With three days of campaigning left ahead of the national election, British Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned that apathy and protest votes could cost his governing Labour Party a third term in office.
Labour is comfortably ahead in opinion polls, but turnout on May 5 could be crucial. Blair fears that a backlash over the Iraq war, causing core supporters to stay at home or switch allegiances, could damage his party's fortunes.
"The economy is the central question in this election," said Blair, before embarking on a three-day tour of districts where Labour's grip is under threat.
The Liberal Democrats, the only major party to oppose the US-led invasion of Iraq, said the war and Blair's credibility were the most important issues for voters.
"History will certainly judge Tony Blair on Iraq, but first the British people will judge him on Thursday," said Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy, adding that "Blair's judgment on the Iraq war was fatally flawed."
Labour retains a strong lead in opinion polls.
The Populus survey for The Timesnewspaper put Labour at 42 percent and the main opposition Conservatives with 29 percent. The Liberal Democrats had 21 percent. Populus interviewed 1,427 adults by telephone between April 27-30. There was a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
But Labour's lead is narrower among those who are certain to vote.
The latest MORI poll found that among definite voters, Labour had 36 percent support, compared with 33 percent for the Conservatives and 22 percent for the Liberal Democrats.
Labour fears that apathy, coupled with former supporters switching to the Liberal Democrats, could undermine their vote and hand seats to the main opposition Conservatives.
"If one in 10 Labour voters don't vote, the Tories win," said a Labour campaign poster unveiled by Blair Monday.
Under Britain's electoral system, the country is carved up into 646 districts, all of which elect a representative to the Commons. The party with a majority of MPs forms the government.
Analysts say the battle will be won or lost in around 100 districts that Labour currently holds with a slim lead.
AP