Labour split over Blair’s future
Almost two-fifths of the Labour Party’s rank-and-file want Tony Blair to stand down before the next election, according to new research.
An ICM poll for the Guardian newspaper found 16 per cent of the 360 Labour party members interviewed thought Mr Blair should step down immediately.
The poll follows a difficult few months for the government, with the backbench rebellion over tuition fees and ongoing questions about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.
Mr Blair told the News of the World that whatever the problems and pressures of the job, he intended to carry on doing it.
“I will be putting myself forward” for re-election, he told the paper.
But today’s poll found that twenty-one per cent of interviewees want the premier to stand down after the election.
However, the prime minister won’t be packing his bags just yet as a third of those polled (35 per cent) said he ought to fight the election after next.
Over half (55 per cent) of members said they would back Mr Blair in a leadership campaign.
Crucially, a third (30 per cent) said they would lend their support to Gordon Brown, perceived by some as the prime minister in waiting.
The ICM poll found that Labour had dropped three points to 36 per cent with the Tories remaining at 34 per cent.
Mr Blair’s personal rating fell from minus 15 points to minus 21 points.
