78 Tory MPs standing down before general election

The Conservatives and Labour have clashed over the economy – with Jeremy Hunt saying he wants to continue cutting National Insurance, and Rachel Reeves promising Labour would never play “fast and loose” with people’s money.

But overshadowing that was the news that Michael Gove is joining the growing exodus of Tory MPs. It’s good news for the Liberal Democrats, who were already eyeing up his Surrey constituency as a Blue Wall target.

Their leader Ed Davey has been out campaigning in Chichester – where he announced how his party plans to tackle water pollution.