BBC UK GENERAL ELECTION 2015 BRIEFING 08/04/15

Non-dom ding-dong

Ed Balls is known for, among other things, his feats of athletic prowess as a seasoned marathon-runner. And you'd need to be able to run very fast indeed in order to keep up with the news cycle today...

Education policy in the shade The day's been dominated by Labour's plans to scrap the rules that allow some rich people to limit the amount of tax they pay by becoming non-doms - Ed Miliband said it'll raise millions but it turned out that the Ed Balls was worried back in January it might cost the country money if people decided to leave the country. Labour want to show they're standing up to the rich - the Tories say it amounts to chaotic policy making. The row overshadowed an education story on SATs - that's the tests that primary school children take. The Tories say if kids fail the test they want them to retake it when they go to senior school. And from the Liberal Democrats - a generous offer - a prize of £100 million for any budding inventor that can come up with a design for a low emission vehicle - there is a catch though - it's got to be in the top five best-sellers. Watch Vicki's 60-second round-up > Vicki Young Chief political correspondent

Labour asks: Whose side are you on? Ed Miliband struck a defiant note at his speech in Coventry The non-domicile rule - allowing some wealthy UK residents to limit tax paid on overseas earnings - is "indefensible", according to Ed Miliband. But in January, shadow chancellor Ed Balls said scrapping it "would end up costing Britain money". Labour later insisted there was no contradiction between today's statement and Mr Balls' previous take. The Conservatives accused Labour of complete confusion over the issue and Nick Clegg said "the wheels are coming off" Labour's proposal. But as BBC political editor Nick Robinson points out, it plays into the question "whose side are you on?" - which Mr Miliband believes is the key to Downing Street. Read more >

Help wanted - or not Just in case anyone was missing the sight of politicians slugging it out on TV, viewers in Scotland were treated to a debate between the Scottish Labour, Lib Dem, Conservative and SNP leaders last night. Nicola Sturgeon said her party could "help" escort Ed Miliband into power, but Labour's Jim Murphy turned down her offer - saying Labour did not need her help. There were also groans when Ms Sturgeon refused to rule out another referendum. Read more >

UKIP cast their net for coastal votes Nigel Farage travelled to Grimsby, one of UKIP's target Labour-held seats. He unveiled a new poster taking aim at the EU Common Fisheries policy, which his party claims has hurt the British fishing industry - a big employer in the area. UKIP proposes a UK-controlled fishing zone instead. Read more > The English (Democrats) are coming The English Democrats have launched their general election campaign, which will see them field 35 candidates. Leader Robin Tilbrook warned of an "anti-English conspiracy" between Labour and the SNP and criticised UKIP for not being interested in English nationalism. Read more >

Reality Check: What do we know about non-doms? BBC head of statistics Anthony Reuben looks at what kind of difference it would make if people living in the UK could no longer they limit the amount of tax they pay on their earnings abroad by claiming their main home is overseas. Read more >