Iraq weighed heavily on the Bush administration on Tuesday as Iyad Allawi, Iraq's interim prime minister, said the weekend massacre of 50 Iraqi National Guard soldiers “was the outcome of major neglect by some parts of the coalition forces”.

Mr Allawi's charge, levelled in the last days of campaigning before Tuesday's poll, came as John Kerry assailed President George W. Bush over new reports that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will require an extra $70bn in funding next year.