On the eve of an election likely to give him an historic third term, Tony Blair appealed to voters yesterday to swallow misgivings over Iraq and return him to power as a reward for Britain's healthy economy.

"Of course there has been disagreement about Iraq," the prime minister said as the US-led war to topple Saddam Hussein again dominated a news conference, his last of the campaign.

"(But) who do people trust with the economy, with the investment in our public services, with the interests of the country?" he asked. "I think we can make a pretty good case of it ... Those are the issues that really motivate people."

Blair -- whom polls show is well ahead of the main opposition Conservatives -- was like other party leaders engaged in a frenetic last day of interviews and campaign stops around the country before polls open at 7 a.m. (0600 GMT) on Thursday.

Blair is hoping Britain's robust economy, which has outperformed its European neighbours during the global downturn of recent years, will be his trump card.

But British voters, including many in his own centre-left Labour Party, remain deeply uncomfortable with Blair's backing of the US-led invasion.

"It is not telling the truth that makes politics seem negative, that makes people think all politicians do not tell the truth," said Conservative leader Michael Howard, again accusing Blair of lying over the legality of the war.

Charles Kennedy, leader of Britain's third party the Liberal Democrats, added: "Cast your vote

to restore Britain's reputation on the international stage. Vote Liberal Democrat if, like us, you say 'never again' to an episode like Iraq."

The Conservatives' attack is handicapped by their support of the Iraq war, but the Liberal Democrats opposed it from the outset and are likely to benefit from anti-Blair protest votes.

Despite a week of attacks on his integrity, polls put Blair on course to win a third consecutive term, albeit with a likely reduction in his massive 161-seat parliamentary majority.

The latest, a Populus survey for the Times newspaper, gave Blair's ruling Labour Party a commanding 14-point lead on 41 percent versus the Conservatives on 27 and Lib Dems on 23. Other recent polls have put him between 3 and 10 points ahead.

If Blair is celebrating on Friday --

his 52nd birthday -- he would be the first Labour leader to win 3 successive elections.

Blair, who has said he will step down at the end of a third term, insisted economic stability and investment in health and education would be his domestic priorities.

Africa and the environment were his foreign policy priorities, he added. "I remain passionate about these things."

Blair's first task on re-election will be to shape a new Cabinet. He has already made clear his powerful finance minister and likely successor, Gordon Brown, will remain in his post.

Analysts believe Blair will step down before he completes a third term -- precipitated, perhaps, if he loses a planned 2006 vote on the EU referendum -- and hand over to Brown.