By Kirsty Walker
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Voters are set to reject David Cameron's flagship plans for elected mayors despite the Prime Minister's pleas for a 'Boris' in every part of the country.
Ministers are privately bracing themselves for many cities to reject plans to create powerful new local mayors in referenda held today.
Recent polls have shown that two thirds of voters would prefer to stick with the current system where councillors from political parties run local affairs.
Campaign trail: London Mayor Boris Johnson chats with World War Two veterans who are travelling to the National Liberation Day event in the Netherlands
Mr Cameron has personally thrown his weight behind the plans for directly elected mayors - holding similar powers to Boris Johnson in London - in the 12 largest cities outside of London.
Ten of them - Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Coventry, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield and Wakefield -will vote today.
Both Birmingham and Manchester are on a knife-edge with polls showing that opposition to the plans has grown in recent weeks.
Anecdotal evidence from city councillors and party activists out campaigning for the local elections have reported growing hostility to the idea of a mayor.
Many people are unaware that the poll is even taking place, while others are reported to be suspicious of an idea thrust on them by political leaders from Westminster.
A recent Guardian/ICM poll of West Midlands voters found that 64 per cent intended to vote 'no' to elected mayors.
Soapbox politics: Ken Livingstone, the Labour Party candidate for Mayor of London, makes a speech as he campaigns in Hammersmith
London Mayor Boris Johnson talks to a cabbie while campaigning in Uxbridge
Smile: A supporter poses for a photo with Ken Livingstone in Hammersmith today
A Manchester Evening News poll of nearly 1,000 people found that nearly 50 per cent said they wanted to stick with the current system compared with 43 per cent who want an elected mayor.
The survey also found more than one fifth of voters 'didn't even realise the vote was taking place,' while more than 30 per cent said they were 'very well informed' on the vote.
But a YouGov poll held at the beginning of last month found that 56 per cent of people would prefer to have directly elected mayors.
In the market for votes: Boris at a fruit and veg stall in Chiswick
A supporter whispers into Ken Livingstone's ear on the campaign trail
Boris and his wife Marina on the bus to the Tube station while campaigning during his Mayor Campaign
Ken greets a group of women on mobility scooters in Hammersmith shopping centre
Leading psephologists have warned that the result is too difficult to call, but predicted that as few as three of the cities would back plans for a mayor.
Elections analyst and former MP Rob Hayward said: 'My sense is that people don't want change. I would be surprised if more than three places voted 'Yes'.
Tony Travers from the London School of Economics said that the number which would vote for a mayor was 'less than five'.
Prime Minister David Cameron's plan for elected mayors across the country have taken a blow
Mr Travers said: 'There is always a risk that Mr Cameron's unpopularity could filter through to people so they are less likely to vote 'yes'.
If the majority of cities reject the plans, it would be blow for Mr Cameron who yesterday launched a last ditch personal plea for voters to support elected mayors.
The Prime Minister told London's Evening Standard that Britain needs more strong leaders such as Mr Johnson as Mayor to fight for their communities.
He said: 'I am giving the country the chance to have many more Borises.
'I want a Boris in Birmingham, I want a Boris in Leeds, I want a Boris in Bradford. They don't all have to be members of the Johnson family.'
Despite polls showing that Mr Johnson has opened up a lead over his main rival Ken Livingstone, experts say the race for London mayor is 'too close to call'.
Mr Cameron has promised to hold a 'Cabinet' of mayors, which would be presided over by the Prime Minister at least twice a y ear.
But Lord Beecham, former leader of Newcastle council, has described the offer of a mayoral cabinet as 'a bribe' as major cities which reject the idea of mayors would not be represented.
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People are missing the point that with so many layers or tiers of Government and authority, it all needs to be paid for. The results thus far are armies of box ticking jobsworths, all wallowing in money thieved from the working population. It must come to a halt.
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Hang on a minute........... Just one minute...............Are we rejecting the chance of democratic control..........? Is the ALTERNATIVE to "a Boris" in every city something they haven't told us.............. Like "a Clegg" instead......?
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Already having an elected Mayor here, I have to say he's cheaper by far than the old Chief Exec BUT other than that I cannot say I've noticed a difference. Having said that he's NOT Boris!
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All sounds like a good idea to have Majors till you consider the would be wannabees are celebrity obsessed, trough gouging, expense harvesting, liberal, Cleggytypes! Where are the serious, patriotic, duty based folk of times past?
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Funny how the people wanting to be City Mayors are all ex MPs. They screwed up the country and now they want to do the same in the cities. Perhaps they have the Dictator Syndrome.
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I voted in Bristol this morning, but haven't been very interested in the campaign, and was dithering right up to the time I got my ballot paper. In the end I voted "No", mainly on the basis of what I'd heard from other places which have had elected Mayors. Also, I can't help being suspicious of anything which people like Cameron are so enthusiastic about.
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Why are we getting a vote on whether to have elected mayors, but no vote on whether to have police commissioners? They are just being imposed on us. There's not much difference in the concept, so why no referendum?
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Everyone I have spoke to welcomes the concept of an elected mayor, if nothing else people should vote yes because Labour say no.
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"You are a complete idiot. - John, Harrow, 3/5/2012 9:58" Such anger.
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It was nice of hime to take his wife out.
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