British parties square off on eve of election call (AP)

Britain's two main political parties squared off on the economy, a day before Prime Minister Brown is expected to call an election likely to be dominated by the country's fragile economy.

Britain is voting in the closest general election for decades with opinion polls showing the opposition Conservatives winning most seats but not enough to form a government alone.The three rival leaders of the main parties made last-minute pleas to the 45 million electorate before more than 40,000 polling stations opened.Eve-of-election opinion polls gave David Cameron's Conservatives a clear lead over the Labour Party of Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Liberal Democrats led by Nick Clegg.

Talks on forming a new British government reached "decision time" Tuesday, after Prime Minister Gordon Brown dramatically vowed to stand down to keep his party in power following a poll deadlock.The three main political parties held more frantic negotiations after Brown's game-changing announcement that he will quit as Labour's leader after it came second in Thursday's general election, which produced no clear winner.

Reuters - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Tuesday launched a month-long election campaign likely to be dominated by the economy and shaping u

The U.K.'s main political parties prepared for a likely announcement by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to call a May election and launch what promises to be Britain's most competitive vote in over a decade.

The British and Irish prime ministers were battling on Tuesday to bring Northern Ireland's divided leaders to an agreement and avert the collapse of the province's fragile administration.Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Irish counterpart Brian Cowen jetted into Northern Ireland on Monday to lead talks with parties who share power in the province, as negotiations to finalise devolution stalled.Politicians held crisis negotiations through the night at Hillsborough Castle on the vexed issue of policing, County Down, and voiced determination to resolve the crisis.

The British and Irish prime ministers were battling on Tuesday to bring Northern Ireland's divided leaders to an agreement and avert the collapse of the province's fragile administration.Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Irish counterpart Brian Cowen jetted into Northern Ireland on Monday to lead talks with parties who share power in the province, as negotiations to finalise devolution stalled.Politicians held crisis negotiations through the night at Hillsborough Castle on the vexed issue of policing, County Down, and voiced determination to resolve the crisis.