PM calls general election

Tony Blair began his march for an historic third term today and told voters: "You're the boss."

The Prime Minister confirmed Whitehall's worst kept secret by naming 5 May as polling day.

Standing outside No10, he said: "I have just been to Buckingham Palace to ask the Queen to dissolve Parliament, which she has graciously consented to do."

Mr Blair said a third term, never won by a Labour leader, was needed to entrench economic stability and invest in public services, from education, to the NHS, and to bring in new reforms.

His short statement, with no questions from the media allowed, was loaded with words such as "mission" and "values", reflecting Labour's hopes of wooing back disenchanted voters. It came after four new polls today showed many such voters are threatening to stay at home or switch their allegiance.

He said: "We are proud of what we have achieved but we should never stand still.

"So, it's a big choice. A big decision. The British people are the boss and they are the ones who will make it."

By the time he spoke, Michael Howard and Charles Kennedy were already on the campaign trail, flying around the country in helicopters to make speeches.

The Conservative leader and wife Sandra were cheered by an audience of party faithful as he launched his campaign at a London hotel before going to Birmingham and Manchester.

"The choice before voters on 5 May is very clear," said Mr Howard.

"They can either reward Mr Blair for eight years of broken promises and vote for another five years of talk. Or they can vote Conservative to support a party that's taken a stand and is committed to action on the issues that matter to hardworking Britain." Pointing to a highly aggressive four weeks of campaigning, Mr Howard mocked the "smirking politics of Mr Blair or the woolly thinking of Liberal Democrats".

He claimed the Prime Minister was "already secretly grinning" at the prospect of victory.

Mr Kennedy was flying to five cities by tea time, Manchester, Edinburgh, Leeds, Norwich and

Newcastle. "We're ready for this campaign. Let's get on with the real debate," he told the Evening Standard.

Within seconds of Mr Blair's statement, millions of emails containing a "personal message" from the Prime Minister was sent to voters.

"I wanted to get this message out to you straight away about what's at stake at the election and how you can help," read the message. After a 24-hour delay on announcing the election date because of the death of the Pope, Mr Blair spent last night with his family redrafting his election statement.

Tensions mounted as ministers arrived at No 10 to give advice or wish the Premier good luck. His close ally Lord Falconer and Lords leader Baroness Amos were among the first, followed by Commons leader Peter Hain, Health Secretary John Reid and Treasury Secretary Paul Boateng.

The Queen arrived at Buckingham Palace from Windsor Castle at 10.40am. Mr Blair, wearing a sober dark suit and red tie, arrived at the palace at exactly a minute before his 11am appointment. As he was led to the Audience Room on the first floor, his official spokesman confirmed the news. "He (Mr Blair) has left for Buckingham Palace," said the spokesman. "That means that a general election campaign is under way."

A lone protester against global warming wearing a Tony Blair face mask stood outside the gates of the palace. The announcement triggered frantic behind-the-scenes talks between the parties to decide what Bills will be helped on to the statute books before MPs

go out to defend their seats.

Mr Blair's aim was to finish the "wash up" business by Thursday night for a two-day political ceasefire for the papal funeral on Friday and royal wedding on Saturday. The formal dissolution of Parliament will not be until Monday. That was a clear sign that Labour is determined to push through as many Bills as possible or embarrass the Opposition by forcing votes.

David Blunkett's controversial ID cards Bill is expected to fall, along with plans to outlaw incitement to religious hatred. The Gambling Bill was also on a knife edge.

New opinion polls pointed to a markedly reduced majority for Labour today. The Government's lead over the Conservatives was put at a wafer thin two and three points in three surveys.

Although a fraction of the nine-point lead that Labour claimed its private polls were showing, polling experts said quirks in the electoral system meant that was enough for Mr Blair to achieve victory with a Commons majority of between 70 and 90.

More intriguingly, a survey for the Financial Times claimed that while Labour was five points ahead overall, the Conservatives had a clear five-point lead among Britons who claim they are certain to vote.

Coupled with a Times poll predicting a record low turnout of just 56 per cent, the findings cut straight to the heart of Mr Blair's fears that a low turnout by bored or disillusioned Labour supporters could deny him a big enough majority to push ahead with planned reforms.

The Prime Minister's inner circle seized on the findings as a timely warning to past supporters to get off their sofas or risk a Howard victory.

"Labour voters have to wake up and realise that even if they don't turn out to vote, the Tories will," said a No10 adviser. "The more our people fail to vote, the greater the risk they will wake up on 6 May to see Michael Howard walking up Downing Street."