Blair Delays Election Until June

Britain's general election will be postponed from May to June, the BBC reported on Saturday.

Prime Minister Tony Blair made the decision at his country residence Chequers on Saturday, March 31, after coming under pressure from leaders of other parties and from within his own cabinet to concentrate on fighting the foot-and-mouth crisis, the report said, adding that an official announcement will be made next week.

County council elections had been scheduled for May 3, with the same date thought most likely for a general election.

On Saturday, Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy became the latest party leader to demand a postponement. He told the Scottish Liberal Democrats spring conference: "I have come to the conclusion that there should be no general election on May 3. But I also believe the prime minister should tell the country early next week when he intends to hold the election so the uncertainty ends."

Blair may have been finally swayed by a MORI poll for the Sunday Telegraph carried out in the last two days which suggests 63 percent of voters wanted the voting on May 3 stopped.






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