Nicola Sturgeon has "categorically" denied telling a foreign ambassador she would rather see David Cameron than Ed Miliband as PM after the election.
The SNP leader faced calls to explain a diplomatic memo, which recorded her saying privately that the Labour leader was not "prime minister material".
The claims appeared on the front page of the Daily Telegraph, and were followed swiftly by an angry denial from Ms Sturgeon.
In a direct tweet to the journalists who wrote the story she said: "Your story is categorically, 100%, untrue ... which I'd have told you if you'd asked me at any point today."
:: For full coverage of General Election 2015 click here
Video:Sturgeon On SNP-Labour Pact
A spokeswoman for the First Minister added: "It must be a belated April Fool.
"As Nicola has said on numerous occasions, she wants to see the back of a Tory government which is decisively rejected by the people of Scotland and unlike Labour, the SNP is the only party that has promised to lock David Cameron out of Downing Street."
However the Telegraph published a leaked UK Government memorandum apparently written after Scotland's First Minister met French ambassador Sylvie Bermann.
The memo of the meeting in February detailed her apparent preference for Mr Cameron remaining in Downing Street.
The note was written by a British civil servant after a conversation with the French consul-general.
It said: "Discussion appears to have focused mainly on the political situation, with the FM stating that she wouldn't want a formal coalition with Labour; that the SNP would almost certainly have a large number of seats ... that she'd rather see David Cameron remain as PM."
Video:Snap Polls: Who Won?
Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy said it was a "devastating revelation" that exposes the uncomfortable truth behind the SNP's General Election campaign.
"For months Nicola Sturgeon has been telling Scots she wants rid of David Cameron yet behind closed doors with foreign governments she admits she wants a Tory government.
"If Scotland votes SNP in May then Nicola Sturgeon will get her wish - the Tories will be the largest party across the UK and David Cameron will return to Downing Street.
"Only a vote for Labour will deliver a Labour government."
Ms Sturgeon's performance in the televised debate has focused attention on her party's potentially pivotal role in forming the next UK government.
Tories described the prospect of a Labour government propped up by the votes of the Scottish nationalists as a "lethal cocktail".
Video:Who Is Nicola Sturgeon?
The party said such an alliance would destabilise the country and undermine the economic recovery.
She was branded "the most dangerous woman in Britain" by the Daily Mail. Polls suggest the anti-austerity SNP could snatch dozens of Labour seats north of the border.
Meanwhile, campaigning continues into Easter with Labour unveiling a plan to build 125,000 homes by creating a £5bn housebuilding fund.
The Tories, meanwhile, are unveiling a pledge to force pornography websites to use effective age-verification tools to keep out under-18s.
Ms Sturgeon is due to join the annual Scrap Trident group march in Glasgow, only a short distance from the Faslane home of nuclear-armed submarines.
"Never before have the establishment Westminster parties been so unpopular - and never has there been a greater opportunity to build a progressive alliance across these islands to chart a different course," she is due tell the rally.
Video:Sturgeon Asks For EU Guarantee
The latest Survation/Mirror poll puts Mr Miliband ahead of Mr Cameron, with 33% and 31% of the vote respectively.
UKIP polled at 18%, the Liberal Democrats 9%, the SNP 5% and Greens 3%.
These results are markedly different from a YouGov/The Sun poll which was published on Thursday night.
It suggested that the Conservative Party had hit a three-year high - with 37% of those questioned stating they would vote Tory if the General Election was tomorrow.
Labour was on 35%, the Lib Dems on 7%, UKIP on 12% and the Greens on 5%.
Written By Unknown on Jumat, 03 April 2015 | 14.44
The man who mugged disabled pensioner Alan Barnes, sparking a charity campaign that raised £330,000, has been jailed.
Richard Gatiss was sentenced to four years in prison by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court.
The 25-year-old drug addict pushed Mr Barnes over as he put his bins out in Gateshead, breaking his collar bone.
He was trying to get money to buy legal highs when he carried out the mugging, but ran off empty handed.
Gatiss has been jailed for four years for mugging Mr Barnes
Judge Paul Sloan QC said: "I have no doubt he was picked on by you because of his vulnerability.
"It was on any view a despicable offence."
Video:Pensioner On 'Magic' Meeting
Gatiss, from Gateshead, was caught after analysis of DNA evidence from the pocket of Mr Barnes's jacket.
Mr Barnes was too scared to return to his home in Low Fell, Gateshead, and has said he will buy a new house with the money raised online.
The fund was started by beautician Katie Cutler, 21, who initially set a target of £500 to buy new carpets and curtains.
Mr Barnes' disabilities were caused when his mother contracted German measles while she was pregnant.
After he was arrested, Gatiss denied being involved in the mugging, saying he had been brought up better than that, but then later claimed a knifeman made him do it.
When he was challenged, he confessed. Prosecutor Nick Dry said: "He said he wanted money to buy legal highs to which he had become addicted, then breaking down, he was distressed at what he had done."
