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| General election 2019: Parties make last pitches on final campaign day | General election 2019: Parties make last pitches on final campaign day |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The party leaders are set for a frantic day of campaigning as they criss-cross the country to promote key messages ahead of Thursday's general election. | The party leaders are set for a frantic day of campaigning as they criss-cross the country to promote key messages ahead of Thursday's general election. |
| Jeremy Corbyn will say Labour offers a "vote for hope", while Boris Johnson will say the Tories are the only party who can "get Brexit done". | Jeremy Corbyn will say Labour offers a "vote for hope", while Boris Johnson will say the Tories are the only party who can "get Brexit done". |
| Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson will also call on people to back her candidates to stop the UK leaving the EU. | Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson will also call on people to back her candidates to stop the UK leaving the EU. |
| Polls will open at 07:00 GMT on Thursday and close at 22:00. | Polls will open at 07:00 GMT on Thursday and close at 22:00. |
| SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, who is also expected to be making her final pitch to voters, has published an open letter calling Boris Johnson the "greatest danger to Scotland of any Tory prime minister in modern times". | SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, who is also expected to be making her final pitch to voters, has published an open letter calling Boris Johnson the "greatest danger to Scotland of any Tory prime minister in modern times". |
| In terms of the polls, the Conservatives retain a solid lead over Labour, according to the BBC's opinion poll tracker. | In terms of the polls, the Conservatives retain a solid lead over Labour, according to the BBC's opinion poll tracker. |
| A poll produced by YouGov released on Tuesday evening suggests the Conservatives are on course for a small majority of around 28 - but the pollster points out that the margin of error means neither another hung Parliament nor a larger Tory majority can be ruled out. | A poll produced by YouGov released on Tuesday evening suggests the Conservatives are on course for a small majority of around 28 - but the pollster points out that the margin of error means neither another hung Parliament nor a larger Tory majority can be ruled out. |
| Labour is hoping for a late swing in its favour, as happened in the 2017 general election, while the Tories are warning about the possibility of a hung Parliament, amid concerns about voter complacency. | Labour is hoping for a late swing in its favour, as happened in the 2017 general election, while the Tories are warning about the possibility of a hung Parliament, amid concerns about voter complacency. |
| Both Conservative and Labour party leaders will be hoping to put a rocky few days behind them, as they embark on the traditional election-eve tour of target seats. | Both Conservative and Labour party leaders will be hoping to put a rocky few days behind them, as they embark on the traditional election-eve tour of target seats. |
| Boris Johnson began Wednesday by doing a milk round in West Yorkshire, saying the election campaign "could not be tighter" and that there is a "real risk again of a hung Parliament". | Boris Johnson began Wednesday by doing a milk round in West Yorkshire, saying the election campaign "could not be tighter" and that there is a "real risk again of a hung Parliament". |
| He said: "The critical risk is very real. We cannot have more drift, more dither, more delay, more paralysis for this country." | |
| He will use events throughout the day to stress key Tory pledges on investing in the NHS, raising the number of police officers and bringing in a new immigration system. | He will use events throughout the day to stress key Tory pledges on investing in the NHS, raising the number of police officers and bringing in a new immigration system. |
| But his main message will be on Brexit, saying "unless we get out of this quicksand... our future as a country remains uncertain". | But his main message will be on Brexit, saying "unless we get out of this quicksand... our future as a country remains uncertain". |
| Cabinet minister Michael Gove told BBC Radio 4's Today that only a clear Conservative victory would lift the UK out of the "rut" it had fallen into over Brexit and enable the country to "move on" to dealing with other challenges, like social care and the environment. | |
| Mr Corbyn started the day in Scotland, telling a rally in Glasgow that a Labour government would "eliminate child poverty, give hope to the next generation and invest properly in education all across the UK". | Mr Corbyn started the day in Scotland, telling a rally in Glasgow that a Labour government would "eliminate child poverty, give hope to the next generation and invest properly in education all across the UK". |
