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Britons: Blair should go now
04/02/2007 08:01 - (SA)
London - More than half of British voters believe Prime Minister Tony Blair should leave office immediately, according to an ICM poll for the Sunday Express newspaper.
The survey of 1 014 adults for the right-of-centre newspaper suggested 56% of the public wants Blair to quit now, while 37% back him to stay on.
Support for him to resign straightaway appeared to be increasing among supporters of his governing centre-left Labour Party, with 43 percent saying they felt it is time for him to step down.
The poll also suggests that Blair and his government have lost the trust of a majority of people because of a series of high-profile controversies in recent weeks and opposition to controversial policy announcements.
About 66% believe evidence relating to allegations that Labour offered seats in Britain's unelected upper chamber of parliament for financial contributions had been covered up by Blair's Downing Street office.
Blair has now been questioned twice as a witness in the so-called "cash for honours" probe, while two of his closest aides have been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. No one has been charged.
And in the aftermath of a surprise announcement this week to make Manchester the venue for Britain's first "supercasino", the poll suggested 71% of people were opposed to the new attractions.
A majority (63%) also believe that Roman Catholic adoption agencies should have been allowed an exemption in new equality laws so they are not obliged to place children with gay couples.
Blair was said to be in favour of an opt-out for Catholic organisations but senior ministers opposed him.
- SAPA
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