Countdown to the General Election
A guide to the key events taking place in the lead up to the crunch vote.
FEB
12th February
HALF-TERM
The Commons and Lords get a final break before campaigning kicks off in earnest
27th February
UKIP SPRING CONFERENCE
Nigel Farage has decided to host his Spring Conference in Margate – practically next door to South Thanet, the seat he will contest at the General Election
MAR
13th March
LIB DEM SPRING CONFERENCE
Can Nick Clegg do what he did during the last election, and transform his reputation? The race to become the darling of the electorate starts here
18th March
BUDGET DAY
Chancellor George Osborne has a chance to present a raft of vote-winning policies – or he could take a hard line to demonstrate the government’s commitment to austerity
25th March
FINAL PRIME MINISTER’S QUESTIONS
David Cameron and Ed Miliband trade insults for the last time before voters go to the polls
30th March
DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT
Parliament is dissolved, kicking off five weeks of solid campaigning for the candidates. An announcement is made of when parliament will first meet after the General Election
APR
9th April
NOMINATION DEADLINE
The final deadline for candidates to register their intention to stand in the election
17th April
UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES
Just how much has the coalition managed to reduce unemployment during its time in power? This is its final opportunity to get those numbers down
28th April
GDP FIGURES
Osborne’s last chance to impress voters, with a preliminary indication of GDP growth between January and March
MAY
7TH MAY ELECTION DAY
VOTERS GO TO THE POLLS