General Election 2015: From the hugs to The Trews, what made the news in the campaign

For the benefit of those who tuned out the past 39 days, Matt Dathan presents the highlights of the race to No 10

Miliband unveiling Labour’s pledges carved in stone in Hastings on 3 May (Getty Images)

It has been one of the longest general election campaigns in history. Thanks to the Fixed Term Parliament Act, we have known the date of the election since September 2011 – the first time in British political history the date has been set in law independent of the Prime Minister’s control.

It meant the election campaign kicked off long before the official short campaign started on 30 March. We have not gone as far back as 2011 but here are the key moments of the campaign that made headlines.

5 March

David Cameron rules out a head-to-head debate with Ed Miliband but says he will appear in one with seven party leaders.

11 March

Ibrahim Taguri resigns as a Lib Dem candidate after The Daily Telegraph revealed he had agreed to accept a potentially illegal donation.

15 March

Ed Miliband rules out coalition with SNP but does not exclude a looser deal.

Nigel Farage speaks during the launch of his party's election manifesto (Getty Images)

 

16 March

Nigel Farage announces he will quit as Ukip leader if he fails to be elected as MP for South Thanet.

18 March

George Osborne declares Britain the “comeback country” as he delivers his final Budget of the Parliament.

19 March

Ukip MEP Janice Atkinson axed as election candidate over allegations she mis-spent EU expenses.

20 March

Tory candidate Afzal Amin suspended after conspiring with the far-right EDL group to win votes.

 

23 March

David Cameron rules out third term as Prime Minister and names Theresa May, George Osborne and Boris Johnson as possible future leaders, inviting accusations of arrogance.

25 March

David Cameron rules out a rise in VAT at the last Prime Minister’s Questions.

25 March

The Government suffers a bitter defeat after ministers try to change the rules for electing the House of Commons Speaker, seen as a manoeuvre to oust John Bercow after the election; Labour MPs erupt with rapturous applause in an embarrassing defeat for the Government.

Scottish Labour Party leader Jim Murphy is confronted by a protester in Glasgow on 4 May (Getty Images)

 

26 March

Ed Miliband takes most plaudits in counter-attacking Jeremy Paxman’s hostile questions in the first TV showdown between the Labour leader and David Cameron, who comes under fire for failing to find answers on food banks and zero-hour contracts.

30 March

Dissolution of Parliament takes place.

2 April

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon triumphs in the election campaign’s only TV debate with all seven party leaders.

6 April

Nigel Farage issues an appeal for help from Ukip supporters around the country, after it emerged he is no longer favourite to win the South Thanet constituency.

8 April

The Tories are accused of panic and dragging their election campaign into the “gutter” after the Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, launches a vicious personal attack on Ed Miliband, claiming he would “stab his country in the back” to become Prime Minister.

13 April

Labour launches its manifesto, claiming to be the party of economic responsibility.

14 April

David Cameron promises voters the “good life” as he attempts to change the tone of an otherwise negative campaign, promising to be “the party of working people”.

Russell Brand interviews Ed Miliband on his YouTube channel

14 April

The Tories unveil manifesto pledge to extend the right-to-buy scheme for social housing tenants in England.

15 April

Nick Clegg launches the Liberal Democrats’ manifesto, pledging to “add a heart to a Conservative government and add a brain to a Labour one”.

16 April

George Osborne wins the endorsement of the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, for the Coalition’s handling of the economy in recent years.

16 April

In a televised “challengers debate”, Ed Miliband refuses Nicola Sturgeon’s offer to do a deal that would “lock David Cameron out of Downing Street”.

20 April

Nicola Sturgeon sets out Labour-friendly manifesto.

Natalie Bennett, Leanne Wood and Nicola Sturgeon embrace at the end of the debate (PA)

 

23 April

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson admits that “it would be wonderful to be seen as a contender for the leadership”.

24 April

HSBC threatens to leave the UK over political uncertainty in the country.

24 April

Ukip unveils its manifesto, claiming to be the only party that has fully costed its policy plans.

25 April

David Cameron forgets which football team he supports in an embarrassing gaffe that exposes his fake love of the game; he mistakenly wishes West Ham good luck, instead of his beloved Aston Villa.

28 April

Ed Miliband is interviewed in a YouTube video by the comedian, Russell Brand, in an interview celebrated by some and lampooned by others.

Janice Atkinson as the MEP has been expelled by Ukip for bringing the party into disrepute over claims about inflated expenses, a party spokesman said (PA)

 

29 April

David Cameron promises to enshrine in law a legal commitment not to raise taxes.

30 April

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg take part in the BBC Question Time debate – the final TV showdown of the campaign – as all face hostile questions from a lively audience.

The Prime Minister says a referendum on the EU would be a red line in any Coalition negotiations and the Labour leader says he would rather lose the opportunity to become Prime Minister than do a deal with the SNP. A post-debate poll shows that 44 per cent of people thought Mr Cameron won, compared to 38 per cent for Mr Miliband and 19 per cent for Mr Clegg.

2 May

A slip of the tongue humiliates David Cameron as he says the election is a “career-defining moment”. He quickly corrected himself, saying it was a “country-defining” moment.

3 May

Ed Miliband is ridiculed after unveiling a giant 8ft stone carved with Labour’s manifesto pledges, which he says will be placed in the Downing Street garden if he wins.

It's been a long campaign for Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg (Getty Images)

 

3 May

Nick Clegg announces the final of his six red lines – the areas the Lib Dems will not sacrifice in Coalition negotiations – including a commitment to raise education spending, raising the personal tax allowance, holding a “stability” budget within 50 days of the election and £8bn NHS investment.

3 May

Nick Clegg hints that he would be willing to support an in/out referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU in order to reach agreement on another Coalition with the Tories.

4 May

SNP protesters are suspended by the party after they hijack a Labour rally in Glasgow and abuse Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy and Labour supporter Eddie Izzard.

5 May

Nick Clegg predicts a second election before Christmas unless the Liberal Democrats are in Government.