Jamie Adams, defending, said that Gatiss had recently been diagnosed with epilepsy and that his medication when mixed with legal highs would have a "deleterious effect".
He added that publicity surrounding the case had made Gatiss "the subject of some pretty awful double-standard behaviour" from other inmates.
He said: "Life is not easy for him. He is going to be in the public glare for a long time to come and he knows that.
"There is a lot for him to deal with."
After the sentencing, Mr Barnes said he hoped Gatiss would "do some thinking" while he was in prison.
He said: "I'm pleased he's been sentenced and I think the sentence of four years is just about the right length.
"I hope while he's in prison he'll do some thinking and when he comes out he'll do something useful.
"Maybe he might decide to help people, which I think would be a good idea for him.
"It's sad that he was brought to the stage of doing something like this - not necessarily just me, it could have been anybody and they might not have got over the incident."
Mr Barnes added that his injuries have now virtually healed and he has found a new house in Low Fell that he hopes to buy.
In a letter to the judge, Gatiss' father Karl said he had disowned his son after the mugging, but said he had since decided he could not abandon him.
He wrote: "He started on the slippery slope of drug-taking. He latterly used legal highs and the likeable lad we had known slowly drifted away from us.
"Our family observed the deterioration of our formerly cheeky boy into a shadow of himself, obviously with whom we were unable to communicate.
"He recognises the gravity of what he has done and is disgusted with himself and is full of remorse."
One of the nine Britons detained in Turkey for allegedly trying to cross into Syria is the son of a Labour councillor.
In a statement, Rochdale councillor Shakil Ahmed said he was "shocked, worried and extremely upset" to find out his 21-year-old son Waheed was one of those held by Turkish authorities.
Officers from Greater Manchester Police and North West Counter Terrorism are working with Rochdale Council, local partners and faith leaders to establish why the family were found at the border.
The five adults, aged 21, 22, 22, 24 and 47, as well as four children aged one, three, eight and 11, are believed to be related and currently live in Rochdale.
The Britons are expected to be deported from Turkey on Thursday.
The family leave hospital after undergoing check ups and fingerprinting
Mr Ahmed, who represents the Kingsway ward on the council, said he thought his son was in Birmingham on a work placement.
He added: "My son is a good Muslim and his loyalties belong to Britain, so I don't understand what he's doing there.
Video:Manchester Police Statement
"If I thought for a second that he was in danger of being radicalised I would have reported him to the authorities.
"He's studying a degree in politics and sociology at Manchester University and has a good future ahead of him."
The nine were held by Turkish officials at a military outpost at Ogulpinar, in the south of the country.
Footage released earlier showed them arriving at a police station in Southern Hatay province.
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett said: "What is obviously concerning is why a family were seemingly attempting to take very young and vulnerable children into a warzone; such a volatile and dangerous environment is no place for them whatsoever.
"We have commenced an investigation to try and establish their reasons for travel and as this is a live investigation - which is very much in its infancy - we are not in a position to comment further."
Police say they have found "no evidence whatsoever" of any imminent threat to the community in Rochdale or anywhere else in the UK.
Simon Danczuk, who is defending the Rochdale seat for Labour at the election, said: "I am in the process of trying to find out more information on this case from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, though I would like to thank the authorities for stopping this family entering what is effectively a war zone.
"I am particularly disturbed that children were involved.
"I have also been in touch with the father of one of the young men who was there and he is shocked and confused as to why his son would be trying to enter Syria."
Written By Unknown on Kamis, 02 April 2015 | 14.44
Hillsborough Survivor Saved By 'Kiss Of Life'
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Video:Relatives' Moving Stories
By Nick Martin, North Of England Correspondent
Survivors of the Hillsborough tragedy have given moving accounts of what happened to them that day.
They were called as witnesses to the inquests into the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans who died at the semi-final on 15 April, 1989.
Ian McDermott, who paid £6 for his ticket to attend the match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, told the jury that he was one of the fans who entered the stadium through a side gate which had been opened by police to allow fans into the ground.
He told the inquest he went through a tunnel at the Lepping's Lane end and arrived at a crowded pen three.
"I just describe it was a swirl. It was completely rotating all the time, never stayed still," he said.
1/7
Gallery: Hillsborough Report: Key Figures
Sir Norman Bettison was involved in the original internal inquiry for South Yorkshire Police and is now chief constable of the West Yorkshire force. Insists he has "nothing to hide"
David Duckenfield was chief supt of South Yorkshire Police and in charge of policing on the day of the disaster
]]>
Former South Yorkshire Police superintendent Bernard Murray was Duckenfield's deputy at the game. Was acquitted of manslaughter charges brought in a private prosecution in 2000. Died in 2006
]]>
Former South Yorkshire Police chief constable Peter Wright gave his backing to police version of events blaming fans. Died in 2011
]]>
The former Police Federation spokesman Paul Middup was among those who sought to place blame on Liverpool fans and his version of events contributed to the now notorious Sun front page
]]>
"I was completely compressed from all sides, I just couldn't move at all. I wasn't in control of my own movement.
