Prime Minister Gordon Brown today addressed hundreds of staff and students at Bradford University in a final bid to secure votes before polling stations open at 7am tomorrow.

The Labour leader, who was accompanied by his wife Sarah, entered the main atrium of the University to cheers, winding his way to a podium on a mezzanine floor alongside Bradford MPs Gerry Sutcliffe and Marsha Singh.

In front of massed ranks of television cameras and media reporters, he told the crowd that he admired the university’s research strength.

He was in bullish mood and referred to election day as “a big decision of action”. He said he was in Bradford to focus on what the election was all about – jobs, industry, skills and employment – saying the election was “not just a contest of individuals”.

“We have unfinished business that must be finished,” he said.

He spoke of his confidence of his party’s ability to recover from recession next year.

He said: “The European Union have confirmed that under our policies Britain will be the fastest growing in Europe next year. But only under the policies we are pursuing. Jobs will come but only under the policies we are pursuing, and we must do nothing to put it at risk because on this all else depends.”

He admitted his public demeanour was not a big vote winner, saying he was “not the star candidate or the best PR man” but that he had learned from recent experiences.

Mr Brown said: “I tell you, adversity has been my teacher, honesty has been my best guide, and faith in the future the greatest source of my strength.

“So here we are, fired up with new determination, we are full of energy and firm of purpose.”

He spoke to members of the press afterwards in a workshop inside the Centre for Micro and Nano Moulding.

He seemed relaxed as he took questions perched on a workbench.

Asked what message he had for people in Bradford left apathetic because of the state of the city centre, he said he could not answer for the decisions made by the Conservative-led local council but that he was determined to bring prosperity back to the city.

He added that the university was a testament to what the country could achieve.