Labour is on course for its worst ever results in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd, with tomorrow's election likely to place both in nationalist hands. Major eve-of-election polls show the SNP retaining power at Holyrood and Plaid Cymru sweeping to power in Cardiff Bay.
Reform UK to become largest opposition
The MRP analysis by YouGov shows Reform UK forming the largest opposition party in both parliaments, despite having no seats in either the last time they were fully contested. In Scotland, Labour and the Tories are set for their worst ever results, winning 17 and 7 seats respectively, with a surge in support also for the Scottish Greens.
It comes after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar was one of the first party figures to call for Sir Keir to quit amid fears that he was poison on the doorstep. And in Wales, Labour is on course to lose its grip on power for the first time since the assembly was created in 1999, becoming just the third party in the newly enlarged 96-seat chamber. It is predicted to win just 12 seats to Plaid's 43 and Reform's 34 in its worst major election result in Wales for more than 100 years.
First Minister warns of Keir factor
Today First Minister and Welsh Labour chief Baroness Morgan complained that Sir Keir 'comes up as an issue on the doorstep'. She admitted the party could lose control of the Senedd because the public wants to 'pick a fight' with Sir Keir over national rather than local issues.
Wednesday marks the final full day of campaigning before polls open on Thursday across England, Scotland and Wales. Almost 25,000 candidates are fighting to be elected to more than 5,000 seats on 136 councils across England. In Scotland, all 129 seats are up for election in Holyrood, while voters in Wales will choose a set of 96 members of the Senedd.
Sarwar insists on surprise victory
Mr Sarwar today insisted Scots have a chance to 'make history' on election day and remove the SNP after nearly two decades of power. In a rallying cry to members on the eve of the election, the Scottish Labour leader said his party could 'pull off a surprise' and outdo the polls. He insisted Labour was fighting to win the election and form the next government despite surveys suggesting the party could face a historic defeat and end in third place behind Reform and the SNP.
Tactical voting urged to stop SNP
SNP First Minister John Swinney has said at least 65 seats on Thursday would be enough to apply extra pressure on Downing Street to grant another referendum on Scottish independence. But the MRP poll has his party three short of that target. Pro-UK group Scotland in Union today urged people to vote tactically to prevent another separatist push and set up a website, tacticalvotescotland.uk. Chairman Alastair Cameron said: 'We've all seen the polls, and it is increasingly clear that the best way to stop the SNP is to vote tactically. Those who want to see the back of the SNP and their independence obsession must get behind the candidate best placed to beat the nationalists in their constituency.'
