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Parties enter final campaign day Election campaign into final day
(about 2 hours later)
Campaigning for European and English council elections is entering its final stages ahead of Thursday's polls. Campaigning for European and English council elections is entering its final stages, overshadowed by MP expenses fallout and cabinet resignations.
The main parties are trying to refocus voters' attention after a campaign overshadowed by the expenses row. The main parties are trying to refocus voters' attention after a campaign dominated by the expenses row.
Gordon Brown will face Conservative leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg at prime minister's questions. But Labour has been rocked by the resignation of two cabinet ministers after Hazel Blears joined Jacqui Smith in saying she would quit on Thursday.
Meanwhile UKIP leader Nigel Farage says he expects to double his number of MEPs to push Labour into third place. Gordon Brown will soon be appearing at prime minister's questions.
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. Conservative leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg are expected to tell Mr Brown that he has lost authority over his cabinet and should resign.
Ms Blears joins a growing list of Labour ministers who have said they will stand down in the past 24 hours, raising question marks over Mr Brown's future.
'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. Mr 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 guideMany 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. Jacqui Smith, who is standing down as Home Secretary, has given Mr Brown her backing, saying he is the right man to "lead the country through difficult times".
And deputy Labour Leader Harriet Harman 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, who have also been hit by the expenses furore, have been keeping up their demands for a general election.
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. Conservative leader David Cameron says the local and European polls should be "firing the starting gun" for a general election.
"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."
Reforming credentialsReforming 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. UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage says he expects to double his number of MEPs to push Labour into third place.
Mr Farage, whose 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."
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.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 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 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.The BNP, meanwhile, are hoping to boost their vote and get their first elected representatives in Brussels.