"POLLING day is the one and only day in the five-year parliamentary cycle when everyone in the country has absolutely equal power"- the veteran Labour leftwinger, Mr Tony Benn.
"The British people now elect their government, their politicians and, indeed, their way of life on the basis of who has the best twinkle in his eye. It is shameful" - Ms Beryl Goldsmith, secretary to Lord Tebbit.
"Today, Britain is booming without going bust" - the Chancellor, Mr Kenneth Clarke.
"John Major has to stand on a soapbox, because he daren't stand on his record" - Labour deputy leader, Mr John Prescott.
"My advice to both of them, John Major and Tony Blair, is to calm down. We have six weeks to go" - the Liberal Democrat leader, Mr Paddy Ashdown.
"We do not promise a revolution. We promise only what we will deliver and we will deliver what we promise" the Labour leader, Mr Tony Blair.
"Blair has cloned new Labour on a Tory model. You could not put a cigarette paper between these two parties. If they did have a debate, it would be on the colour of the tie, or the style of the shirt or the cut of the suit" - the Scottish National Party leader, Mr Alex Salmond.
"They intend to shred Britain into a series of regions - regions which would be run from Europe. Nothing symbolises this desire more than their decision to tear up the Union Jack and rewrite the national anthem." - the Scottish Secretary, Mr Michael Forsyth.
"I don't believe the editorial decision of a handful of people is going to affect the millions of votes of other people" - The Prime Minister, Mr John Major, on the Sun support for Labour.
"I don't think up and down the country, in The Dog and Duck or at No 10 Acacia Avenue, they are going to say, `Gosh, the Sun's backing Labour and, therefore, I must change my mind'," - Mr Major.
"We suspect Labour are taking Wales for granted and consider that the election will be won or lost for them in Middle England," - Mr Ieuan Wyn Jones of Plaid Cymru.
Sinn Fein appeals to SDLP to avoid dangers in `negative campaign'
By MARIE O'HALLORAN
BELFAST
SINN Fein has called on the SDLP to refrain from a "negative campaign" in Northern Ireland, even if an electoral pact is not agreed between the two parties.
The party's vice-president, Mr Pat Doherty, said it could "demoralise and reduce nationalist participation in the election" and that "despite our differences Sinn Fein and the SDLP both want to see real and credible negotiations begin after this election."
At the start of the six-week campaign for the Westminster general election, Mr Doherty said the threat and use of violence by loyalists did not affect Sinn Fein's participation in the talks process. "While Sinn Fein, with our significant electoral mandate remains excluded the application of double standards is clear for all to see" he said.
Mr Doherty said that "rather than offend unionist and loyalist opinion the British government had chosen to connive in the loyalist tactic of `no claim, no blame'."
Mr Doherty was referring to the murder of a Catholic man Mr John Slane, in Belfast last Friday night.
However, the Workers' Party which yesterday launched its candidates for the election on May 1st, says it had rejected both nationalism and unionism. The party is fielding candidates in eight of the 18 constituencies in the North.
The party's president, Mr Tom French, who is standing in Upper Bann, said that there could be "no political quarter given to both nationalism and unionism, which are doing nothing other than polarising an already divided community with their rancid brand of sectarian politics".
The Workers' Party candidates would be "pulling out all the stops to ensure that there is a strong alternative voice to that of hate and bigotry, which is being passed off as politics in Northern Ireland," he said.
Mr French said the party would fight the election on the "three pillars of Peace, Work and class politics. He said that "class politics involves passing beyond the present sectarian headcount to normal left-right politics".
The party said that one of its main election strategies would be the "crossing of the so-called sectarian divide on all fronts in order to create a new working class vote".
The other candidates for the Workers' Party are: Ms Marian Donnelly (Mid-Ulster); Mr Tommy Owens, the party's Northern Ireland secretary (West Tyrone); Mr John Lowry, the party's Belfast chairman (West Belfast); Mr Francis McCarthy (Lagan Valley); Mr Paddy Lynn, Belfast executive member (South Belfast); Mr Paul Trainor, northern regional executive member (North Belfast); and Mr Joe Bell (East Belfast).