"I knew instantly that there was a problem. The match was very quickly erased from my mind. I wasn't interested in anything that was happening on the pitch."
Shortly after kick-off Mr McDermott said he lost consciousness and woke up on the floor of the terraces.
He said: "There was a lot of people standing on my legs and there was someone holding my head. I could hear people shouting into my ear."
He told the inquest that he believed someone had given him "the kiss of life" and placed him face down on the pitch in the recovery position.
He told the inquest that in the days after the disaster he had suffered chest pains and panic attacks.
Gillian Edwards had attended the semi-final the year before with her friend Fiona and had stood in the same pen with a fence between them and the pitch, she told the inquest.
"We both said to ourselves we had to make sure we never had a barrier in front of us because we got crushed that year. It was uncomfortable which made us scared," she said.
She said on the day of the tragedy they had both returned to the stadium and also stood in pen three.
"It was fine. We were just having a laugh, banter with people I remember a beach ball going over head," the jury heard.
Shaking and tearful giving evidence, she said: "Two specific memories I have is one of the push forward and then another push, which scared me.
"I was used to football crowds and movement because of going to the various matches. That scared me but then it eased off. But then there was a second surge forward.
"There was no police. I knew there was something really wrong happening.
"I was making sure that I was breathing. I was making sure, just thinking 'What the hell is going on here?'.
1/19
Gallery: Day Of Tragedy
This gallery contains images of the Hillsborough disaster, in which 96 people died. Here, people try to help those caught up in the crush
Policemen aid football fans at Hillsborough stadium
]]>
"And there was a man who was shouting 'There's girls here, there's girls here. Get the girls out. Stop pushing!'.
"I could hear more panic in his voice, which was making me even more aware then how bad the situation really was."
Christina Lambert QC, on behalf of the coroner, asked: "You lost consciousness in the crowd that day?"
"Yes. I did yes," Ms Edwards replied.
The jury heard that Gillian Edwards suffered a "severe brain injury" during the crush and woke up in hospital having been in a coma for five days.
She was "totally blind" when she woke up and had since regained some sight since, the inquest heard.
John McCarthy told the inquest that his younger brother Ian was one of the 96 who died.
He recalled the crush and being told that his brother had died. He said he went to a gymnasium which had been set up as a temporary morgue.
"There was a pile of bodies on the floor, all over the place, laid out in lines. We had to step over them all to get to Ian because he was on the far side. Once we got there we wouldn't leave him alone.
"When we first got to Ian we knelt down beside him. He had his eyes open. I put him on my knee I said 'wake up'.
"I just couldn't believe he was gone. I sat there cradling him."
He told the inquest that several months ago police showed him video footage of the gymnasium and that he had identified his brother.
"The video zoomed in and I saw Ian. His face was covered and I couldn't work out what it was. Then I could see it was a bin liner. They put a bin liner over his face."
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Hillsborough Survivor Saved By 'Kiss Of Life'
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:Relatives' Moving Stories
By Nick Martin, North Of England Correspondent
Survivors of the Hillsborough tragedy have given moving accounts of what happened to them that day.
They were called as witnesses to the inquests into the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans who died at the semi-final on 15 April, 1989.
Ian McDermott, who paid £6 for his ticket to attend the match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, told the jury that he was one of the fans who entered the stadium through a side gate which had been opened by police to allow fans into the ground.
He told the inquest he went through a tunnel at the Lepping's Lane end and arrived at a crowded pen three.
"I just describe it was a swirl. It was completely rotating all the time, never stayed still," he said.
1/7
Gallery: Hillsborough Report: Key Figures
Sir Norman Bettison was involved in the original internal inquiry for South Yorkshire Police and is now chief constable of the West Yorkshire force. Insists he has "nothing to hide"
David Duckenfield was chief supt of South Yorkshire Police and in charge of policing on the day of the disaster
]]>
Former South Yorkshire Police superintendent Bernard Murray was Duckenfield's deputy at the game. Was acquitted of manslaughter charges brought in a private prosecution in 2000. Died in 2006
]]>
Former South Yorkshire Police chief constable Peter Wright gave his backing to police version of events blaming fans. Died in 2011
]]>
The former Police Federation spokesman Paul Middup was among those who sought to place blame on Liverpool fans and his version of events contributed to the now notorious Sun front page
]]>
"I was completely compressed from all sides, I just couldn't move at all. I wasn't in control of my own movement.
"I knew instantly that there was a problem. The match was very quickly erased from my mind. I wasn't interested in anything that was happening on the pitch."
Shortly after kick-off Mr McDermott said he lost consciousness and woke up on the floor of the terraces.
He said: "There was a lot of people standing on my legs and there was someone holding my head. I could hear people shouting into my ear."
He told the inquest that he believed someone had given him "the kiss of life" and placed him face down on the pitch in the recovery position.
