Labour Cabinet members say Vote Lib Dem

Labour Cabinet ministers have urged Labour voters to vote Lib Dem, according to the BBC,

"The Labour-supporting Mirror newspaper has devoted its front page to a tactical voting guide aimed at "stopping" a Conservative win. Cabinet minister Tessa Jowell told the BBC that was a "good thing" but added: "Ultimately, the point is, people make up their own minds."

'An issue'

Official Labour policy is to support its candidate in every seat they are fighting - Mr Balls and Mr Hain are both urging non-Labour voters to back their party in Conservative-Labour marginals.

Mr Balls, who is facing a Conservative challenge in the Morley and Outwood constituency, stopped short of saying Labour voters should vote Lib Dem in Lib Dem/Tory marginals.

But he told the New Statesman: "I always want the Labour candidate to win, but I recognise there's an issue in places like North Norfolk, where my family live, where Norman Lamb (Lib Dem) is fighting the Tories, who are in second place. And I want to keep the Tories out," he said.

In Tory-Labour marginals, he urged Lib Dem supporters to "bite their lip" and vote Labour.

Later he told journalists he was not going to criticise people who make their own judgements to keep the Conservatives out including in Norfolk North.

Meanwhile Welsh Secretary Mr Hain told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I want every Labour candidate to win but many are not going to be in a position to win.

"I think it's important for people to act intelligently in this election."

He told the Independent voters "know what the real fight is in their own constituency" and would "draw their own conclusions".