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| Parties defend spending cut plans | Parties defend spending cut plans |
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| The parties have defended their spending plans amid claims they are not being upfront ahead of polling day about the scale of future cuts. | The parties have defended their spending plans amid claims they are not being upfront ahead of polling day about the scale of future cuts. |
| The Institute for Fiscal Studies said the parties' plans were thin on detail. | The Institute for Fiscal Studies said the parties' plans were thin on detail. |
| Chancellor Alistair Darling and his opposite numbers, George Osborne and Vince Cable, are all facing questions in a series of public appearances. | Chancellor Alistair Darling and his opposite numbers, George Osborne and Vince Cable, are all facing questions in a series of public appearances. |
| Labour are campaigning on crime while the Tories and Lib Dems focus on bank reform and tuition fees respectively. | Labour are campaigning on crime while the Tories and Lib Dems focus on bank reform and tuition fees respectively. |
| Wednesday's other developments include: | Wednesday's other developments include: |
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| The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said none of the three largest parties at Westminster have come "anywhere close" to making clear where cuts would be made to meet their deficit reduction targets over the next four years. | The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said none of the three largest parties at Westminster have come "anywhere close" to making clear where cuts would be made to meet their deficit reduction targets over the next four years. |
| This, it said, was despite the parties' plans implying the deepest cuts in spending since the 1970s and - in the case of the Conservatives - the biggest one-year reduction in public spending since demobilisation at the end of World War II. | This, it said, was despite the parties' plans implying the deepest cuts in spending since the 1970s and - in the case of the Conservatives - the biggest one-year reduction in public spending since demobilisation at the end of World War II. |
| Robert Chote, IFS director: "We are all in the dark" | Robert Chote, IFS director: "We are all in the dark" |
| Senior figures from the three parties are speaking on the issue at the Institute of Directors' annual conference. | Senior figures from the three parties are speaking on the issue at the Institute of Directors' annual conference. |
| Its director general, Miles Templeman, accused politicians of "complacency", telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme they had failed to describe "the scale of the deficit reduction we're going to need". | Its director general, Miles Templeman, accused politicians of "complacency", telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme they had failed to describe "the scale of the deficit reduction we're going to need". |
| Long-term plans on "infrastructure investment, rebuilding our skills position and deregulating" were also not being explained. | Long-term plans on "infrastructure investment, rebuilding our skills position and deregulating" were also not being explained. |
| However, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Labour's commitment to halving the deficit within four years was clear, with planned cuts in transport capital spending, departmental budgets and savings through public sector pension and pay restraint. | However, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Labour's commitment to halving the deficit within four years was clear, with planned cuts in transport capital spending, departmental budgets and savings through public sector pension and pay restraint. |
| When pressed as to why the party had not given more detail, he said: "In an economic hurricane you don't do a detailed weather forecast." | When pressed as to why the party had not given more detail, he said: "In an economic hurricane you don't do a detailed weather forecast." |
| He said the main complaint of the IFS appeared to be that the government had not set out planned cuts into 2016/17 - well into the parliament after next. | He said the main complaint of the IFS appeared to be that the government had not set out planned cuts into 2016/17 - well into the parliament after next. |
| 'Economic illiteracy' | 'Economic illiteracy' |
| Mr Miliband also described Conservative leader David Cameron's comparison of the UK to Greece, where the credit rating has been downgraded to "junk", as "economic illiteracy". | Mr Miliband also described Conservative leader David Cameron's comparison of the UK to Greece, where the credit rating has been downgraded to "junk", as "economic illiteracy". |
| UK current account and annual deficits were much smaller and debts were payable over a longer period, he added. | UK current account and annual deficits were much smaller and debts were payable over a longer period, he added. |
| First to go before the IoD conference was Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable who said politicians needed to break down some "basic taboos", such as cuts in welfare benefits. | First to go before the IoD conference was Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable who said politicians needed to break down some "basic taboos", such as cuts in welfare benefits. |
| The Lib Dems had plans to scrap child trust funds, reduce winter fuel payments for the under 65s and address public sector pension funding, he said. | The Lib Dems had plans to scrap child trust funds, reduce winter fuel payments for the under 65s and address public sector pension funding, he said. |
| Mr Cable said it made "absolutely no sense" to cut back the budgets of "low-profile departments to protect bureaucracy in high-profile departments", such as education or health. | Mr Cable said it made "absolutely no sense" to cut back the budgets of "low-profile departments to protect bureaucracy in high-profile departments", such as education or health. |
| How taxes are raised and spent Flanders: A conspiracy of silence class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/haveyoursay/2010/04/which_party_can_be_trusted_wit.html">Send us your comments | |
| But he added: "In the short-term, you shouldn't be doing anything in government that pushes the economy into a double-dip recession." | But he added: "In the short-term, you shouldn't be doing anything in government that pushes the economy into a double-dip recession." |
| Speaking at a campaign event in Wakefield, Mr Cameron said only his party would take tough action such as imposing a public-sector pay freeze and cutting back on the availability of child trust funds and child benefits. | Speaking at a campaign event in Wakefield, Mr Cameron said only his party would take tough action such as imposing a public-sector pay freeze and cutting back on the availability of child trust funds and child benefits. |
