The general election campaign begins

The general election campaign will officially begin today, with each of Scotland’s five main political parties holding events to make their pitches to voters.

The SNP and Labour will both hold events in Glasgow, the Scottish Liberal Democrats will be campaigning in Kirkintilloch, while the Scottish Greens and the Scottish Tories will both launch their respective campaigns in Edinburgh.

The SNP launch comes following its conference, where Nicola Sturgeon challenged Labour to match the SNP in pledging to “lock David Cameron out of Downing Street”.

In her conference address Sturgeon said: “I call on Labour today to match that pledge, to make clear that if Labour and the SNP combined have more seats than the Tories, they will join forces with us in a vote of confidence to lock David Cameron out of Downing Street.”

She continued: “If Labour fails to make that commitment, the only conclusion people will draw is that Labour would rather have the Tories back in power than work with the SNP. And that will be the final nail in the coffin of Scottish Labour.”

Scottish Labour then responded, with Jim Murphy saying: “Despite all the cheering and backslapping the facts remain only Labour or the Tories can form the next UK government. Any seat taken from Labour by the SNP or anyone else simply helps David Cameron to stay in power.

“Unlike the SNP, Labour has a real plan to tackle austerity and deliver real social justice, A plan that will see those that have most paying more in taxes to help those that have least. The SNP do not support our tax policies so there in a clear choice at the election. If you want change and you want a change of government then Labour is that change. The only way to get a Labour government is to vote Labour."

The campaign officially starts following the dissolution of parliament, which will take place after David Cameron visits the Queen today.