Labour fears third place in today's elections

[struggle4progress]

Labour is braced for a third place hammering in today's local council elections in a result that is likely to see Tony Blair pay for his tough stance over the Iraq war.

However, the prime minister's embarrassment may only last 48 hours until Michael Howard suffers similar discomfort on Sunday night when the counting of the European election results is expected to show that Tory support has been significantly eroded by the anti-EU United Kingdom Independence party (Ukip).

As politicians intensified last-minute campaigning, a shadow was cast over today's "Super Thursday" triple ballot by a spate of allegations of electoral fraud in the experimental postal vote regions.
<snip>

Charles Kennedy, the Liberal Democrat leader, predicted a "seismic shift" among ethnic minority voters angered over the Iraq war.

Meanwhile, Mr Blair is being warned by party strategists that today's ballot will give him a well-aimed kicking - even as it confirms that Labour remains on course to win a third general election next year.
<snip>

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/elections2004/story/0,14549,1235292,00.html

[AndyTiedye]

1. >today's ballot will give [Blair] a well-aimed kicking

:kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick:
:kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick:
:kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick:

[Anarcho-Socialist]

2. If Labour does badly...

...then I hope Tony Blair resigns voluntarily, paving the way for Gordon Brown.

[jpgray]

3. As long as both Blair AND Howard eat it, I don't have a problem. (nt)