British politics has traditionally been painted in binary colours: Labour red and Conservative blue. But the general election on May 7 is a kaleidoscope, with yellow, orange, green and purple added to the mix, resulting in the most unpredictable contest in a lifetime.

The polls have been static for weeks, with the Conservative and Labour parties stuck on roughly 34 per cent each. So the real drama is likely to take place after 10pm on polling day, as David Cameron, the Tory prime minister, and Ed Miliband, his Labour rival, try to claw their way to power.

The bookmakers name Mr Cameron favourite to win most seats in the House of Commons, but expect him to fall short of an outright majority. They reckon Mr Miliband is most likely to be Britain’s next prime minister.