He told the inquest that in the days after the disaster he had suffered chest pains and panic attacks.
Gillian Edwards had attended the semi-final the year before with her friend Fiona and had stood in the same pen with a fence between them and the pitch, she told the inquest.
"We both said to ourselves we had to make sure we never had a barrier in front of us because we got crushed that year. It was uncomfortable which made us scared," she said.
She said on the day of the tragedy they had both returned to the stadium and also stood in pen three.
"It was fine. We were just having a laugh, banter with people I remember a beach ball going over head," the jury heard.
Shaking and tearful giving evidence, she said: "Two specific memories I have is one of the push forward and then another push, which scared me.
"I was used to football crowds and movement because of going to the various matches. That scared me but then it eased off. But then there was a second surge forward.
"There was no police. I knew there was something really wrong happening.
"I was making sure that I was breathing. I was making sure, just thinking 'What the hell is going on here?'.
1/19
Gallery: Day Of Tragedy
This gallery contains images of the Hillsborough disaster, in which 96 people died. Here, people try to help those caught up in the crush
Policemen aid football fans at Hillsborough stadium
]]>
"And there was a man who was shouting 'There's girls here, there's girls here. Get the girls out. Stop pushing!'.
"I could hear more panic in his voice, which was making me even more aware then how bad the situation really was."
Christina Lambert QC, on behalf of the coroner, asked: "You lost consciousness in the crowd that day?"
"Yes. I did yes," Ms Edwards replied.
The jury heard that Gillian Edwards suffered a "severe brain injury" during the crush and woke up in hospital having been in a coma for five days.
She was "totally blind" when she woke up and had since regained some sight since, the inquest heard.
John McCarthy told the inquest that his younger brother Ian was one of the 96 who died.
He recalled the crush and being told that his brother had died. He said he went to a gymnasium which had been set up as a temporary morgue.
"There was a pile of bodies on the floor, all over the place, laid out in lines. We had to step over them all to get to Ian because he was on the far side. Once we got there we wouldn't leave him alone.
"When we first got to Ian we knelt down beside him. He had his eyes open. I put him on my knee I said 'wake up'.
"I just couldn't believe he was gone. I sat there cradling him."
He told the inquest that several months ago police showed him video footage of the gymnasium and that he had identified his brother.
"The video zoomed in and I saw Ian. His face was covered and I couldn't work out what it was. Then I could see it was a bin liner. They put a bin liner over his face."
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What's At Stake For The Seven Party Leaders?
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The British Medical Journal has accused drugs companies which make and market a medicine for a common eye disease of undermining trials of another, cheaper drug so as to maximise profits.
The NHS could save more than £100m a year if doctors were allowed to prescribe Avastin for a common eye condition, says the BMJ.
The drug's current licence allows it to be used for certain cancers, but not age-related macular degeneration.
The condition sees older people slowly lose their central vision until they have only some peripheral vision.
Some 700,000 people in the UK are affected.
But whereas Avastin costs less than £65 per dose, Lucentis, the drug which is licenced for the eye disease, costs £742 per dose.
The BMJ suggests drugs manufacturers have tried to "derail" clinical trials into the cheaper drug's use for age-related macular degeneration.
The companies involved have strenuously denied doing anything wrong.
Novartis, which markets Lucentis in Europe, told Sky News it is taking the allegations seriously.
The company said it was committed to research and development into serious eye disease.
It added that it routinely discusses clinical trials with medical professionals to ensure standards are high.
The BMJ is urging the UK medical authorities to approve Avastin for macular degeneration which it says is safe, effective and cheaper.
But the General Medical Council says although it sympathises with doctors, European law does not allow them to prescribe medicines on the basis of cost.
By Mark Stone in Beijing and King Chai Woon in Kuala Lumpur
A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to death for the killing of two British medical students on the island of Borneo last August.
Fishmonger Zulkipli Abdullah faces death by hanging once his appeals has been exhausted.
Newcastle University students Neil Dalton and Aidan Brunger, both 22, were found lying in a road in Kuching, the capital of Malaysia's Sarawak state, on 6 August.
An inquest heard how they were stabbed to death following an incident at a bar or cafe in the early hours of the morning.
Prosecutor Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad said Zulkipli admitted to the court that he was involved in a fight with the two Britons, along with two of his friends, but claimed he punched one of them rather than stabbing either of them.
Video:Aug 2014: Arrests Over Stabbings
The two men with him on the night testified for the prosecution and said Zulkipli told them he wanted to "test his power" against bigger and taller foreigners.
After the killing, he sniffed the blood on his hands and told his friends that "the blood of white men smells nice," the prosecutor said.
But speaking to Sky News, Zulkipli's defence counsel Anthony Tai said he believes there are "material, fundamental contradictions" by one of the witnesses, who changed her story and testimony.
According to Mr Tai, the unnamed witness initially told the police that she saw three people getting out of a car to attack one foreigner, but during cross-examination, she said she was "mistaken" and claimed that only one person got out of the car and attacked two foreigners.
