Political Times: Labour's pink bus tour, HSBC tax fallout and Sturgeon on austerity

Labour have been involved with another PR drama with a van – a pink one this time.

Deputy leader Harriet Harman was going to kick off the party's campaign to attract more women voters with a trip in a vehicle.

But even before Labour could start the "Woman to Woman" tour, the stunt was criticised as "patronising".

Harman defended the van, telling the Huffington Post: "Well it doesn't have big eyelashes on the front. We don't care.

"Actually it's got to look like itself. Because it's new; it's different."

Labour also claimed the tour is the first political campaign aimed specifically at women.

HSBC leaks

Elsewhere, Ed Miliband accused David Cameron of being "dodgy" as the party leaders traded blows at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) over the HSBC tax avoidance scandal.

The heated exchange came after reports alleged that a Swiss banking arm of HSBC advised British clients on how to dodge tax.

Miliband claimed seven Tory donors revealed in the leaked files have given nearly £5m to the Conservative Party.

The Labour leader also alleged there was a "revolving door" between Tory headquarters and the Swiss branch of HSBC.

But Cameron hit back at Miliband and claimed no government had been tougher than his on tax evasion.

Sturgeon in London

Finally, Nicola Sturgeon visited London. The first minister of Scotland blasted the UK government's "categorical and comprehensive failure" over its cuts package since coming into power.

In a keynote speech at University College London, the SNP leader said the programme must be replaced by an alternative policy focussed on "long-term growth, increased productivity and fairness".

The polls indicate the SNP could make big gains at the election and become king makers.

But Sturgeon argued a Labour government would have to abandon austerity policies to win the SNP's support to form a coalition government and she urged Miliband to adopt a "more moderate" approach to deficit reduction.

The first minister also revealed the SNP would back £180bn more spending than the coalition government by 2020.