Vote 2010

Good dayMartin Bell: The man in the white suit returned to the political stage, not this time as a lone voice against sleaze, but to introduce 40 independent candidates who he said would be a force for good in politics because they had "real world experience". He had personally vetted them all, and they agreed to abide by what he called the "Bell Principles" – to consult their communities, and resist abuses of power.

Bad day

David Cameron: The Conservative leader was the target of the campaign's first flying egg, which glanced off his shoulder before splattering a policeman in Torquay. Mr Cameron, though, did not respond in the manner of John Prescott in the 2001 campaign by punching the egg-thrower, who

turned out to be a 16-year-old youth. He is plainly far too well-mannered for that.

Quote of the day

"I am trying to persuade people to vote for me who weren't born when I started."

– Shadow Business Secretary Kenneth Clarke.

My manifesto

"In order to rebuild the UK's competitiveness, an emergency budget should be passed to set out a clear plan to reduce the deficit, with specific cuts to less productive items of public expenditure. The new government should immediately introduce a bill to kick-start school reform and introduce greater competition into educational provision."

– Margaret Wood, regional chairman of the Institute of Directors in Yorkshire and the Humber.