A Frantic Day Of Final Campaigning

11:22pm UK, Wednesday May 04, 2005

Party leaders have finished a frantic day of final campaigning ahead of the General Election.

They have visited a handful of marginal constituencies across the country in an 11th hour bid to win swaying voters.

Howard, Blair and Kennedy

Tony Blair talked of a "tough and tight" battle, while Michael Howard predicted a Conservative victory.

Charles Kennedy said the Liberal Democrats have got Labour rattled.

Polling booths open across the nation on Thursday at 7am BST.

The Prime Minister started the day by giving voters the bottom line at his party's daily press conference.

"People either wake up on May 6 with a Labour government or a Conservative government," he said.

"The central question is which party is best for the future of Britain - which party is best able to run and manage our economy."

Mr Blair moved on to Lancashire and then to Dumfries and Galloway, one of his party's weakest seats, where he told followers they had a "tough and tight" fight ahead.

Michael Howard was chasing votes for the Conservatives in Guildford, North Yorkshire and Norfolk.

His party has splashed out on an advertising campaign in national newspapers, which highlights his eight priorities for action should he get into government.

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy paid a symbolic visit to Brent East - where at the September 2003 by-election Sarah Teather overturned a huge Labour majority to take the seat for the Liberal Democrats with a 29% swing - before heading north to Leeds and Edinburgh.

Mr Kennedy said at his morning conference his party had remained "positive" throughout the campaign, during which it has set out "real solutions" to Britain's problems.