When Is Tony Blair up for re-election?

[Dying Eagle]

Because he is toast. Anyone who says they will pull the troops out will win and do so. So after the next British election our ONLY aile is GONE!!!

[liberalpragmatist]

1. It's not a good thing for countries to pull their troops out

I mean, I totally understand given what a sh*thole the country has become and how badly Bush has f*cked things up. I can completely sympathize and it's their right as a country to withdraw.

But from an American point of view and from the point of view of Iraqi security it really is bad when we're losing all of our troops and allies in Iraq. We'll be the only ones doing any of the fighting and it will drain us even more.

As to your basic question, May or June next year. He'll probably win again b/c the Conservatives are completely dysfunctional and not trusted by voters. Plus for the most part they supported the Iraq War and haven't developed a coherent critique. The UK third party, the Liberal Democrats, might make big gains, so the best solution from a progressive standpoint would be if they fought to a hung parliament and were able to negotiate a coalition govt. with Labor that was dependent on Blair not being PM.

[hollywood926]

2. I thought the elections were in January...

this time around? Hmmm, maybe not - I've been boycotting the news!

But you are right - he will win again. They have no choice, I'm afraid.

It would be like Bill Clinton doing something that really pisses us off, but then us having to choose to get rid of Clinton because of that, or to elect George W. Bush.

We wouldn't have a choice, really.

[AP]

3. My prediction based on things I can see today: Tories will come very close

and perhaps even lead in the polls once or twice, but Blair will pull it out in the end.

Which will be a big relief.

There is now enough middle class wealth in the UK that makes it worth Tories while to try to steal it.

That means they're going to be desperate to win. So they'll get organized.

(If they win, it'll be curtains for decent wages and jobs, and most of the wealth taken out of the middle class will be from popping the housing bubble.)