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Election campaign into final day Election campaign into final day
(about 1 hour later)
Campaigning for European and English council elections is entering its final stages, overshadowed by MP expenses fallout and cabinet resignations. Campaigning for European and English council elections is in its final stages as Gordon Brown has insisted he still has the authority to govern.
The main parties are trying to refocus voters' attention after a campaign dominated by the expenses row. Tory leader David Cameron said the government was "collapsing before our eyes" while Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said there was "no-one in charge".
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. This followed the resignation of Communities Secretary Hazel Blears.
Gordon Brown will soon be appearing at prime minister's questions. But Mr Brown said he was focused on tackling the big issues, such as reform of Parliament and the recession.
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. 'Collapse'
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. The final day of campaigning before Thursday's elections has been overshadowed by apparent turmoil within the government, after a series of ministerial resignations.
'Duty to govern' The government is collapsing before our eyes David Cameron
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. At prime minister's questions, Mr Brown rejected suggestions that his control over his cabinet had "completely disappeared" after Ms Blears' departure and that of Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
Many people will say a 'plague on all your houses' Nick Clegg class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/8060102.stm">At-a-glance: Party-by-party guide "The government is collapsing before our eyes," Mr Cameron said, reiterating his call for a general election.
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". The Tory leader accused Mr Brown of having "no confidence" in Chancellor Alistair Darling, sharply criticised for his expenses claims.
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. Mr Brown said his chancellor was "doing a very good job" but refused to be drawn on whether he would be keeping his job after a reshuffle expected after Thursday's elections.
"I do want to reassure people that Gordon Brown, that we, know what our duty is," she told the Today programme. He said the Tories had no answers to the big issues of parliamentary reform and the economy as they did not have any substance.
"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." "That is no basis on which to hold a general election," he told Mr Cameron.
The Tories, who have also been hit by the expenses furore, have been keeping up their demands for a general election. For the Lib Dems, Mr Clegg said the government was "paralysed by indecision and crippled by infighting".
Conservative leader David Cameron says the local and European polls should be "firing the starting gun" for a general election. The SNP, which has called for an immediate dissolution of parliament, said the cabinet was in open revolt.
"I want us to have a fresh start in this country," he told the BBC. Mike Weir said the country was witnessing the "pathetic sight" of the cabinet trying to reshuffle itself.
Reforming credentials 'Earthquake'
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. Mr Brown has urged voters not to take out their frustration over the expenses scandal by backing extremist parties at the forthcoming elections.
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. On the last day of campaigning, UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage says he expects to double his number of MEPs to push Labour into third place.
"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."
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.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."
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 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.