| Later he will head to the north-east of England - where the Tories are targeting Leave-voting Labour seats - to appeal to undecided voters. | Later he will head to the north-east of England - where the Tories are targeting Leave-voting Labour seats - to appeal to undecided voters. |
| He will repeat pledges on funding for the NHS, expanding free childcare and lowering transport fares and will also tackle Mr Johnson's message, saying: "Labour will get Brexit sorted - we will secure a good deal for working people, and give you the final say." | He will repeat pledges on funding for the NHS, expanding free childcare and lowering transport fares and will also tackle Mr Johnson's message, saying: "Labour will get Brexit sorted - we will secure a good deal for working people, and give you the final say." |
| Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told BBC Breakfast that the Labour Party had tried to "have an honest campaign" with a "message of hope" and tried not to "get dragged in to the gutter politics that Boris Johnson has wanted to drag us to". | Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told BBC Breakfast that the Labour Party had tried to "have an honest campaign" with a "message of hope" and tried not to "get dragged in to the gutter politics that Boris Johnson has wanted to drag us to". |
| He said there was "no doubt about it" that for the Labour Party, "in a number of constituencies it is tough", but he added that opinion polls suggested that "we are in striking distance of a Labour government". | He said there was "no doubt about it" that for the Labour Party, "in a number of constituencies it is tough", but he added that opinion polls suggested that "we are in striking distance of a Labour government". |
| However, a group of 15 former Labour MPs, including several who quit the party over the past year, have urged voters to back other parties, saying Mr Corbyn is unfit to be prime minister due to his record on anti-Semitism and national security. | |
| Meanwhile, Ms Swinson will be going to rallies with Lib Dem members to double down on her anti-Brexit message. | Meanwhile, Ms Swinson will be going to rallies with Lib Dem members to double down on her anti-Brexit message. |
| She will say voting for her party can stop Mr Johnson getting a Conservative majority, and stop the UK from leaving the EU. | She will say voting for her party can stop Mr Johnson getting a Conservative majority, and stop the UK from leaving the EU. |
| The leader will call on her activists to "keep going [and] fighting for every vote", but will also tell other voters that supporting them will not be a wasted ballot. | The leader will call on her activists to "keep going [and] fighting for every vote", but will also tell other voters that supporting them will not be a wasted ballot. |
| Back on the road again today for the leaders' last push. There feels like there's been a real mismatch between the nature and conduct of the campaign and the scale of the choice. It's a huge moment for the country, but we've heard so many times voters saying they don't like "either of them". | Back on the road again today for the leaders' last push. There feels like there's been a real mismatch between the nature and conduct of the campaign and the scale of the choice. It's a huge moment for the country, but we've heard so many times voters saying they don't like "either of them". |
| People's thinking is really dominated by the two big characters in the campaign and no-one is making it to No 10 on a surge of anything like enthusiasm. | People's thinking is really dominated by the two big characters in the campaign and no-one is making it to No 10 on a surge of anything like enthusiasm. |
| People seem fed up of politicians telling them how divided they are - most people have been quite rightly getting on with their lives while Westminster has torn itself apart. | People seem fed up of politicians telling them how divided they are - most people have been quite rightly getting on with their lives while Westminster has torn itself apart. |
| The frustration Tories hoped to capitalise on is real, but there are doubts all over the place about whether Boris Johnson is the answer to that. However, beyond his strong core support there seems to be less appetite for Jeremy Corbyn to take it on. There is a massive generational split though. | The frustration Tories hoped to capitalise on is real, but there are doubts all over the place about whether Boris Johnson is the answer to that. However, beyond his strong core support there seems to be less appetite for Jeremy Corbyn to take it on. There is a massive generational split though. |
