British voters head to the polls

Britain's voters are heading to the polls for today's local, European, and for Londoners, mayoral elections.

The main parties have issued last-minute appeals to support their candidates battling for the 6,084 seats in England and Wales's 166 local councils and the 78 seats up for grabs at the European parliament. Add to that the Mayor and Assembly elections in London, and 'Super Thursday' becomes the biggest test of public political opinion since the 2001 general election.

Yesterday in Brixton, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said that Labour would "working for every vote" until 10pm this evening when polls close.

"For the last four weeks, Labour has fought a positive campaign on the issues that matter directly to people, such as jobs, pensions, schools, hospitals and crime," Mr Straw said.

"And we have highlighted the enormous benefits that Britain's leading role in Europe provides, including the three million jobs which depend on our membership of the EU."

However, the foreign secretary slipped from making the case for Labour in Europe, and dedicated the bulk of his comments to a galloping diatribe against the Tories.

Mr Straw slammed a Tory campaign that had "imploded" and its leadership which had displayed the calmness and poise of a "headless chicken".

"The election on Thursday will provide a major test for Michael Howard's leadership. Anything less than a significant breakthrough for the Tories will be a major setback for Michael Howard," he said.

For his part, the Tory leader restricted himself to an appeal to Conservatives to "go that extra mile" and get the maximum possible vote out for the party.

The advantages of endorsing the Tory candidates, Mr Howard said were that "Conservative councils provide better services and cost you less; to show that a Conservative Mayor and Assembly can start to tackle London's serious crime problems; and to send a message to Tony Blair that we don't want to live in a country called Europe".

The Lib Dems have been unapologetic in their decision to run a campaign on the basis that it is a referendum on the rectitude of the war in Iraq. Their focus on Iraq has merely reflected the views on the doorsteps, the party said.

At a press conference yesterday, Lib Dems leader Mr Kennedy said: "People are dismayed with Labour. They are dismayed by our role in the Iraq war.

"Dismayed that the Prime Minister turned his back on the United Nations and on Britain’s European allies to prosecute this war with the United States.

"Dismayed by the lack of planning and confusion in the aftermath. It was the Liberal Democrats who stood up for them in Parliament.

He added: "So our message on the eve of these elections is that it is the Liberal Democrats who are the effective opposition to this tired Labour administration."

Polling stations will close tonight at 10pm, and the results are expected to filter through on Sunday – although the full picture may not become clear until Monday.

(gmcg)