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Editor's factfile: Tuesday April 12
Why all the fuss around manifestos? Does anybody actually read them?
Manifestos are the documents which contain political parties' formal pledges to the country. They are not legally binding, but are generally considered as a firm statement of intent.
Voters don't really read them. But they are an important element in preparing the ground for a Queen's Speech. Civil servants pore over the documents to prepare the ground for the new administration's legislative agenda.
The media also look closely at the documents to decode their content. For example, a commitment to leave income tax rates unchanged is not as clear as it sounds. The party can still increase income tax by changing the thresholds or by taking more through national insurance.
In its 2001 manifesto Labour promised not to introduce university top-up fees during the lifetime of the parliament. The government, however, legislated to do just that. Ministers said they were remaining true to their word because the change does not come into effect until after this election.
Like budgets, devil can lurk in the detail and manifestos can be assessed as much by what they don't say as what they do say.
Procedurally, manifestos have parliamentary significance once the new government is elected.
Through a practice known as the Salisbury Convention, the House of Lords denies itself the power to vote at second reading on any legislation which was a manifesto commitment, instead nodding it through to the next parliamentary stage.
This convention, which means lords do not challenge the principle (but may quibble over the detail) of a bill, has been in place since 1945.
Labour's manifesto is expected on Wednesday - with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown set to detail the party's third-term plans.
The Conservatives published their blueprint on Monday, with the Liberal Democrats' launch postponed from today following Sarah the birth of Charles Kennedy's new baby.
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