Posted on 05/05/2005 2:09:15 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
Tony Blair is on course to win an historic third term for Labour but with a much reduced majority, according to a joint BBC/ITV exit poll.
The poll suggests Mr Blair's majority will be reduced from 160 to 66.
The findings - based on 13,000 voters from 320 polling stations in marginal seats - were announced as polls closed in the 2005 general election.
Counting is now underway with the first results of the night expected shortly after 2300 BST.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
We don't know the exact results yet. I'll be watching them closely.
I hope the Conservative Party picked up more seats.
I really hope the UK rejects the EU Constitution.
This is what the conventional wisdom anticipated.
Wonder what the DUmmies blood pressure is right about now?
CBS reporting that although labour will hold majority, they have lost 100 of 160 seats.
I would t hink Blair is weakened within his own caucus.
Poor election showing = they may sack him and replace him with an anti-American leader.
BBC live coverage of UK election results on C-SPAN2 now...
Help me out here...If Blair wins they will probably toss him out? I am not familiar with their political system.
Exit polls also showed Kerry in a landslide.
Not necessarily. If the Labour Party maintains its majority in Parliament, then Blair can remain Prime Minister. It's up to the party if they want to oust him.
BBC's coverage is very entertaining.
Oh, I wasn't aware of that. Thank you.
Nobody better to 'hold court' on this election than MadIvan! :o)
Maybe the surprisingly strong showing by the Torys is because of their stance on immigration.
Never thought I'd be happy with a Labourite.
Blair is the prime minister, which means his position rests on his ability to garner support from his liberal colleagues.
It only took a minority of Tories to sack Lady Thatcher.
If the BBC figures are correct, then Labour will have a much reduced majority in the House of Commons.
Conventional wisdom holds that this means the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, will take over shortly.
He is more popular among left-wing Labour members, but he is not quite the anti-American that many on this site portray him to be.
Do you really thing that may happen? I am so clueless about their politics any information would be greatly appreciated.
That is huge. That is actually a tremendous loss for Labour. Blair is going to be sacked by his own party in a matter of weeks if those numbers hold.
Say hello to Prime Minister Brown!
It's kind of like after the 1998 Congressional elections, where the GOP still won 6 more seats than the Dems, but their majority was cut...and Newt "decided" not to seek the Speakership again.
The UK is a Parliamentary system...Tony Blair is simply one represetnative, elected in his own district.
Thanks for the input.
I have no idea...I don't follow British politics particularly closesly, so I'm the wrong person to ask.
But, in my above post, I used the analogy of the 98 elections, as to what could happen now in the UK.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.