|
|
|
  |
| Sunday, 8 May 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Labour wins, Liberals gain Globescan by M.P. Muttiah British Prime Minister Tony Blair led the century-old Labour Party to a third successive term in the elections held on May 5. Prime Minister Blair goes into history as the second Prime Minister who won successive third term with Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher the only other to have won three successive general elections. While the Conservatives faced successive defeat at the hands of Labour, the Liberal Democrats have increased their representation for the first time in 89 years.
In the 646 seat House of Commons, the Labour Party won 351 seats, the Tories 194 and Liberals 59. While Tories have taken away 33 seats from Labour, the Liberals have won 11 more, Labour was not able to capture even a single seat from others. Most of the elections in Britain were won or lost on the issues of economy, health and jobs. Britain has enjoyed 13 years of uninterrupted steady economy, eight under Labour government. Labour Chancellor of Exchequer Gordon Brown was praised for having given independent control over monetary policy to Bank of England in 1977, for keeping both public spending and taxes under control. Liberal Democrats fought the elections saying they would raise the top income tax rate from 40 to 50 per cent and to spend more on public services. Tories too promised to cut taxes but there was only a slight difference between them and Labour. Liberals opposed Blair's anti-terrorism measures especially house arrest. In almost every poll in the past few years, the most important problem was the health service. Labour Party in its first term dismantled the internal market in health services introduced by Conservatives and began funding the National Health Service. During its second term that began in 2001 it realised the need for tax reforms as well as the money. Therefore, it not only re-introduced reforms but also improved the National Health Service. The other issue that called for attention of the electors was the elderly. While Conservatives and Labour offered to ease the burden of Council Tax on pensioners, the Liberal wanted to replace it with a local income tax. The Liberals promised to scrap the university tuition fees to win over the middle class. Britons showed their dissatisfaction over the increased tuition fees by defeating School Minister Stephen Twizz in the election. Labour had to pay the price for Britain joining hands with the United States in the war against Iraq. Liberal Democrats appeared to have gained most votes with its opposition to the Iraqi war. In North London, where Muslims are concentrated, Labour candidate Barbara Roche lost to the Liberals. More than the British involvement in the war, the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq damaged the reputation of Blair. Many Labour Party members were dissatisfied and some of them resigned. While the Liberals wooed the dissatisfied, Conservatives used the feeling among voters that Blair was not trustworthy because of war. During his campaign Blair promised that this would be his last election. He along with his arch-rival in the Party, Gordon Brown, campaigned for a third term. Within the party pressure on Blair increased to give in to Brown the leadership of the Party. Therefore, it is expected that Blair hand over the premiership within a year or two. When Labour leader John Smith died in 1994, Brown was a favourite to succeed him, but he stood aside in favour of Blair. Gordon was responsible for eight years of low inflation, low unemployment and low interest rates. Blair praised Brown as the best treasury chief in hundred years. Ideologically there is little difference between Blair and Brown. Both were responsible for the transformation of the Labour Party in 1990s, shedding most of its socialist principles in an effort to win over big businesses and middle class votes. Like Blair, Brown supports reforming public service and introducing greater private sector investment in state-run health and education sectors. But he is opposed to British entry into European Union single currency, the Euro. Brown is more popular with Leftist sections of the party that have grown disillusioned with Blair. Gordon Brown said after the election results reflecting his future ambition: ``I promise that we will listen and we will learn so that we can serve our country and our communities even better in the years to come." However, the Liberal leader Charles Kennedy said he saw ``a new challenge ahead as the United Kingdom enters in an era of real three-party politics. Liberal who had been continuously losing their strength since their last Prime Minister Llyod George (1916-1922), gained more seats for the first time. The emergence of Liberals as the third force in British politics would certainly make hard the struggle between Tories and Labour for dominance and lead to coalition politics in the future. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
