Posted on 04/03/2005 2:49:24 PM PDT by wagglebee
Tony Blair will this week launch his attempt to win a historic third term after calling a brief halt to political hostilities as a mark of respect to Pope John Paul II.
The prime minister is expected to ask the Queen on Tuesday to dissolve parliament for a May 5 general election. He scrapped his plan to go to Buckingham Palace on Monday out of deference to the world's 1bn Catholics mourning their spiritual leader.
All parties have called a truce in their pre-election phoney war, and Mr Blair plans a low-key launch to a campaign that will last about three weeks.
There were concerns that pressing ahead with the planned timetable risked alienating Britain's 6m Catholics, some of whom live in marginal seats.
Confirmation that Britain will go to the polls on May 5 will trigger a scramble to salvage some of the government's legislation before parliamentary time runs out. There was some exasperation within government about Mr Blair's decision but one insider acknowledged that he had no other choice.
“He probably did think to plunge the country into election frenzy would have offended people. There was great mischief to be made and we have just avoided that, but it has had a catastrophic impact on our strategy for the week,” he said.
The bill to introduce identity cards is likely to be lost, with parliament expected to shut up shop before Friday's marriage of the Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles.
Mr Blair, who described the Pope as “a man of true and profound spiritual faith” and “a shining example of what that faith should mean”, will attend vespers at Westminster Cathedral on Monday afternoon. He is likely to attend the Pope's funeral.
To me, it makes little difference. He will sort it out at the right time. Until then, let men make their "rules and laws". All is man's vanity and there is nothingnew.
FMCDH(BITS)
Respectful, but Labour's still gunna lose.
Very wise choice, IMHO.
I'll give Blair the benefit of the doubt here. He didn't have to defer this, but he is. That is a mark of respect and deserves to be lauded.
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