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As opinion polls continue to predict a massive victory for the Labour Party in next Thursday's general election in Britain, former Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher has warned that a landslide victory for Tony Blair's party would be dangerous for the country and could lead to an "elective dictatorship".
An opinion poll commissioned by The Times on Tuesday shows 48 per cent support for Labour, with the Conservatives trailing at 30 per cent. The Liberal Democrats have 16 per cent.
These statistics indicate another overwhelming Labour victory, with the Blair's party increasing its share of parliamentary seats.
Labour's anticipated success has, however, prompted warnings from Baroness Thatcher that the country would be at risk from a Labour landslide.
"I applaud a strong government but not an overweening government sustained by cronies, ciphers and a personality cult," Lady Thatcher said in an article published in Friday's edition of the pro-Conservative Daily Telegraph.
"I very much fear that if Mr Blair is returned with a large majority, these already detectable tendencies will grow unchecked."
Lady Thatcher's comments came as the election campaign entered its last six days.
Voters will cast their ballots next Thursday and early indications of how the parties are faring should be available from exit polls on the same evening.
Thatcher also accused Prime Minister Blair of clinging to policies that could lead to the "progressive extinction of Britain as a nation state", although she added that "it is not too late to prevent that".
Thatcher's views echoed comments by Conservative Party leader William Hague, who told a television programme last Thursday, "It would be extremely dangerous for this country" if Labour won another landslide victory.
"Obviously, we are working on making sure that there's no landslide, that there is a Conservative majority in the House of Commons," Hague said.
But Blair is supremely confident of securing another mandate. In a separate television interview on Thursday night, he said his achievements of the last four years made him feel better and he was standing for parliament because "if you start a job then you should finish it".
Much of the otherwise unremarkable election campaign has focused on leading personalities. Last week, Labour superimposed Thatcher's hair on Hague's face to show how he is a devoted follower of the former Conservative leader.
"Be afraid, be very afraid," says the poster to emphasise the links between Hague and Thatcher.
The Conservatives have retaliated by running pictures of a silver knuckle-duster to remind voters how Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott punched a demonstrator who threw an egg at him.
On Friday, Blair tried to raise the tone of the election by discussing his party's commitment to improving public services. In an appeal to the socialist roots of his party, Blair told The Times that services for the public should be based on need and not on ability to pay.
He also said there was nothing wrong in sub-contracting public services to the private sector. "If you can deliver that service, or help deliver it, through co-operation with a private-sector organisation that is making a profit, then why not?" he said.
Both Labour and the Tories are expected this weekend to spell out their views of inner city regeneration. Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy will present his views on fighting crime.
But the all-important issue of race relations has been allowed to slide back on party agendas and remains taboo, despite three days of riots in the northern town of Oldham, near Manchester.
The consensus among party officials is that although Oldham is on everybody's mind, the issue of improving race relations is unlikely to become a major election issue.
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