As security dominated the closing stages of the U.K. election campaign, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday that she would be willing to tear up human-rights legislation to combat terrorism, a move that the Labour opposition said was an attempt to distract from her cuts to police.

The prime minister and her Labour Party opponent, Jeremy Corbyn, set out on whistle-stop tours of the country ahead of Thursday's vote, with polls all showing May's Conservatives ahead but disagreeing about whether the race is close.

Privately, Labour aides and candidates were preparing to lose seats.