7 May, 2005

Blair victory

Tony Blair won historic third term, but with a reduced majority and with a question - How long will he last at No 10? There is a controversial issue, namely, Iraq, which has affected his way to get re-elected.

As a clear sign of an "Iraq effect", the Labour showed much worse performance in the capital than other regions, losing Enfield Southgate, Putney, Hammersmith, Ilford North and Wimbledon to the Conservatives.

When Blair regained his Sedgefield seat, he said, "I know Iraq has been a divisive issue in this country, but I hope now we can unite again and look to the future."

Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, also admitted that the party had suffered a protest vote, saying, "I promise that we will listen and learn so that we can serve our country and our community even better in the years to come."

While British media report Blair's historic victory, they also talk about the next successor who can be Gordon Brown. Independent says;

Although Mr Blair set to enter the history books, the sharp drop in his majority will raise a question-mark over whether he can remain in Downing Street for anything like the "full term" he wishes to serve before standing down. He will face calls from within the party for an early handover of power to Mr Brown, whose allies believe Labour would have suffered bigger losses if the Chancellor had not played a pivotal role in the campaign.

Blair won the election, largely because voters were not able to be willing to choose either Michael Howard or Charles Kennedy - even though there was an "Iraq effect". So the public who voted for Blair were not necessarily willing to do. Simply, they had no choice.

Boris Johnson, the Tory candidate in Henley, west London, said: "What we are now seeing I think is the slow, sad political extinction of Tony Blair."

» Independent | Blair secures his third term - but how long will he last at No 10?