Diary of Events

• Wednesday 11 March John Major visits Buckingham Palace to ask for the dissolution of Parliament.

• Monday 16 March Labour launches Shadow Budget; Liberal Democrats launch their manifesto.

• Tuesday 17 March Conservative Party Election Broadcast - "The Journey" follows Major on a visit to his childhood home in Brixton.

• Wednesday 18 March Conservatives and Labour launch their manifestos.

• Tuesday 24 March Labour Party Election Broadcast on health service which became known as "Jennifer's Ear".

• Thursday 26 March Liberal Democrat Election Broadcast promising 1p increase in income tax will be invested in education.

• Saturday 28 March Major's "soapbox" makes its first appearance.

• Thursday March 30 Major warns voters of "Nightmare on Kinnock Street".

• Wednesday 1 April Labour holds "Sheffield Rally"; Major attacks Lib Dems as Labour's "Trojan Horse".

• Thursday 2 April Charter 88's "Democracy Day"; Labour leader Neil Kinnock invites Lib Dems to join Plant Commission on electoral reform.

• Saturday 4 April Conservatives launch attack on proportional representation.

• Sunday 5 April Major hosts final Conservative rally at Wembley and warns "Wake up, Britain".

• Monday 6 April Kinnock looks uncomfortable on Granada 500 election programme when he is pressed to make clear his personal view on proportional representation.

• Wednesday 8 April The Sun runs feature on life under Labour entitled "Nightmare on Kinnock Street".

• Thursday 9 April - Polling Day The Sun front page has picture of Kinnock's head inside a lightbulb and headline states: "If Kinnock Wins Today Will The Last Person in Britain Please Turn Out The Lights". The Conservatives win with 336 seats to Labour's 271 and an overall majority of 21.