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We all know that over 13 years the last Labour government spent huge sums of money and left us to deal with the biggest budget deficit in our peacetime history. But what we didn't know was just how wasteful they were with our money.

From wasting £12 billion on an NHS computer system that didn't work to kitting out regional fire offices with £6,000 luxury coffee-making machines, Labour showed complete contempt for taxpayers' money up and down this country.

Despite this reckless spending and waste, Labour remain in complete denial about their legacy. They blame the bankers, the recession, the global downturn - everyone and anyone - except themselves.

Today, I gave a speech to begin the process of exposing Labour's waste. This video exposes some of the most shocking examples of Labour's legacy.

Labour's incompetent handling of our economy will hit all of our pockets. The cuts to come are Labour's cuts. So, it's only fair that the people responsible should share some of the pain. That's why today I have written to each of Labour's leadership candidates asking them to voluntarily give up their severance pay, worth £20,000 each. Forfeiting this pay would be the first step towards rehabilitation, and the first time they had come to terms with the mistakes of the past.

In the coming weeks and months, the Coalition will be making its own contributions to exposing the truth. We are going to shine a light on every aspect of Labour's total lack of respect for taxpayers' money. If you feel as strongly about exposing Labour's legacy as I do, please forward this message to five friends or family.

This is a big job, but the Coalition is determined to take the difficult and responsible decisions to get our country back on track.

Sayeeda Warsi
Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party

I know how worried people are about the state of our economy and the decisions we have to take as a country. So I wanted to write to you personally about the emergency Budget the Chancellor delivered today.

I'm not going to hide it from you - what the coalition has announced is tough. But let's be clear, it's also entirely necessary and entirely unavoidable. Never forget - Labour left us with one of the worst economic inheritances imaginable. They racked up one of the biggest budget deficits in Europe - with the government borrowing one pound for every four it spends - and they doubled the national debt.

Doing nothing about this isn't an option. Greece stands as an example of what happens to countries that don't deal with their debts. And we cannot afford to be timid either - take just small steps now and confidence in our economy will fall, interest rates will rise, we'll carry on with this debt cloud hanging over our whole economic recovery.

That's why these difficult times call for such decisive action. And that's what this emergency Budget is about. Unlike the Budgets of the past thirteen years it's not a random shopping list of policies to buy short-term popularity. It's a thoughtful plan to pay for the bills of the past while planning for our future prosperity. At the heart of George Osborne's Budget are three principles.

First, responsibility. We will bring some sense and sanity back to the public finances by reducing our deficit by an extra £40 billion over the next five years. The majority of this will come from spending cuts - though as we always said, we will protect the NHS and international aid budgets. But tax rises are required too. I know you won't like that. Believe me, I don't like it either. But there's a high price to pay for Labour's incompetence, so VAT will have to rise to 20 percent to deal with their deficit.

Second, freedom. The economic growth needed to create jobs and opportunities for all will only come when we get enterprise flourishing again, so this Budget sends out a signal to the world that Britain is back open for business. In its pages are plans to cut red tape, stop Labour's jobs tax, reduce corporation tax rates, improve our infrastructure, support a low-carbon economy and spread new industries to every corner of our country.

Third, fairness. As I said, this Budget is tough. But it's also fair. That's what I'm about, what this Party is about, it's what this coalition is about. That's why we have asked every part of society to make some sort of contribution to paying off our debts - with the richest paying most. For example, Capital Gains Tax will rise for top rate taxpayers - but I think most people will agree that 28 per cent is a fair rate.

At the same time, we have also done everything we can to protect the least well-off. So while there will be a two-year public sector pay freeze, we will make sure those earning less than £21,000 still get pay increases. We will also increase the personal tax allowance by £1,000 for low and middle income earners, re-link the basic state pension to earnings and make sure it rises each year and reform the benefit and tax credit system so we reward work and protect the most vulnerable. What's more, we have committed an extra £2 billion in child tax credits for the poorest families - helping to ensure there is no increase in measured child poverty over the next two years. This is what we mean when we say we're all in this together.

In this emergency Budget I believe you have the measure of this government. Will it provoke debate? Certainly. Will it cost our coalition some popularity? Possibly. But is this the right thing to do - for the health of our economy, for the poorest in our society, for the future of our country? I passionately believe it is.

David Cameron

Thank you for all your patience over these past few days. I know that you must have found it frustrating not knowing exactly what was going on while negotiations continued. However, the great news is that after 13 years, our party is back in government.

So first, I want to thank again for all your hard work and dedication, not just over the past few weeks but over the past few years. I literally could not have done this without you. We can be immensely proud of how far we have come from our defeat in 2005.

We have seen the election of nearly 100 extra MPs, we have gained more seats than in any election since 1931 and we are now the party of government once again. No-one should underestimate the scale of our achievement in such a short space of time, and it would not have been possible without your support and commitment to the cause.

Second, I want to tell you what I can about the agreement we have made with our new partners in government, the Liberal Democrats. As I said after the election last week, more than anything else Britain needs strong, stable and decisive government at this point in our history. And it was in the national interest that we achieved this on a secure basis.

This is why I made a big, open and comprehensive offer to the Liberal Democrats last Friday. I signalled, from the very start of the negotiations, that we had to respect the verdict of the electorate and work together to find solutions to the profound problems facing our nation: the debt crisis, our deep social problems and our broken political system.