Mr Tai described the contradictions by the witness as "lies" and expressed surprise that the court still found her to be credible. He said the contradictions will be an important issue during the appeal process.
The fourth-year students were in the Malaysian part of the island on attachment to a hospital in Kuching and were due to finish their placements two days after they were killed.
In a joint statement, their parents said they were "pleased" with the verdict but added it would not bring their sons back.
"They were two exceptional young men with such promise - kind, funny and full of life," Phil and Jan Dalton and Paul Brunger and Sue Hidson said.
"Their deaths have left their families and many good friends utterly devastated.
"Our sons would soon have qualified as doctors. Their unprovoked and senseless murders as they were walking home after a night out with other medical students mean that Aidan and Neil will never have the chance to spend their lives caring for and helping others.
"They would have given so much to the world. We are so very proud of both of them and in what they achieved in their all too short lives.
"Although we are pleased that the man responsible for their murders has been held accountable, the guilty verdict does not bring our sons back."
Winds of up to 70mph battered parts of England and Wales overnight, causing widespread travel disruption and flooding in some regions.
In the northwest, firefighters spent three hours removing a 20ft tree which had fallen onto a house in Leigh - ruining a family's plans to go on holiday.
And at an Esso refinery in Hampshire, a crewman was rescued from a sinking tug by a heroic employee who jumped into the water to save him.
In Worsley, a 20ft tree fell onto a house. Pic: @manchesterfire
Without hesitation, he swam to the capsized vessel and smashed a window to help the trapped crew member, who only had access to a small pocket of air inside.
All of the employees have been accounted for, according to the coastguard - although one person had to be treated for hypothermia following the incident.
Video:Sky News UK Weather Update
Earlier, journeys on the West Coast Main Line between Warrington and the Lake District were delayed by up to an hour - while trees on the line caused considerable disruption between Exeter and Taunton, Salisbury and Romsey, and Aylesbury and London.
Several bridges on the motorways were closed as a precaution, including the Dartford Crossing on the M25, the Severn Bridge on the M48, and the Ouse Bridge on the M62.
There was also bad news for fans of the Thunderbirds, as an event to promote the new series on the River Thames was cancelled.
Although it will "gradually quieten down" as the Easter weekend approaches, the Met Office predicts the strongest winds are yet to be seen in northwest England.
And, even though it is the first day of April on Wednesday, wintry showers are expected over higher ground in Scotland, spreading into northern England and parts of north Wales.
Sky News weather producer Becky Yussuf said: "The unsettled, wet and windy weather will continue through until Good Friday.
"High pressure will build across the UK and Ireland over the Easter weekend, bringing largely dry and settled conditions.
"There is expected to be a lot of cloud around, and so brightness might be at a bit of a premium.
"Temperatures will be around average for the time of year, with highs of 14C (57F)."
Written By Unknown on Selasa, 31 Maret 2015 | 14.43
By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent
A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to death for the killing of two British medical students on the island of Borneo last August.
Fishmonger Zulkipli Abdullah faces death by hanging once his appeals have been exhausted.
Newcastle University students Neil Dalton and Aidan Brunger, both 22, were found lying in a road in Kuching, the capital of Malaysia's Sarawak state, on 6 August.
An inquest heard how they were stabbed to death following an incident at a bar or cafe in the early hours of the morning.
Prosecutor Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad said Zulkipli admitted to the court that he was involved in a fight with the two Britons, along with two of his friends, but claimed he punched one of them rather than stabbing either of them.
Video:Aug 2014: Arrests Over Stabbings
The two men with him on the night testified for the prosecution and said Zulkipli told them he wanted to "test his power" against bigger and taller foreigners.
After the killing, he sniffed the blood on his hands and told his friends that "the blood of white men smells nice," the prosecutor said.
But speaking to Sky News, Zulkipli's defence counsel Anthony Tai said he believes there are "material, fundamental contradictions" by one of the witnesses, who changed her story and testimony.
According to Mr Tai, the unnamed witness initially told the police that she saw three people getting out of a car to attack one foreigner, but during cross-examination, she said she was "mistaken" and claimed that only one person got out of the car and attacked two foreigners.
Mr Tai described the contradictions by the witness as "lies" and expressed surprise that the court still found her to be credible. He said the contradictions will be an important issue during the appeal process.
The fourth-year students were in the Malaysian part of the island on attachment to a hospital in Kuching and were due to finish their placements two days after they were killed.
In a joint statement, their parents said they were "pleased" with the verdict but added it would not bring their sons back.
"They were two exceptional young men with such promise - kind, funny and full of life," Phil and Jan Dalton and Paul Brunger and Sue Hidson said.
"Their deaths have left their families and many good friends utterly devastated.
"Our sons would soon have qualified as doctors. Their unprovoked and senseless murders as they were walking home after a night out with other medical students mean that Aidan and Neil will never have the chance to spend their lives caring for and helping others.
