Election roundup

Campbell brokers power handover to Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown has been told that there is no other contender for Tony Blair's job as Labour leader, according to reports in a newspaper today. Negotiations for the smooth handover of power to Brown have been negotiated by the former Downing Street director of communications Alastair Campbell. In private discussions brokered by Campbell, the Chancellor is said to have discussed the makeup of a cabinet in a third Labour term to ensure a place for his allies and help ease the transition of power.

Prescott accuses Tories of postal vote 'hypocrisy'

The row over the threat of postal voting fraud grew yesterday when John Prescott, accused the Conservatives of 'breathtaking' hypocrisy. All three parties are using so-called 'intermediary addresses' - asking people to send their postal vote for processing to a party headquarters, rather than straight to returning officers. Michael Howard has blamed the government for failing to introduce tougher safeguards. Prescott hit back, announcing the Tories had supported the tactic at the time but were now trying to make capital out of it.

Blair takes heart check

Tony Blair had a surprise heart check-up yesterday during an election visit to a Kent hospital.

Given the Prime Minister's well-documented problem with an irregular heartbeat, Blair was, however, deemed in good shape, particularly given the rigours of the campaign. Tests to determine his heart rate, made during a visit to promote Labour's plans for investment in the NHS at the £120 million Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, revealed a healthy 66 beats per minute and an oxygen level of 98 out of a possible 100.

Political differences are invisible, says Branson

Sir Richard Branson waded into the campaign yesterday, claiming the difference between Tony Blair's Labour administration and a Tory government had been 'fairly negligible' as far as business was concerned. The Virgin tycoon hailed Gordon Brown as a 'brilliant' Chancellor, but added that many of his policies since 1997, such as allowing an independent Bank of England to set interest rates, could have been expected if the Tories had been in power.

'The fascinating thing is that Labour have continued what the Conservatives had started,' said Branson.