Labour creates history

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, JUNE 8. The Labour Party, led by Mr. Tony Blair, wrote itself into the record books today as it re-entered office with an unprecedented majority for any party winning a second consecutive term following Thursday's general election blighted by the lowest voter turnout since 1918. With a turnout of less than 60 per cent, questions were raised about the new Government's moral authority.

The Tories, as had been widely predicted, crashed to their worst- ever defeat forcing the president, Mr. William Hague, to resign triggering a power struggle and bitter recrimination. While the Tories licked their wounds, the Liberal Democrats, under their new and underrated leader, Mr. Charles Kennedy, emerged as a promising ``third'' force increasing their tally mainly at the cost of the Conservatives.

Disturbing development

A disturbing development was the unexpectedly good showing by the far-right British National Party (BNP) in Oldham, the Greater Manchester town hit by race riots two weeks ago. It is believed to have benefited from the riots and though the party did not win the fact that it got over 5,000 votes was causing concern.

For Mr. Blair the election results were a personal triumph as he became the first Labour Prime Minister in 100 years to win an extended lease on 10, Downing Street for a successive full term, and he couldn't quite seem to get over the historic nature of the moment as he repeatedly underlined the significance of having broken the century-old jinx.

``For 100 years, we have been in power for short terms, but never won a second successive full term'', he told supporters in his first post-victory address at the party's Millbank headquarters here this morning promising to build a Britain in which ``society'' rather than individuals would matter. Later, in a brief statement after an audience with the Queen, he called his party's victory as a ``mandate for reform and investment'' and an ``instruction to deliver''.

The outcome, though described as a Labour landslide, fell short of some of the more optimistic predictions that would have given Mr. Blair a 200-plus majority in a House of 659. In the event, he ended up with 167-12 less than in the last Parliament. The saving grace for the Tories was that, unlike 1997, none of their high- profile lost and Labour of course managed to get everyone in - including the controversial Mr. Keith Vaz and Mr. Peter Mandelson.

The writing on the wall for the Tories became apparent minutes after polling closed at 10 p.m. on Thursday with two separate exit polls indicating a Labour landslide. The first result, out within 45 minutes after polling ended, went to Labour triggering a procession of Tory setbacks and at 3 a.m. Mr. Hague conceded defeat. Later, he announced his decision to resign to make room for someone with a larger ``personal following'' in the country.

Celebrations to wait

There were no early celebrations in the Labour camp either as the party leader reflected over the low turnout, blamed on the growing popular disillusionment with politics. The mood was in sharp contrast to the euphoria of 1997 and Mr. Blair himself was reported to be ``more nervous'' than when he first entered 10, Downing Street.

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