London, May 11: British premier Tony Blair's Labour
Party is heading for a drubbing in the June 10 local council
elections as its support has fallen to its lowest level in 17
years following reports of abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US and
British forces, a poll showed today.
The poll for The Times Daily showed that most
voters would still prefer a Labour government to a
conservative one, despite high dissatisfaction with Blair's
regime.
The implication is that Labour is heading for a bad
result on June 10, but is still reasonably placed to win the
next general election, expected in a year's time.
The poll, undertaken over the weekend, puts Labour on 32
per cent, down two points over the past month. This is its
lowest rating since early in 1987, just before Margaret
Thatcher won her third term in office.
On June 10, the whole country votes for members of the
European parliament and there are elections for 166 English
and Welsh Local Councils, including the London mayor and
assembly.
Two fifths of labour supporters say that they will use
the European elections "to send a message to the government
that they need to do better, by not voting, or voting for
another party".
This suggests that many who would vote for Labour at a
general election will stay home or vote for another party in
the June 10 polls.
Bureau Report
