Decision time for UK voters

Blair ended his campaign by hammering home the anti-apathy message

LONDON, England -- Prime Minister Tony Blair battled voter apathy as he wound up his election campaign on Wednesday.

In a final cross-country thrust from the English Midlands to North Wales and Scotland on the eve of Thursday's vote, Blair pleaded with Britons not to let talk of a Labour landslide deter them from voting.

"There are people, our ancestors, who lived and fought and sometimes died for the right to vote in this country," the prime minister told a crowed gathering at a pub in the Labour bastion of Castleford, northern England.

"We honour their memory when we exercise our right to vote. We dishonour it when we fail to. Please, come out and let your voice be heard."

Blair's plea came amid speculation that turnout at the polls on Thursday may be the lowest seen since World War II, with only about 60 percent of Britain's 44.5 million registered voters bothering to cast a ballot.

By contrast, voter turnout was 70.9 percent in the last election, when Labour wrested power away from the Conservatives after an 18 year reign, and 76.7 percent in 1992.

According to an opinion poll published on the eve of Thursday's vote, Labour is expected to achieve a majority of between 170 and 190, less than previous polls have suggested.

Labour lead

An ICM survey published in The Guardian newspaper on Wednesday showed the Conservative Party, led by William Hague, cutting Labour's advantage to 11 points from 19 points just a week ago.

It put Labour on 43 percent, four points down from last week, the Conservatives up four on 32 percent, and the Liberal Democrats up two on 19 percent.

A Gallup poll showed Labour and the Conservatives each up one percentage point, with Labour leading the Conservatives on 48 percent to 32 percent, with the Liberal Democrats on 16 percent.

Conservative leader William Hague, who may come under pressure to step down as party leader in the event of a crushing defeat, has showed few signs of flagging spirits.

Rather, Hague continued to drive home a common campaign refrain on Wednesday -- that the polls are wrong -- as he barnstormed across Britain in the homestretch of his campaign.

"Tomorrow the world will find out that the forces of conservatism are on the march," he said at a rally.

Blair, Hague and the Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy, all travelled hundreds of miles in punishing schedules in an attempt to communicate with as many voters before polling day.

AUDIO CNN's Robin Oakley: Gap narrowing in the polls might be beneficial for labour 534 Kb/49 secs. AIFF or WAV sound On the evolution of labour party 854 Kb/79 secs. AIFF or WAV sound On Hague's future after the elections 488 Kb/46 secs. AIFF or WAV sound

Typical of the candidates' frenzied last-minute efforts at voter outreach was Blair's schedule: He began Wednesday in Nottingham, England, travelled by helicopter to Wales and then continued on to Dumfries, Scotland, his penultimate stop before ending up in Castleford.

Hague, for his part, kicked off his last day's campaigning with a tour of London's Smithfield Market, where he insisted to reporters that the Conservatives could still win.

"I don't take notice of polls, whether they go up or down. They are up today, they are down other days. We think this campaign is going well."

Asked about the conduct of his opponents' campaigns, Hague said: "Labour hasn't engaged in the real issues. They haven't wanted a debate.

"Tony Blair has kept calling for an honest debate, but he hasn't wanted to debate with me in this election.

"They are the people who have failed on all the promises they made four years ago and now make the same promises again."

Hague also visited southern England and his home county of Yorkshire in northern England.

Blair, criss-crossing Britain by helicopter, repeated calls for the maximum possible turn-out, urging voters to "put their cross on their ballot paper for continued economic stability in the coming years and to put schools and hospitals first."

His constant reminder was that every vote does count. The nightmare scenario for Labour is what happened in 1995 elections in the Australian state of Queensland.

Then, the badly-trailing opposition clinched the election in a stunning upset after warning voters of the perils of a landslide victory for their rivals.

The message carried an implicit threat that a failure to re-elect Labour would be tantamount to turning back the clock to the outdated policies of Margaret Thatcher, who played a prominent role in helping drum up support for Hague.

"If you vote Tory, or stay at home, then you wake up on Friday to Prime Minister William Hague and the Conservative Party back running the country," Blair said.

On Wednesday night, Blair was to return to his Sedgefield constituency, in north-east England, where he said he planned to watch England's World Cup qualifying football match against Greece in Athens.

Kennedy, who wrapped up his own campaign in Edinburgh, Scotland, after appearances in south-west England and Cheshire, told a news conference earlier in the day: "If you want more investment in education and pensions, cast a vote for the Liberal Democrats."

Polling booths will open at 7 a.m. (0600 GMT) Thursday and close at 10 p.m. (0900 GMT). Results are expected early Friday morning.