"They would have given so much to the world. We are so very proud of both of them and in what they achieved in their all too short lives.
"Although we are pleased that the man responsible for their murders has been held accountable, the guilty verdict does not bring our sons back."
The Conservative leader has refused to say where welfare cuts will fall but insisted that British families still needed to take "the medicine" to help put the country back on track.
In a round of interviews setting out a pledge to create two million extra jobs over the course of the next parliament, David Cameron admitted there were more cuts to be made but would not say where they would fall.
The Conservatives have said they will find £12bn of welfare cuts over the next parliament if they are returned to power on 7 May but have indicated they will not tell voters of the details before the vote.
:: For full coverage of the General Election 2015 click here
Tackled on where the cuts would fall on Sky News Mr Cameron said: "The medicine is that we need to - for two more years - do what we have done for the last five, which is find £1 out of every £100 the Government spends and save it.
Video:Cameron's Election Pledge
"So the choice at this election, if you simplify it, really is: do you want to find that £1saving out of every £100, which families and businesses up and down the country have had to do or do you want to scrap that plan and put up taxes and borrow more."
Mr Cameron said that they had managed to find £20bn of welfare savings in the last five years.
Answering claims he would go down as the "biggest Scrooge prime minister", Mr Cameron said he didn't come into office to make cuts but when he came to power Britain had a budget deficit forecast to be bigger than that of Greece and he had to do the job.
He also dismissed criticism over using his outgoing address at Number 10, at which he officially announces the General Election, to attack his opponent Ed Miliband.
He was the first prime minister to use the platform to speak against the opposition leader but when asked if it was "not cricket", Mr Cameron told Sky's Eamonn Holmes: "In cricket there are two opposing teams".
And he denied he had been in "secret talks" over a coalition and intended to spend the next 37 days working for a majority.
Video:Cameron: Voters Face 'Stark Choice'
He also said that his wife, Samantha, had not been behind his decision to announce he would only serve two terms as Prime Minister.
Mr Cameron believes the Tories can match the job creation of the past five years, during which the Coalition created an average of 1,000 new jobs every day.
As the second day of campaigning gets under way, the Prime Minister said: "We are the jobs party - and over the next month, we will be fighting for every man and woman who wants to work and earn a wage."
The pledge comes exactly a year after Chancellor George Osborne set a goal of full employment for Britain.
Mr Cameron argues an additional two million jobs is a feasible target thanks to government assistance for business, competitive tax rates, a parliament-long campaign against red tape, plus investment in infrastructure.
He said Labour's plans to reverse corporation tax cuts was a "crazy thing to do when the economy is growing".
Video:Miliband: 'Two Futures On Offer'
The Prime Minister's first outing of the election campaign proper was to address a rally of supporters at a school in Chippenham - a marginal constituency they need to take if they are to stand any chance of winning a majority.
Speaking at the event, Mr Cameron admitted he is not the "perfect" Prime Minister - but insisted he has a record to be "proud" of.
"I don't claim that I have got every call right or that I am the perfect Prime Minister," he said.
"But I know this. I had a job to do in 2010 and it was about sorting out our economy, getting the deficit down and getting people back to work."
On the first day of Labour's campaign, Mr Miliband tried to win over business with the launch of the party's first "mini manifesto".
Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats today sought to distinguish themselves from the Conservatives, and other parties, by focusing on mental health with a pledge of extra funding.
Video:Election: Day One In 60 Seconds
The party promised an additional £3.5bn over the next parliament, with the aim of "revolutionising" adult and child mental health care.
Announcing the pledge, Mr Clegg said: "Equality for people with mental health issues is a liberal mission.
"In government again, we will continue to put mental health front and centre of the political debate.
"That's why I am so immensely proud that we are the first party to put equality for people with mental health problems on the front page of our full General Election manifesto.
"Only the Liberal Democrats can keep Britain on track and provide both a stronger economy and a fairer society with strong public services."
:: Watch the seven-way leaders' debate live and in full from 8pm on Thursday on Sky News, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 132, Freesat channel 202, and on the Sky News website.
Written By Unknown on Senin, 30 Maret 2015 | 14.43
Katie Hopkins has been reported to the police over claims she may have incited racial hatred in Rochdale.
The reality TV star and newspaper columnist has been accused by Labour MP Simon Danczuk of sending tweets suggesting Pakistani men in the Lancashire town were child abusers.
In 2012, nine men from Rochdale who ran a child exploitation ring - eight of whom were of Pakistani origin - were jailed for offences including rape and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child.
Mr Danczuk, who represents Rochdale, has sent an email to the police commissioner of Greater Manchester Police, Tony Lloyd, asking him to investigate whether a crime had been committed by Hopkins.
Hopkins is said to have started sending the tweets after Mr Danczuk attended the raising of a Pakistani flag over the town hall for half an hour on 23 March to mark National Pakistan Day.
