Papers turn their backs on Labour

The Guardian is endorsing the Liberal Democrats at the General Election
12 April 2012

Labour's campaign for a fourth term in power has suffered a setback, as two newspapers which backed Tony Blair in previous general elections gave their endorsements to other parties.

Under the headline "The liberal moment has come", The Guardian gave its backing to Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats, while The Times urged readers to vote Conservative on May 6.

The announcements came as one poll suggested voters' support was swinging from Labour to the Lib Dems in the wake of the "bigotgate" incident and Thursday night's final TV debate.

The Harris survey for the Daily Mail put Labour down two points since last week on 24%, with Lib Dems up three on 32%, virtually neck-and-neck with Tories on 33%.

The findings came as Mr Clegg claimed the General Election was now a "two-horse race" between his party and the Tories, and used an election broadcast to tell voters: "We don't need to repeat the mistakes of the past. Don't let anyone tell you it can't be different this time. It can."

The Guardian declared itself "enthusiastic" about the Lib Dems principally because of their support for electoral reform, but advised readers to consider voting tactically in Labour/Conservative marginals to keep Mr Cameron out of 10 Downing Street.

But it gave a damning verdict on Gordon Brown, saying: "A year ago, the Guardian argued that Labour should persuade its leader to step down... Labour chose to hug Mr Brown close. It was the wrong decision then and it is clear, not least after his humiliation in Rochdale this week, that it is the wrong decision now."

The Times too put the blame on Mr Brown for losing Labour its support, arguing he had "squandered the boom" and would put the economic recovery in peril. Backing the Tories for the first time since 1992, the paper said: "David Cameron has shown the fortitude, judgment and character to lead this country back to a healthier, stronger future. It is time, once again, to vote Conservative."

Mr Brown vowed to fight to "the very last second" and "to try harder, to work longer and to dig deeper" for a Labour victory in the General Election.

With the party's hopes of a fourth historic victory apparently slipping away, ex-PM Mr Blair made his first appearance of the campaign to insist it was still possible to turn it around in the final days before polling on May 6.

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