Blair called in as final debate gives Tories an edge

Tony Blair was to be drafted in to bolster Labour's flagging drive for votes after Tory leader David Cameron emerged as the winner from the final television debate yesterday.

Despite a final "trust me" plea by Prime Minister Gordon Brown on the economy in the debate, three instant polls gave victory in the debate to Cameron but suggested that the Liberal Democrats are still big players in the election race by putting Nick Clegg in second place. A fourth poll scored last night's debate as a draw between Cameron and Clegg.

The Liberal Democrats declared they were now in a "two-horse race" with the Tories.

Blair will campaign in marginal constituencies in the southeast of England. The former Prime Minister, who spoke in his former Sedgefield constituency at the start of the campaign almost a month ago, will also travel to the northwest next week.

In Cameron's closing statement yesterday, he said Labour offered "more of the same", and the Liberal Democrats only uncertainty. "There will be difficult decisions, but I want to lead us through these to better times," he said.

Brown appeared to concede that he was heading for defeat in next Thursday's election.

"I know if things stay as they are David Cameron, perhaps supported by Nick Clegg, will be in office," he said.

He acknowledged his personal failings but argued that his record meant it was too risky to ditch him at a time of fragile economic recovery.

Brown tried to move on from the self-inflicted disaster on the eve of the debate - his unguarded description of pensioner Gillian Duffy as "bigoted" in Rochdale. He said: "There's a lot to this job. And as you saw yesterday, I do not get all of it right. But I do know how to run the economy in the good times and in the bad."

He told voters: "It's not my future that matters, it's your future that's on the ballot paper next Thursday and I am the one to fight for your future."

Urging the public not to take a gamble on Cameron or Clegg, Mr Brown declared: "Things are too important to be left to risky policies under these two people. They aren't ready for government because they have not thought through their policies."

According to the ComRes survey of 2300 people who watched the debate, Brown's gaffe has cost Labour support. Seven per cent of people who were planning to vote Labour said they would not, and a further 8 per cent who had intended to back the party were now undecided. A further 24 per cent would stick with Labour and 61 per cent were not planning to support the party or were undecided.

Clegg wound up his appearance by trying to convince voters who have backed him in the polls that he wouldn't let them down if he was prime minister.

"Don't let anybody scare you from following your instincts next week," he said. "I can't guarantee that all the problems you face will be solved overnight. But I can guarantee that I will work tirelessly to deliver greater fairness for you."

HOW THEY SCORED
35 per cent
A ComRes survey for ITV News in favour of David Cameron. It gave Nick Clegg 33 per cent and Gordon Brown 26 per cent

41 per cent
A YouGov poll for the Sun newspaper in favour of Cameron, with Clegg second on 32 per cent and Brown on 25 per cent

38 per cent
A Populus survey for the Times that had Cameron and Clegg tied winners with Brown on 25 per cent