She wrote: "Raising a Pakistani flag in Rochdale is not helping community cohesion. it is inflammatory. @SimonDanczuk you & your party disgust me."
Simon Danczuk has asked police to investigate if a crime has been committed
Hopkins posted a series of messages to her account after the MP tweeted a picture of himself at the event.
In response, she sent a picture of eight men convicted of child exploitation offences, asking Mr Danczuk: "Are these your friends too @SimonDanczuk? Is this why you are raising the Pakistani flag in Rochdale? 77 years inside."
Explaining his decision to make the complaint, the MP said it was about Hopkins "inciting racial hatred".
He said: "The letter is me asking the police commissioner to investigate whether a crime has been committed in relation to Katie Hopkins.
"It is not right that somebody who has little to do with Rochdale incited hatred of this kind.
"Rochdale is a very cohesive community - people work well together. Of course there are tensions, like there are in other communities, but people rub together really well and we don't need outsiders like Katie Hopkins to come in and cause trouble just for the sake of causing trouble and creating Sun headlines."
More than one in five school staff have had a false allegation made against them by a pupil, according to a survey.
A further 7% said they have been wrongly accused by a student's parent or family member, the poll by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) found.
The union says the problem is putting added stress onto education workers and causing some to consider leaving the profession altogether.
Of the school staff surveyed who said they had faced an untrue allegation, 69.5% said the claim was supposed to have taken place when they were working with a class or group of children.
Others said that incidents were alleged to have occurred in places such as in one-to-one sessions in school or college, on a trip, or somewhere unrelated to the school or college environment.
Video:Report: Sky's Katie Spencer
Some 2.1% said the alleged incident had taken place on social media.
A teacher from the South East told the union: "My late husband was falsely accused by a child he taught. Though the Crown Prosecution Service held that there was no case to answer, he was a broken man. He returned to work briefly, but had lost his nerve.
"The false accusation of one child, who was in an abusive home situation, wrecked our family life. My husband died of a sudden heart attack in his 50s."
Video:Teachers Publish Own League Tables
And a Kent primary school teacher said: "The increasing occurrence of allegations is one reason why I will be leaving the profession sooner than I would like to. Poor parental discipline is leading to children always wanting their way.
"Unable to discipline children without a comeback has meant this sort of incident will escalate and very good teachers will be driven out when they are most needed."
The ATL's branch secretary in Cornwall, David Guiterman, is proposing a resolution at the union's annual conference in Liverpool next week on this issue.
Video:Teachers Condemn Fine Proposal
The motion calls on the union to investigate whether local safeguarding children's boards are fulfilling their purpose and whether they are doing so in a reasonable time.
A Department for Education spokesman said: "We recognise the extreme damage which can be caused to teachers who have false allegations made against them, which is why we have made clear to schools and colleges that staff should be supported throughout, and are able to return to focusing their energies on teaching as swiftly as possible."
:: The survey questioned 685 members working in schools and colleges in England, Wales and Northern Ireland between 19 February and 10 March.
Written By Unknown on Minggu, 29 Maret 2015 | 14.43
By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs Editor
The body confidence of young girls deteriorates rapidly as they progress through school, according to new research.
New figures from the Government Equalities Office show that one in five primary school age girls say they have been on a diet, while 87% of girls aged 11-21 think that women are judged more on their appearance than on their ability.
Poor body image among girls has also been associated with low participation in sport.
The research shows that 23% of girls aged 7-21 don't participate in exercise because they are unhappy with their body image, and 48% of girls think getting sweaty from taking part in sports is unfeminine.
There is also new insight into the long-term consequences of poor body image among young girls, which is associated with lower confidence, lower aspirations and lower social participation.
Video:Giving Young People Body Confidence
One in six GCSE students have avoided going to school because they feel bad about their appearance.
The research comes after a £10m advertising campaign showing active women, prompted by concerns about schoolgirls not participating in sports because they are worried about how their body looks.
Government agency Sport England's "This Girl Can" campaign has now gone viral, with more than 7 million hits worldwide but the Government says more needs to be done.
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Tony Hall (L) decided not to renew Clarkson's Top Gear contract
Police are investigating allegations of threats to kill BBC director general Tony Hall, reportedly linked to his decision to drop presenter Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear.
Scotland Yard confirmed it was looking into the claims after the BBC decided not to renew Clarkson's contract because of his unprovoked attack on producer Oisin Tymon.
Mr Hall, 64, and his wife Cynthia have been under 24-hour guard at their Oxfordshire home since the threats were made on Wednesday, according to reports.
Oisin Tymon has said he will not pursue charges against Clarkson
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Police in Westminster are investigating an allegation of threats to kill. The allegation was reported to police on Wednesday, March 25.
"Inquiries continue. No arrests have been made."
1/11
Gallery: Who Could Replace Jeremy Clarkson?
