Blair Likely To Survive Brit Vote

Prime Minister Expected To Win 3rd Term Despite Iraq Questions

(AP)  Blair's biggest fear was that disgruntled Labour supporters would either stay home on Thursday, or cast a protest vote for the Liberal Democrats, the only major party to oppose the Iraq war.

"If people make a protest vote, then what happens is not that the issue they are protesting about is the issue that changes," Blair told an end of campaign news conference. Tellingly, he held it at London's Finchley constituency, once Margaret Thatcher's seat but held by a Labour lawmaker since 1997.

"If we end up with a Conservative government, it's the very things people value that's put at risk," Blair said.

Some 44.2 million Britons were eligible to vote between 0600 GMT and 2100 GMT Thursday.

Howard pressed on with the "liar" attack on Wednesday.

"We want to be talking about our plans for the future but Mr. Blair and his party simply spend their time not telling the truth about our policies," Howard said.

The choices between the two main parties were not always sharply drawn.

Howard attacked Blair's case for going to war in Iraq, which was based on weapons of mass destruction that proved not to exist. But Howard said he too, would have joined the U.S. campaign, and didn't propose to do anything different in Iraq now. Neither side is talking about pulling Britain's 8,400 military personnel from Iraq – and this seems unlikely to change as a result of the vote.

Labour said Conservative pledges to reduce taxes would force spending cuts on social services, but the Conservatives promised to match Labour outlays on schools and hospitals.

Labour held the lead in opinion polls throughout the campaign, and the gap widened as Iraq became the major issue last week.

"Whatever I say, I will never, ever convince some people who have been opposed to this war," said Blair. "I cannot apologize for that decision because I still think the world is a better place with Saddam in prison rather than in power."