Jack Layton presses for more "Strategic Voting"

Oh my gosh, are the Liberals going to tank or what?

Lend me your votes, Layton declares

Federal NDP Leader Jack Layton put a new twist on attempts to siphon votes from his opponents Monday, begging disaffected Liberals to “lend” him their votes while their party “regenerates".

“Vote for us just this once, in this election, so there is a strong voice in the next Parliament that is standing up for the priorities progressive people believe in,” he said.

Layton added the Liberals will be “going into the repair shop for a while” to work out their ethical issues, and will thus be thinking about themselves and not voters' priorities.

While Layton said he wouldn't predict the outcome of the election, his messaging appeared to suggest the NDP believes in the real possibility that Stephen Harper could be the next prime minister.

He also made an appeal to Red Tories, saying it was no accident that the CPC dropped "Progessive" from its name.