Campaigning for the local government elections enters the home straight this morning ahead of tomorrow's polls across England.

The latest polls predict a record low turnout - prompting fears that extremist parties such as the BNP could pull-off surprise results in areas such as Oldham and Burnley.

The Express today criticises the Conservatives for not standing in a ward of Oldham where British Nationalists are fielding a candidate.

A local paper in Burnley has refused to run an anti-BNP advert by the TUC, claiming that it is defamatory, reports the Sun.

Mainstream parties have sought to counter the far right threat and a low turnout by registering record numbers of postal votes.

All three party leaders are expected to use this afternoon's session of prime minister's questions to score points ahead of the election.

The Conservatives have today unveiled a scratchcard, revealing Labour's promises since 1997 and figures relating to crime and the NHS.

Newspaper local election round-up

The FT reviews the Green Party's hard-hitting political broadcast which featured boiling frogs, suffocating children and nude models.

In the Times, Tom Baldwin asks "Should anyone care about local elections?".

Paul Whiteley, professor of government at the University of Essex, analyses the decline in voter turnout asking "Why are people in the developed world so reluctant to vote?".

Writing in the Independent, John Curtice of the ESRC elections centre examines proposals to boost participation at the polls.