Blair heading for another term, says exit poll
Tony Blair was heading tonight for a historic third term in office – but with a sharply reduced Commons majority of 66, according to a joint BBC-ITV News exit poll.
His 161-seat majority will be slashed, according to the Mori-NOP survey of 16,000 voters in 120 constituencies, with Labour having 356 MPs to the Tories’ 209 .
The poll shows the Liberal Democrats actually losing ground to have just 53 MPs instead of their current 55.
Labour, according to the poll, would see their number of MPs tumble from their present 409, with the Tories boosted from their current 164.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said: “It’s just too difficult to call. I always want a good result, I always want to see a Labour government and there’s going to be a Labour government – there’s no doubt about that.”
If true, the exit poll will confirm Labour’s worst fears that nationwide polling showing them comfortably ahead of the other two parties, and heading for a three-figure majority, seriously under-estimated the effect of Tory and Lib Dem campaigning in key marginal seats.
Labour is haunted by the 1992 election when surveys showed them ahead, only for the Tories under John Major to be returned to office.
Polls closed at 10pm tonight.
