Elisa Misu Solaris (@ElisaMisu) April 27, 2015 However, if Miliband is to appear in an episode of Brand's online show The Trews, it's unclear what the Labour leader hopes to gain from it. Is this really an endorsement any serious potential Prime Minister would want?