This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8080326.stm
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Parties enter final campaign day | Parties enter final campaign day |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Campaigning for European and English council elections is entering its final stages ahead of Thursday's polls. | |
| The main parties are trying to refocus voters' attention after a campaign overshadowed by the expenses row. | |
| Gordon Brown will face Conservative leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg at prime minister's questions. | Gordon Brown will face Conservative leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg at prime minister's questions. |
| Meanwhile UKIP leader Nigel Farage says he expects to double his number of MEPs to push Labour into third place. | Meanwhile UKIP leader Nigel Farage says he expects to double his number of MEPs to push Labour into third place. |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was among several Labour figures to say they were stepping down from their jobs, or retiring as MPs at the next general election. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was among several Labour figures to say they were stepping down from their jobs, or retiring as MPs at the next general election. |
| 'Duty to govern' | 'Duty to govern' |
| Gordon Brown has confirmed he is planning a cabinet reshuffle, which is expected to take place shortly after the election results, and has urged voters not to take out their frustration over the expenses scandal by backing extremist parties. | Gordon Brown has confirmed he is planning a cabinet reshuffle, which is expected to take place shortly after the election results, and has urged voters not to take out their frustration over the expenses scandal by backing extremist parties. |
| Many people will say a 'plague on all your houses' Nick Clegg At-a-glance: Party-by-party guide | Many people will say a 'plague on all your houses' Nick Clegg At-a-glance: Party-by-party guide |
| Deputy Labour Leader Harriet Harman said the expenses scandal and the recession had left domestic politics in an "exceptional situation" but insisted Labour had a vision for the future and was committed to its policies both at home and in Europe. | Deputy Labour Leader Harriet Harman said the expenses scandal and the recession had left domestic politics in an "exceptional situation" but insisted Labour had a vision for the future and was committed to its policies both at home and in Europe. |
| "I do want to reassure people that Gordon Brown, that we, know what our duty is," she told the Today programme. | "I do want to reassure people that Gordon Brown, that we, know what our duty is," she told the Today programme. |
| "We are in government to serve the people of this country and to serve the values that Labour have, to back our candidates in the European election and our hard-working councillors and that is what we are doing." | "We are in government to serve the people of this country and to serve the values that Labour have, to back our candidates in the European election and our hard-working councillors and that is what we are doing." |
| The Tories have also been hit by the expenses furore with many shadow cabinet ministers paying back claims and several MPs announcing their intention to stand down. | The Tories have also been hit by the expenses furore with many shadow cabinet ministers paying back claims and several MPs announcing their intention to stand down. |
| Party leader David Cameron has been calling for a general election and says the local and European elections should be "firing the starting gun" for one. | Party leader David Cameron has been calling for a general election and says the local and European elections should be "firing the starting gun" for one. |
| "I want us to have a fresh start in this country," he told the BBC. | "I want us to have a fresh start in this country," he told the BBC. |
| "That starts with more Conservative councils giving people value for money, which we need at a time of recession. It then goes into a European election where we want that referendum [on the Lisbon Treaty] we were promised." | "That starts with more Conservative councils giving people value for money, which we need at a time of recession. It then goes into a European election where we want that referendum [on the Lisbon Treaty] we were promised." |
| Reforming credentials | Reforming credentials |
| Meanwhile Nick Clegg has argued the party has been "well ahead of the curve" on the two key issues of the campaign - reforming the political system and supporting the economy. | Meanwhile Nick Clegg has argued the party has been "well ahead of the curve" on the two key issues of the campaign - reforming the political system and supporting the economy. |
| But he warned that all the main parties had been damaged by the expenses scandal and voters could desert them at the ballot boxes on Thursday. | But he warned that all the main parties had been damaged by the expenses scandal and voters could desert them at the ballot boxes on Thursday. |
| "Many people will say a 'plague on all your houses'," he told the BBC. "I am not going to vote at all or vote for a small, extremist party instead." | "Many people will say a 'plague on all your houses'," he told the BBC. "I am not going to vote at all or vote for a small, extremist party instead." |
| Mr Farage, whose UK Independence Party has nine MEPs and beat the Lib Dems into fourth place in the 2004 European elections, hopes to beat them again and also come ahead of Labour this time. | Mr Farage, whose UK Independence Party has nine MEPs and beat the Lib Dems into fourth place in the 2004 European elections, hopes to beat them again and also come ahead of Labour this time. |
| He said UKIP's view that the UK should leave the EU in favour of a free trade deal was now supported by a "clear settled majority" of British people. | He said UKIP's view that the UK should leave the EU in favour of a free trade deal was now supported by a "clear settled majority" of British people. |
| "We're putting pressure on the system at Westminster and if we do spectacularly well, if we cause an earthquake in British politics this Thursday, then the big party leaders have to listen. | "We're putting pressure on the system at Westminster and if we do spectacularly well, if we cause an earthquake in British politics this Thursday, then the big party leaders have to listen. |
| "We have a general election coming up in less than a year... they would like to bury the European question under the carpet, we would like to make it a major debating point at that general election." | "We have a general election coming up in less than a year... they would like to bury the European question under the carpet, we would like to make it a major debating point at that general election." |
| A YouGov online survey of 2,072 people published on Tuesday suggests the turnout for the European elections could be much higher than usual. | A YouGov online survey of 2,072 people published on Tuesday suggests the turnout for the European elections could be much higher than usual. |
| It suggests 50% of the electorate plan to vote on Thursday - turnout in 2004 was 38%. | It suggests 50% of the electorate plan to vote on Thursday - turnout in 2004 was 38%. |
| Other smaller parties are also expected to benefit from voters' anger with the main parties over expenses. | |
| The SNP and Plaid Cymru believe their call for an immediate dissolution of Parliament will prove popular with the public, urging voters to back them in Thursday's Eu poll to "force the pace of a general election". | |
| The Greens say they are on course for their best-ever European result, with party leader Caroline Lucas saying their call for a million new "green" jobs has "struck a chord" with people. | |
| The BNP, meanwhile, are hoping to boost their vote and get their first elected representatives in Brussels. |