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Brown says election 'wide open' Tories warn over hung parliament
(about 2 hours later)
Gordon Brown is insisting the election is "wide open" as the party leaders step up campaigning over the weekend. David Cameron has warned of the dangers of a hung parliament and said only a "decisive" Conservative government would "get the job done".
Mr Brown will address party activists after a Sun opinion poll suggested the Lib Dems had pushed Labour into third place after Thursday's TV debate. He spoke as a poll suggested a big rise in Lib Dem support after the TV debate.
David Cameron meanwhile told activists they were in the "fight of our lives" to ensure there is a "decisive" Tory government, not a "hung parliament". Their leader Nick Clegg claimed "something exciting" was happening in politics as he campaigned in Surrey.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg is currently visiting Kingston Hospital. Gordon Brown did not mention the Lib Dems in his speech to Labour activists, instead attacking the Tories who, he said, would "wreck" the recovery.
Mr Cameron told supporters in Gloucester the bureaucracy of government needed to be reduced. Mr Cameron warned of the consequences of a hung parliament - seen as more likely if there is a big rise in Lib Dem support - as he addressed people in Gloucester.
"Ask yourself this - would a hung parliament achieve that? Do you think a bunch of politicians sitting round would agree to cut the size of the House of Commons? "A hung parliament would be a bunch of politicians haggling, not deciding.
"Would they agree to cut the perks? Would they agree to cut ministers' pay? The hell they would - you need a decisive Conservative government to clean up politics and to cut the cost of politics," he said. "They would be fighting for their own interests, not fighting for your interests. They would not be making long-term decisions for the country's future, they would be making short-term decisions for their own future.
'More scrutiny' "The way we are going to get things done is to have a decisive Conservative government."
Meanwhile Mr Brown and Mr Cameron have both indicated they think Nick Clegg performed well in Thursday's televised prime ministerial debate, but senior Labour and Conservative figures are now warning the Liberal Democrat leader to expect a lot more scrutiny between now and polling day. 'Force for fairness'
Mr Clegg, on a visit to Kingston Hospital in south west London with his wife Miriam, said he welcomed any focus on his party's policies, arguing the election must be a "contest of ideas, not advertising budgets". Gordon Brown, campaigning in Bedford, said the election was not about style and personality but about the big issues.
He said "something exciting" was happening in politics and said a growing number of people were beginning to hope for "real change". "I will do nothing to put the economic recovery at risk," he said.
"Let's make sure we have the recovery and don't let the Conservatives wreck the recovery," he continued.
Although he did not mention the Lib Dems - whose campaign is based around "fairness" - Mr Brown did end his speech by insisting the Labour Party were "greatest force for fairness in the country".
Mr Brown and Mr Cameron have indicated they think Mr Clegg performed well in Thursday's televised prime ministerial debate, but senior Labour and Conservative figures are now warning the Liberal Democrat leader to expect a lot more scrutiny between now and polling day.
Mr Clegg, on a visit to Kingston Hospital, in south west London with his wife Miriam, said he welcomed any focus on his party's policies, arguing the election must be a "contest of ideas, not advertising budgets".
Nick Clegg's TV performance has thrust him into the media spotlight
He said: "I think a growing number of people are starting to hope that real change and that real fairness is finally possible in Britain."
The SNP's leader Alex Salmond said Mr Cameron was in a "blue funk" over his comments on a hung parliament, saying it was something to welcome not fear.
"It is increasingly clear that the more people contemplate a Labour or Tory victory the less they like what they see."
A Lib Dem spokesman said 250 people had joined the party via their website immediately after the debate, while bookmakers shortened odds on the Lib Dems making significant gains at the election.A Lib Dem spokesman said 250 people had joined the party via their website immediately after the debate, while bookmakers shortened odds on the Lib Dems making significant gains at the election.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the public reaction suggested the Lib Dems could "dream of doing better" than five years ago - when they won their largest number of seats for 80 years.BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the public reaction suggested the Lib Dems could "dream of doing better" than five years ago - when they won their largest number of seats for 80 years.
David Cameron : "We have to win this election house by house, street by street" Polls ahead of the debate have suggested the Lib Dems could get anywhere between 17% and 22% of the national vote on 6 May - they got 22% in 2005.
And Mr Brown is claiming Lib Dem policies will "unravel" as they come under increasing scrutiny.
However, he stressed Mr Clegg's performance did not, in itself, mean people were more likely to vote for him or that he would be able to sustain the momentum into the other debates.
Recent polls have suggested the Lib Dems could get anywhere between 17% and 22% of the national vote on 6 May - they got 22% in 2005.
But a poll for Saturday's Sun, carried out by YouGov after the TV debate, suggests Labour are in third place on 28%, with the Lib Dems on 30% and the Conservatives on 33%.But a poll for Saturday's Sun, carried out by YouGov after the TV debate, suggests Labour are in third place on 28%, with the Lib Dems on 30% and the Conservatives on 33%.
Applying the figures from the survey of 1,290 people to the BBC News website's election seat calculator results in the following: Labour 276 seats; Conservatives 245 seats; Lib Dems 100 seats; Others 29 seats.Applying the figures from the survey of 1,290 people to the BBC News website's election seat calculator results in the following: Labour 276 seats; Conservatives 245 seats; Lib Dems 100 seats; Others 29 seats.
David Cowling, head of the BBC's political research unit, said the clutch of Sunday newspaper polls would be key in indicating whether the Sun's poll was an "immediate referendum on Thursday night's debate or represents the settled will of British voters".David Cowling, head of the BBC's political research unit, said the clutch of Sunday newspaper polls would be key in indicating whether the Sun's poll was an "immediate referendum on Thursday night's debate or represents the settled will of British voters".