Today, we have achieved this much-needed agreement, overcoming political differences to forge a new government in the national interest. Of course, we must recognise that all coalitions are about compromise. This one is no different. And I want to take this opportunity to reassure about what was agreed.

The agreement commits the next government to a significantly accelerated reduction in the budget deficit, to cut £6 billion of government waste this financial year and to stop the jobs tax. The agreement also allows us to carry out key elements of the reform agenda we outlined in our manifesto - an agenda vital to turning our country round - including welfare and school reform. Moreover, we have protected our nuclear deterrent. And there will be no amnesty for illegal immigrants, nor the handover of any additional powers to the EU.

Of course, the agreement also reflects the key priorities and objectives of the Liberal Democrats. This includes fairer funding in education, a fairer tax system and political reform - including a referendum on changing the voting system to the alternative vote.

But the past few days have not just been about compromise. What was clear as talks progressed is the common ground between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. And that is displayed in this agreement, with our commitment to building a green economy, decentralising power and protecting civil liberties - including scrapping ID cards.

We campaigned on the belief that we're all in this together - and can only solve our problems together to build a stronger, more responsible society. I am confident that the coming together of two political parties to form one strong government marks a new era for Britain and for British politics. Now, let's get down to work.

Well here we are - at the cusp of the election that could bring the change we've all been crying out for.

Since I last emailed you we've had the final TV debate that was focused on the economy - and David Cameron clearly won the argument on this most important of issues.

As I've travelled around the country I've had a real sense from people that it's time for the Conservatives to sort out Labour's economic mess. The backing that The Economist and the Financial Times have given us - two papers that have previously backed Labour - is evidence of that.

That is what is at stake at this election, and we're fighting for it with real energy. David is going to be campaigning all day today, all night tonight, and all day tomorrow. You'll be able to track this political marathon on our website with videos that will be uploaded as he goes along.

It feels like a long time since Labour came into power - I first challenged Tony Blair at the despatch box thirteen years ago - but we must never forget their record of failure. New Labour: this is your life...

I defy you to watch this video and tell me that this country can afford another five more years of this. And make no mistake - that's what a vote for the LibDems will mean.

Never mind the Lib Dems' plans for an immigration amnesty, scrapping prison sentences under six months, and joining the euro - the fact that Labour are now calling on their supporters to vote tactically for the Lib Dems tells you all you need to know.

Only by voting Conservative on Thursday will the British people get a new government that starts cleaning up the mess on Friday. From day one we will start to fulfil our no nonsense, no frills contract with the British people - to cut the waste, sort out the welfare mess, improve front line services and deliver change for the better.

That's the change we'll bring. But whether we get a chance to bring that change is up to you. We are up against some serious vested interests.

Figures released this afternoon show that this year over 70% of Labour's donations have come from the union barons - including 40% from Charlie Whelan's Unite. In fact, since 2001, the unions have diverted a staggering £90 million of their members' money to the Labour Party.

In contrast, thanks to you, the Conservatives are raising a record amount online from individual people giving small donations to the cause. When I asked two weeks ago your response was amazing. Now, I'm asking you one more time to help us over the line.

Please give what you can. We need your support to combat the LibDems and to take the fight to Labour in seats that were previously seen as theirs forever.

If you can't afford to give any more, it's not too late to join the thousands of new volunteers who have contacted our local teams around the country to pitch in for the final 48 hours.

Thank you for all you are doing. With your continued support Britain could have a fresh government by Friday.

William Hague
Shadow Foreign Secretary

Nicki Woods is my hero. Elections aren't usually heroic affairs. There's often something pretty unattractive about all the manoeuvring and squabbling. But sometimes you get a powerful reminder what politics can achieve which reminds you why it's so important that we get out and fight.

And this weekend I got the most powerful reminder possible of what we're fighting for - from Nicki.

She's a mum who lives in Birkenshaw in West Yorkshire and she wants her children to go to a good local school. She wants a school her children can walk to, a school where the head teacher knows every child's name, a school built on a human scale with good discipline, traditional teaching and high aspirations. But the bureaucrats won't let her.

Nicki is in the same position as millions of parents who want the best for their children but find the bureaucracy just won't listen. It's those people I'm fighting for in this election. And in Nicki all those parents have their champion. She organised a rally this weekend to demand a good school in her neighbourhood.

David Cameron and I were privileged to attend that rally and it was my moment of this election. A moment when hundreds of people gave voice to their hopes, demonstrated what the Big Society looks like, and joined together to demand the best for their children. We met hundreds of mums and dads who just want a great school in their community and can't believe that Ed Balls has told them they can't have it.

Watch David Cameron and Michael Gove at the school rally in Kirklees

A Conservative victory on May 6th will mean that Nicki and every other parent who wants a great neighbourhood school for their child will have a Government on their side not one that thinks bureaucrats knows best.

We will give teachers the powers they need to restore discipline. We will make our exams world class and end dumbing down. We will help children from the poorest backgrounds most of all. We will give heads the powers they need to turn around poor schools and provide more good school places.

And we will ensure parents who want a new generation of smaller schools with small class sizes get the support they need to make their dreams come true.

Please, watch the footage from this rally, and then give whatever you can to support us in our fight against Ed Balls, the bureaucrats and their culture of failure.

Every pound you give will make a difference in this once-in-a-generation election. So, please, join Nicki and me in fighting for our children's future

 Michael Gove MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families