John Prescott has portrayed Iain Duncan Smith as an electoral asset to the Labour Party.

Speaking on the eve of the local elections, the deputy prime minister said Labour had a vested interest in Duncan Smith remaining Conservative leader.

"Yes, he is an asset. Hopefully he will be there until the general election," he said.

However, according to the Times, Labour chiefs believe they may lose up to a quarter of the 97 councils the party controls in today's elections.

The FT reports that new voting methods will be on trial today almost as much as the politicians themselves.

Observers will be examining whether all-postal ballots and a variety of e-voting pilots will help to raise turnout.

Meanwhile, research conducted by William Hague's former chief strategist, Andrew Cooper, has revealed that focus groups have branded the Conservatives as "hopeless, washed up, pathetic and shambolic."

The findings have been published by C-Change, the think tank associated with the former cabinet minister Michael Portillo.