| "The responsibility for the start of this problem and not being frank with the public lies squarely at the door of Gordon Brown," he added. | "The responsibility for the start of this problem and not being frank with the public lies squarely at the door of Gordon Brown," he added. |
| Shadow chancellor George Osborne and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson will also take questions at the IoD conference. | Shadow chancellor George Osborne and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson will also take questions at the IoD conference. |
| Mr Osborne is expected to set out plans for a new regulation system, a bank levy and the creation of a new economic crime agency. | Mr Osborne is expected to set out plans for a new regulation system, a bank levy and the creation of a new economic crime agency. |
| He is set to tell his audience: "Our objective is very clear: a successful and competitive banking industry that works for the people instead of being bailed out by the people." | He is set to tell his audience: "Our objective is very clear: a successful and competitive banking industry that works for the people instead of being bailed out by the people." |
| Meanwhile, Mr Darling is expected to criticise the Conservatives' judgement. | Meanwhile, Mr Darling is expected to criticise the Conservatives' judgement. |
| "It's not their youth and inexperience that worries me about the Tory leadership. It is their values, their instincts and their dangerous policies," he is expected to say. | "It's not their youth and inexperience that worries me about the Tory leadership. It is their values, their instincts and their dangerous policies," he is expected to say. |
| CCTV debate | CCTV debate |
| Separately, the chancellor will make a keynote speech in Edinburgh as the economy takes centre stage ahead of Thursday's final TV prime ministerial debate - which will focus predominantly on the issue. | Separately, the chancellor will make a keynote speech in Edinburgh as the economy takes centre stage ahead of Thursday's final TV prime ministerial debate - which will focus predominantly on the issue. |
| The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the parties' reluctance to talk about the details of future cuts was understandable given the closeness of polling day, but it risked another crisis in confidence in the political system if people felt they were only told the truth after the election. | The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the parties' reluctance to talk about the details of future cuts was understandable given the closeness of polling day, but it risked another crisis in confidence in the political system if people felt they were only told the truth after the election. |
| After the Conservatives focused on crime on Tuesday - with leader David Cameron saying millions of lives were being blighted by poverty, family breakdown, educational failure and social irresponsibility - Labour hit back. | After the Conservatives focused on crime on Tuesday - with leader David Cameron saying millions of lives were being blighted by poverty, family breakdown, educational failure and social irresponsibility - Labour hit back. |
| Home Secretary Alan Johnson said Tory claims about rising crime were based on "fundamental deceit" and set about defending use of CCTV to tackle crime. | Home Secretary Alan Johnson said Tory claims about rising crime were based on "fundamental deceit" and set about defending use of CCTV to tackle crime. |
| He introduced model Katie Piper, who had acid thrown in her face in north London in March 2008 and whose attackers were convicted using CCTV evidence. | He introduced model Katie Piper, who had acid thrown in her face in north London in March 2008 and whose attackers were convicted using CCTV evidence. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| She said: "The feeling [on the day they were sentenced] of relief and faith restored in society was unbelievable. I'm very comforted by the thought that CCTV cameras are in public areas." | She said: "The feeling [on the day they were sentenced] of relief and faith restored in society was unbelievable. I'm very comforted by the thought that CCTV cameras are in public areas." |
| Mr Clegg will later argue that his party is the only one committed to scrapping student tuition fees, although he will admit the crisis in the public finances means this cannot be done "overnight". | Mr Clegg will later argue that his party is the only one committed to scrapping student tuition fees, although he will admit the crisis in the public finances means this cannot be done "overnight". |
| He will say his opponents want to allow universities to raise the current cap on fees, and this would be a "disaster". | He will say his opponents want to allow universities to raise the current cap on fees, and this would be a "disaster". |
| "Students can make the difference in countless seats in this election," he will say. | "Students can make the difference in countless seats in this election," he will say. |
| "Use your vote to block those unfair tuition fees." | "Use your vote to block those unfair tuition fees." |
| Meanwhile, the latest opinion polls continue to suggest no single party is on course to win an outright majority. | Meanwhile, the latest opinion polls continue to suggest no single party is on course to win an outright majority. |
| A Populus poll for the Times puts the Conservatives on 36%, up four points on last week, the Lib Dems down three points on 28% and Labour down one on 27%. | A Populus poll for the Times puts the Conservatives on 36%, up four points on last week, the Lib Dems down three points on 28% and Labour down one on 27%. |
| A YouGov daily tracker poll for the Sun puts the Conservatives on 33%, Labour on 29% and the Lib Dems on 28% while a Comres poll for the Independent and ITV News puts the Tories on 33% and Labour and the Lib Dems level-pegging on 29%. | A YouGov daily tracker poll for the Sun puts the Conservatives on 33%, Labour on 29% and the Lib Dems on 28% while a Comres poll for the Independent and ITV News puts the Tories on 33% and Labour and the Lib Dems level-pegging on 29%. |
| The BBC's head of political research David Cowling said the polls were following the pattern of the past 10 days, with the battle a clear three-horse race and a hung parliament remaining a distinct possibility. | The BBC's head of political research David Cowling said the polls were following the pattern of the past 10 days, with the battle a clear three-horse race and a hung parliament remaining a distinct possibility. |