| Smaller parties haven't punched through as some predicted, although they will still have a huge impact, and there are a vast number of local factors at play, of course, too. | Smaller parties haven't punched through as some predicted, although they will still have a huge impact, and there are a vast number of local factors at play, of course, too. |
| Anyway, enough musing for now. Suffice to say this is an incredibly tight contest in lots of places. In 48 hours we might be waiting in a freezing Downing Street for Mr Johnson to return with a majority, or about to enter a frenzy of hung Parliament talks which could propel Mr Corbyn into power. | Anyway, enough musing for now. Suffice to say this is an incredibly tight contest in lots of places. In 48 hours we might be waiting in a freezing Downing Street for Mr Johnson to return with a majority, or about to enter a frenzy of hung Parliament talks which could propel Mr Corbyn into power. |
| 'People have lost faith' | 'People have lost faith' |
| The SNP will take a similar tack in its appeal to Labour voters in Scotland, calling on them to back their party to "beat the Tories and lock Boris Johnson out of No 10". | The SNP will take a similar tack in its appeal to Labour voters in Scotland, calling on them to back their party to "beat the Tories and lock Boris Johnson out of No 10". |
| The party's Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, will say his party is the main challenger for every Tory-held seat in the country and they are "the only party strong enough to defeat Boris Johnson in Scotland and deprive him of the majority he craves". | The party's Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, will say his party is the main challenger for every Tory-held seat in the country and they are "the only party strong enough to defeat Boris Johnson in Scotland and deprive him of the majority he craves". |
| The Brexit Party will also be on the road, campaigning initially in Doncaster. | |
| Leader Nigel Farage's message will be aimed at Leave voters in Labour areas, telling them "not to waste your vote" on Tories who have little chance of winning the seat and to back his party instead. | |
| Plaid Cymru's leader, Adam Price, will use the last day of the campaign to publish a draft law which would make lying by politicians a criminal offence. | Plaid Cymru's leader, Adam Price, will use the last day of the campaign to publish a draft law which would make lying by politicians a criminal offence. |
| He will say: "People have lost faith in our politics, and we have a duty to restore it before it's too late." | |
| Two trends | Two trends |
| Tuesday evening's YouGov poll puts the Conservatives on 43%, which their model translates into 339 seats; Labour on 34%, with 231 seats; the Liberal Democrats on 12%, with 15 seats; the Greens with 3% and one seat and the Brexit Party on 3%, with no seats. The SNP are projected to have 41 seats, an increase of six on 2017, and Plaid Cymru are unchanged with four seats. | Tuesday evening's YouGov poll puts the Conservatives on 43%, which their model translates into 339 seats; Labour on 34%, with 231 seats; the Liberal Democrats on 12%, with 15 seats; the Greens with 3% and one seat and the Brexit Party on 3%, with no seats. The SNP are projected to have 41 seats, an increase of six on 2017, and Plaid Cymru are unchanged with four seats. |
| A similar YouGov analysis last month had the Conservatives ahead of Labour by a bigger margin, with a Tory majority of 68. | A similar YouGov analysis last month had the Conservatives ahead of Labour by a bigger margin, with a Tory majority of 68. |
| But the pollster points out that its seat share estimates come with some uncertainty, and the margin of error could put the Tories' final seat numbers between 311 and 367, meaning neither another hung Parliament nor a larger Tory majority can be ruled out. | But the pollster points out that its seat share estimates come with some uncertainty, and the margin of error could put the Tories' final seat numbers between 311 and 367, meaning neither another hung Parliament nor a larger Tory majority can be ruled out. |
| Fieldwork was conducted between 4 and 10 December, with 100,000 people polled. | Fieldwork was conducted between 4 and 10 December, with 100,000 people polled. |
| Polling expert Sir John Curtice said there have been two trends in the polls during this campaign - but they have effectively negated each other. | |
| He told the BBC the Conservative vote is up - but so is the Labour vote, with the Brexit Party and Lib Dems being squeezed by both parties. | |
| While polls suggest the Conservatives are most likely to get an overall majority they are not guaranteed to do so, Sir John said, adding that there is "quite considerable variation between pollsters". | While polls suggest the Conservatives are most likely to get an overall majority they are not guaranteed to do so, Sir John said, adding that there is "quite considerable variation between pollsters". |
| Follow election night on the BBC | Follow election night on the BBC |