Election 2015: Ed Miliband claims David Cameron hasn't got the guts to debate head-to-head

Ed Miliband has followed up his challenge to David Cameron to debate him head-to-head, issued during the 16 April "challengers" TV debate, by claiming the prime minister hasn't got the "guts" to go one-on-one.

The Labour leader, during a speech in Lincoln, said Cameron wanted to "duck, weave and dive" his way back into power after the Tory leader only took part in one TV leaders' debate, the seven-way hosted by ITV.

"If he had guts, he would come out and accept my challenge to debate me one on one, head to head," Miliband declared.

The Labour leader came out on top of last night's event after a poll from Survation showed that he had beaten SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon by four points (35% vs 31%). During the debate he looked straight at the camera and called on Cameron to debate him one-on-one.

But Miliband was only able to attract Nick Clegg with the challenge. The Liberal Democrat leader said he would debate Miliband "any time, any place, anywhere."

Cameron today (17 April) refused to take up Miliband's offer, citing their exchanges during Prime Minister's Questions, and claimed that the debate showed the "coalition of chaos" that would run the country.

The Tory leader was in the West Midlands to talk about business and jobs after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that the UK's unemployment dropped to 5.6% in the three months to February.

"The figures are in, the employment numbers are published today, and the plain fact is this: Britain has created over two million jobs in the past five years," Cameron said.

"That is a thousand jobs every day that we've been in government, more jobs created here in the UK than the 27 countries of the European Union (EU) put together. We are officially the jobs factory of Europe. They are a remarkable set of figures."

The latest opinion poll from Populus, conducted between 15 and 16 April, put Labour one point ahead of the Tories (34% vs 33%).

The survey, which questioned more than 2,000 respondents, also put Ukip on 14%, the Liberal Democrats on 9%, and the Greens on 4%.

Make sure to take part in our poll: Should Cameron debate Miliband head-to-head?