MR Tony Blair last night warned his party to take nothing for granted, as opinion polls and much of the British press predicted a Labour landslide in Thursday's general election.
His warning was underlined by Mr Paddy Ashdown, the Liberal Democrat leader, who said a "tidal wave" of still undecided voters could make the difference to the election outcome.
And Mr John Major insisted he had the appetite and ideas for a fifth term, amid increasing signs that senior Tories are placing themselves for the inquest - and leadership battle - which would inevitably follow a Labour victory.
As the campaign entered its final phase, Mr Blair sought to focus attention on what would happen if the Tories were reelected - while saying he was "ready" to assume the premiership, with a sense of modesty, responsibility and excitement.
Mr Ashdown accused Mr Blair of reneging on his commitment to Scottish devolution. And the Tories challenged Mr Gordon Brown to divulge details of his planned July budget, while Foreign Secretary Mr Malcolm Rifkind said Thursday's vote would amount to a referendum on Britain's relationship with Europe.
However, some Tories privately betrayed weary resignation as a clutch of weekend opinion polls gave Labour varying leads of between 16 and 24 points. Conservative sources say their private polls suggest a Labour lead of around six or seven points, and insist a narrowing gap could yet deny Mr Blair an overall majority in the new parliament.
But with just three campaigning days to go, the Tories remained on the defensive, with Mr Major acknowledging there had been a "breach" of his 1992 promise to reduce taxes - while maverick former minister Ms Edwina Currie predicted blood on the Tory floor after a landslide win for Mr Blair.
In a newspaper article Mrs Currie criticised the handling of the Tory campaign on a range of issues as incompetent; laid much of the blame at Mr Major's door and said predictions of a Labour majority of 100 were "realistic".
"You have to take a decision quickly, crisply, sometimes instinctively, and stick to it, not put it out to a committee or an inquiry," she said.
"Tony Blair has not just talked about being tough, he has done it. He got rid of Clause Four. People are not impressed when they hear John Major thump the table in Europe and say he'll get the beef ban lifted, then fails to do so. When they compare the records of Blair and Major, Blair comes across better. After May 1st, there will be a bloodbath in the Tory Party."
Senior Tories rounded on Mrs Currie after her attack, coupled with the prediction that the Conservatives could lose up to 50 seats in the electorally crucial Midlands. Sir Marcus Fox, chairman of the 1922 Committee, said she was completely wrong: "She has always been a loose cannon, firing in all directions and never hit the target once."
Dr Brian Mawhinney, Mr Michael Portillo and Mr William Hague insisted they knew of no other Conservatives who shared Mrs Currie's view. Dr Mawhinney maintained: "I am confident that come the early hours of Friday morning it will be clear that the Conservative government is reelected, not least because people have confidence in John Major's leadership and they do not have similar confidence in Mr Blair's."
Renewing his warning against complacency, Mr Blair said Labour's poll lead, and the expectation of victory, could affect the party's vote. Labour will invoke the services of its very own guardian angel in its final party political broadcast, as part of a last ditch effort to bring the vote out on Thursday, it was confirmed.