General Election gridlock: Tories and Labour insist on majority but polls reveal outcome too close to call

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Cameron says Brits can still vote for a stable government Miliband insists he won’t need the support of the SNP Yet a new coalition is inevitable, say the Lib Dems

 

Senior Conservative and Labour party figures insist that they can win an outright majority in today’s General Election, but a flurry of last-minute snapshots reveal a race that is too close to call.

An ICM poll published last night found Labour and the Tories tied, with each party having 35 per cent of the vote. The Liberal Democrats polled at nine per cent, while Ukip and the Greens came in with 11 and three per cent, respectively.
 
A poll by YouGov for the Sun also showed the main parties deadlocked, this time both on 34 per cent. The Lib Dems were on 10 per cent, with Ukip on 12 per cent.
 
Populus and BMG found the Conservatives and Labour each holding a 34 per cent vote share, while TNS declared: “The parties have reached a stalemate.” The Tories were on 33 per cent of the vote share, with Labour one point behind at 32 per cent, according to its figures.
 
These surveys are in line with other polls that were published yesterday, that all showed razor-thin margins between the two major parties on the eve of the General Election.
 
Comres research for the Daily Mail and ITV News gave the Tories a one per cent lead, with 35 per cent to Labour’s 34 per cent.
 
Morning Wire’s final poll of polls showed the Conservatives on 34, Labour on 33, the Lib Dems on nine, and Ukip on 13. Bookmakers also agree that the vote will be extremely tight. Betway make the Conservatives 1/6 to have the most seats, with Labour at 7/2. Ladbrokes make the Tories 2/11 to win the most seats, and Labour 4/1.
 
All the party leaders yesterday wrapped up weeks of campaigning with last-minute countrywide dashes. Today, they are out trying to rally supporters to head to polling booths, which close at 10pm today.
 
This morning Labour leader Ed Miliband will say: “Today you can vote for a Labour government that stands up for working people, you can vote to put your NHS and your family first.”
 
Prime Minister David Cameron will say: “Amid all the confusion and commentary, my message is simple and clear: Britain has the chance of a strong, stable government, but only if you vote Conservative. All other options will end in chaos.”
 
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg also commented: “Today you face the biggest political decision of your life. Our economic stability, our decent British values of openness, generosity and tolerance and the unity of our United Kingdom are all at stake.”
 
The gridlock that now seems inevitable will almost certainly give greater influence to smaller parties, with the Scottish National Party (SNP) on course to make major gains.
 
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