MILIBAND: DEBT WILL FALL EVERY YEAR

Ed Milband is pledging to cut the deficit in Britain's public finances every year until they are back in the black as he stakes Labour's claim for a return to power just five years after losing office in the aftermath of the financial crash.

Launching the party's General Election manifesto today in Manchester, he will say that Labour in government would be "the party of responsibility" while holding out hope in the form of a fairer, more equal country that "works for working people".

The first page of the manifesto document will commit a new Labour government to a "budget responsibility lock", guaranteeing that every policy is fully costed and will not require any additional borrowing.

UKIP TO UNVEIL ELECTORAL REFORMS

Ukip is promising to give voters a chance to directly influence government legislation tabled in parliament.

Under its proposed "citizen's initiative", a referendum will be held every two years to determine the most popular petition gathering more than two million signatures, with the result to be included in the Queen's Speech.

The plan is one of a series of proposed constitutional reforms to be set out today by party leader Nigel Farage and Ukip MP Douglas Carswell.

LIB DEMS TO BOOST SWITCH POWERS

Energy companies will be forced to allow customers to switch supplier within 24 hours, under plans being set out by the Liberal Democrats if they are in government after the general election.

The party says the move - one of a series of measures to help consumers and commuters - would save people an average of £200 a year.

Other proposals include extending "collective switching" across the UK, enabling people to benefit from group discounts on bills, and a requirement that the switches are handled by the company are moving to, saving time and effort.

FAMILY TRIBUTE TO 'DARING' SKI BOY

The family of a seven-year-old boy who died on a family ski holiday in the French Alps have described him as "daring, outgoing, determined little boy" and a "very competent skier and snowboarder".

Carwyn Scott-Howell, from Wales, died when he fell from a cliff edge after losing his way in the Alpine resort of Flaine on Friday.

In a statement released through the Foreign Office, his family said they were enjoying their last ski run together when Carwyn's sister "lost her ski on a jump and at this point Carwyn skied ahead".

HEALTH TOURISM 'SHOW PASSPORT' PLAN

Patients could be required to show their passports at hospitals under new government guidelines to tackle health tourism, according to a report.

The Department of Health (DoH) issued guidance to hospitals in which it said services has a "legal obligation" to ensure patients are entitled to free healthcare, the Daily Mail reported.

Measures to screen patients for eligibility include forms in outpatient and A&E wards asking them for their passport number and expiry date, nationality, GP name and NHS number and health bodies could impose fines for any lapses.

DUKE'S FIRST VISIT AFTER SEX CLAIMS

The Duke of York will visit the offices of a multinational paints company today - his first official public engagement since sexual allegations made against him were struck from US court records.

Andrew will meet staff from the Slough base of AkzoNobel, a long-standing supporter of The Outward Bound Trust which has the Duke as its chairman of trustees.

The company, which produces Dulux paints, runs a number of programmes allowing employees to support schools and encourage student development.

TURKEY 'TO DEPORT SYRIA-BID BRITON'

A Labour councillor's son who was detained in Turkey on suspicion of trying to enter Syria illegally is being flown back to the UK, it has been claimed.

Waheed Ahmed, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, and eight of his relatives were stopped by Turkish authorities as they allegedly tried to cross the border into the war-torn country on April 1.

Simon Danczuk, who is defending the Rochdale seat for Labour in the General Election, said he been told by the Foreign Office that Ahmed was due to arrive into Birmingham Airport today.

MAN IS ARRESTED OVER IMAM MURDER

A man has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder a Syrian-born preacher found shot dead in his car.

Abdul-Hadi Arwani, a critic of the Assad regime, was found dead in a parked car in Wembley, north London, on Tuesday morning.

Counter-terrorism detectives have taken over responsibility for the investigation into the death of the father of six, who died from gunshot wounds.

BRITAIN'S TEMPERATURES TO HIT PEAK

Britain is set to bask in its hottest temperatures of the year so far, with the mercury expected to soar higher than in parts of Spain this week.

Most of England and Wales will enjoy sunshine and warm conditions over the next three days as forecasters predict temperatures could reach as high as 24C (75.2F) in London on Wednesday - 10C above the average for the time of year.

And the country could see warm weather continue over the next few months after the Met Office confirmed that hotter-than-average temperatures are more than twice as likely than below-average conditions until June.

REVENGE PORN LAWS COME INTO FORCE

People who share sexually explicit images without consent could be jailed for up to two years from today, as new revenge porn laws come into force.

Campaigners and victims have welcomed the move, which means those who post private, sexual images of someone without consent and with the intent to cause distress will now face prison.

Prosecutors previously had to find evidence of harassment or copyright infringement when seeking to take someone to court. However, the introduction of the revenge porn law has offered greater protection for victims.