Election race reaches final day

The leaders of the three main political parties have been continuing to campaign furiously on the last day of campaigning before the General Election.

Prime Minister Tony Blair was joined by all the members of his Cabinet in Finchley, one of the key marginal seats at this election. Mr Blair once again stressed Labour’s record on the economy and attacked the economic pledges of both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Blair was also campaigning across the country today, visiting Lancashire, Scotland and Yorkshire.

Yesterday, Labour unveiled their final election broadcast which featured a number of celebrities, including new ‘Doctor Who’ David Tennant, ‘Star Trek’ actor Patrick Stewart and singer Beverly Knight, urging voters to vote Labour. The three-minute film once again reiterated Labour’s message that if one in ten Labour voters don’t vote, Conservative leader Michael Howard will become Prime Minister.

Michael Howard spent his last day of election campaigning, drumming up support in Surrey, Yorkshire and Norfolk, highlighting the Conservatives five main pledges of lower taxes, improved school discipline, cleaner hospital, more police officers and controlled immigration.

Earlier this week, the Conservative leader promised not to let down voters by unveiling a timetable for action on eight of the party’s key pledges, including the introduction of 24-hour surveillance at Britain’s borders to tighten immigration controls; discounts on council tax bills for pensioners; and a raise in the stamp duty threshold, if the Conservatives should win the election.

The Conservatives have also said that a YouGov poll showed that the party's policies had “overwhelming support” from British businesses today and used the opportunity to criticise Labour’s economic policies. Shadow Chancellor Oliver Letwin said that the poll, published by Mercer Delta, showed 65% of respondents supported the Conservatives economic policies, compared to 19% for Labour and 4% for the Liberal Democrats. Mr Letwin said: “Mr Blair likes to boast about Labour’s economic record. In reality, he is delivering an economy which has slipped from 4th to 11th in the international competitiveness league, has seen a drop of one-third in its productivity growth and has experienced half the growth rate of Ireland over the last seven years. As this poll shows, the great majority of business leaders believe that Conservatives will return the economy to a sound footing.”

The Liberal Democrats have wound up their campaign, stressing that the party is offering “fair solutions to the real problems that people face in life”. Party leader Charles Kennedy stressed policies such as plans to scrap university fees, recruit more police officers and primary school teachers, increase pensions and scrap the Council Tax.

Mr Kennedy said that the Conservatives “no longer represent the kind of society that people in Britain want” and accused Labour of “running scared”. He said: “It’s too late for Tony Blair now. So let’s have none of this Blair nonsense. He has cried wolf one too many times. No one believes his claims any more.”

The latest Times/Populus tracker poll has placed Labour ahead in the election race with 41%, followed by the Conservatives at 27% and the Liberal Democrats at 23%.

(KMcA/SP)