M A I N   N E W S

Historic third term for Blair
H.S. Rao

London, May 6
Braving public anger over the Iraq war, Prime Minister Tony Blair today won a historic third term in power for his Labour Party but with a drastically reduced majority that could force him to step aside even before his term expired.

Mr Blair, who turned 52 today, acknowledged that the UK’s decision to join the US-led war on Iraq had an impact on his party’s performance in the elections for the 646-member House of Commons.

“I too know that Iraq has been a divisive issue in this country but I hope now that we can unite again and look to the future — there and here,” he told party activists in his Sedgefield constituency after results gave him a resounding victory.

The Labour had to “focus on the things that matter” such as the National Health Service, jobs and law and order, said Mr Blair, who retained his parliamentary seat despite being challenged by the father of a British soldier killed in Iraq.

After his party gained an absolute majority winning 353 seats of the 621 declared so far, the Prime Minister, accompanied by his wife Cherie, drove to the Buckingham Palace and spent about 30 minutes with Queen Elizabeth II, who formally asked him to form a new government.

The drop in Mr Blair’s support could set the stage for he being replaced early by a party rival, most favourite being Chancellor of Exchequer Gordon Brown, who is widely credited for the strong economy that helped seal the Labour victory, overweighing the bitterness many voters said they felt over Iraq. — PTI