Blair Bans Labour Party Delegates From Flying To Kerry Coronation

[DrFunkenstein]

Tony Blair has ordered Labour ministers and officials not to become embroiled in the US presidential race in an apparent attempt to avoid offending George W Bush.

Tony Blair is said to back George Bush's re-election bid.
Mr Blair's intervention, which will prevent his Labour colleagues from offering their traditional support to the Democrats, has astonished ministers who remember the close links Labour had with Bill Clinton during previous presidential campaigns.

Mr Blair's intervention has prompted speculation that he is privately hoping for a Bush victory to avoid being isolated internationally on the war on Iraq.

A senior Labour Party official told the Telegraph: "People in and around Downing Street are secretly hoping that Bush wins, because unless he does, Blair will seem even more isolated that he does already. That's how far the party has gone wrong with Blair." Mr Blair is due to meet President Bush at the G8 summit in America at Sea Island, Georgia, in June.

There are as yet no plans to extend that trip to Washington or to Mr Bush's Texas home, although the pair will have the opportunity for private discussions on the handing over of power in Iraq.

The ban on visits to the Democrat camp is likely to be an embarrasssment to Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, who is a keen follower of American politics and has links to the Kerry camp.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/03/21/nblair21.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/03/21/ixnewstop.html

[oceanpoetry]

1. when is Blair up for general election?

n/t

[FuriousMNDem]

3. Most likely next spring.

Terms for Prime Minister last for up to five years, but the Prime Minister can call new elections before then. The last election was in 2001, but reports indicate that Blair will call a new election for next spring.

[KittyWampus]

5. Didn't Blair Just Change Election Date To Just Before Bush's?

The Telegraph wouldn't be my first choice for this information.

But combined with Blair's changing the date of HIS election to make it so close to Junior's...
give the impression something truely reeks.

[T_i_B]

11. That story about the election in October...

...is nothing but SPIN. I've seen it in the left-wing Mirror (which actually has a lower standard of reporting then the Telegraph).

[FuriousMNDem]

2. Don't worry, Tony - you won't be isolated

You'll lose re-election very soon after Bush.

[Hippo_Tron]

9. Doubtful...

Members of parliament are elected and the majority party gets to pick the Prime Minister. Labour will remain the majority and chances are that if they haven't outsted Blair by now, they won't after the election. Granted there could be a new breed to "anti-blair" Labour MP candidates.

[w4rma]

10. Blair moved up the British election to October. Before Bush. (n/t)

[Feanorcurufinwe]

12. Is that true? What is your source?

[Mairead]

4. I can believe it, but it's still the 'Torygraph', after all.

Like the GOP with Clinton, never a good word for their fellow Tory/Republican.

[DaveSZ]

6. Hollinger owns the Telegraph

They are a big right-wing media conglomerate, but not as bad as Murdoch's News Corp.

http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners/hollinger.asp

[Feanorcurufinwe]

7. The poodle will soon be a stray.

[LSdemocrat]

8. Any other sources? The Telegraph is VERY right-wing

I personally won't believe this story until I find a more reputable source.

The Telegraph is one of the more pro-Conservative papers in Britain. It wouldn't surprise me if they just made up this story to further divide the left.