Model and TV presenter Jodie Kidd is a well-known car expert and amateur racing driver. She currently presents The Classic Car Show on Channel 5
Actor and comedian Stephen Fry famously drives a black cab around London and would be a popular choice for many
]]>
Chris Evans has repeatedly denied that he is interested in the job but bookies still seem to think he's a hot contender
]]>
Comedian Steve Coogan has appeared on Top Gear several times, but since then has been critical of the show's brand of humour
]]>
Former racing driver Eddie Irvine would certainly tick the boxes in terms of car knowledge, but his lack of TV experience could count against him
]]>
A BBC spokeswoman said: "We wouldn't comment on security matters."
Mr Hall, former chief executive of the Royal Opera House, took over the £450,000 BBC post in April 2013 to replace George Entwistle, who left the corporation in the wake of the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal.
He announced on Wednesday that Clarkson would not be retained on the motoring show, saying "a line has been crossed" and that "there cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another".
Mr Tymon had his lip split by Clarkson in a 30-second-long assault on 4 March and took himself to hospital with his injuries.
Video:Jeremy Clarkson Quiet On His Bike
He was also shouted at by the former Top Gear presenter in a torrent of verbal abuse over food at a hotel in North Yorkshire.
Clarkson reported the incident to the BBC five days later and was suspended by the broadcaster on 10 March.
On Friday, Mr Tymon, who has himself received death threats and abuse from trolls on Twitter, said he did not want to press charges against his former colleague.
North Yorkshire Police said the force is still investigating the incident.
Video:James May Plays For Time
Police could yet bring a charge against 54-year-old Clarkson, although it appears any prosecution would be without the support of the victim himself.
Meanwhile, it remains unclear as to who will take over at Top Gear.
Chris Evans leads the betting as favourite to take over the show, even though he has ruled himself out on more than one occasion.
Top Gear co-hosts James May, 52, and Richard Hammond, 45, have not announced if they will stay at the show or not, but have heavily hinted that they will follow Clarkson out of the corporation.
Video:James May: Sacking Is A Tragedy
Asked earlier in the week if he will continue on the BBC2 show, May said the trio came "as a package" and his future requires "a lot of careful thought".
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We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Tony Hall (L) decided not to renew Clarkson's Top Gear contract
Police are investigating allegations of threats to kill BBC director general Tony Hall, reportedly linked to his decision to drop presenter Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear.
Scotland Yard confirmed it was looking into the claims after the BBC decided not to renew Clarkson's contract because of his unprovoked attack on producer Oisin Tymon.
Mr Hall, 64, and his wife Cynthia have been under 24-hour guard at their Oxfordshire home since the threats were made on Wednesday, according to reports.
Oisin Tymon has said he will not pursue charges against Clarkson
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Police in Westminster are investigating an allegation of threats to kill. The allegation was reported to police on Wednesday, March 25.
"Inquiries continue. No arrests have been made."
1/11
Gallery: Who Could Replace Jeremy Clarkson?
Model and TV presenter Jodie Kidd is a well-known car expert and amateur racing driver. She currently presents The Classic Car Show on Channel 5
Actor and comedian Stephen Fry famously drives a black cab around London and would be a popular choice for many
]]>
Chris Evans has repeatedly denied that he is interested in the job but bookies still seem to think he's a hot contender
]]>
Comedian Steve Coogan has appeared on Top Gear several times, but since then has been critical of the show's brand of humour
]]>
Former racing driver Eddie Irvine would certainly tick the boxes in terms of car knowledge, but his lack of TV experience could count against him
]]>
A BBC spokeswoman said: "We wouldn't comment on security matters."
Mr Hall, former chief executive of the Royal Opera House, took over the £450,000 BBC post in April 2013 to replace George Entwistle, who left the corporation in the wake of the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal.
He announced on Wednesday that Clarkson would not be retained on the motoring show, saying "a line has been crossed" and that "there cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another".
Mr Tymon had his lip split by Clarkson in a 30-second-long assault on 4 March and took himself to hospital with his injuries.
Video:Jeremy Clarkson Quiet On His Bike
He was also shouted at by the former Top Gear presenter in a torrent of verbal abuse over food at a hotel in North Yorkshire.
Clarkson reported the incident to the BBC five days later and was suspended by the broadcaster on 10 March.
On Friday, Mr Tymon, who has himself received death threats and abuse from trolls on Twitter, said he did not want to press charges against his former colleague.
North Yorkshire Police said the force is still investigating the incident.
Video:James May Plays For Time
Police could yet bring a charge against 54-year-old Clarkson, although it appears any prosecution would be without the support of the victim himself.
Meanwhile, it remains unclear as to who will take over at Top Gear.
Chris Evans leads the betting as favourite to take over the show, even though he has ruled himself out on more than one occasion.
Top Gear co-hosts James May, 52, and Richard Hammond, 45, have not announced if they will stay at the show or not, but have heavily hinted that they will follow Clarkson out of the corporation.
Video:James May: Sacking Is A Tragedy
Asked earlier in the week if he will continue on the BBC2 show, May said the trio came "as a package" and his future requires "a lot of careful thought".
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