Newspapers turn on Labour

The Observer has become the latest newspaper to urge voters to abandon Labour.

The traditionally left-leaning Sunday paper hailed Liberal Democrat leader Clegg as "the candidate of change" in an editorial.

The paper said: "There is only one party on the ballot paper that, by its record in the old parliament, its manifesto for the new one and its leader's performance in the campaign, can claim to represent an agenda for radical, positive change in politics."

The switch of allegiance came after the Observer's daily sister paper The Guardian also came out in support of Mr Clegg on the grounds that a big vote for the Lib Dems on May 6 is the best way of bringing about electoral reform.

The Conservatives added the backing of the Sunday Express - which said leader David Cameron offered "a long overdue return to decency and traditional values" - to earlier endorsements from The Times and The Sun.