The good people of the U.K. have spoken. In what is being gorily described as a "kicking", a "beating", a "hammering", a "routing", and a "near-massacre", Labour suffered its worst 24 hours at the polling booths since the mid-70s. With only two councils still unreported, Labour had lost 468 seats nationwide:
According to a BBC projection of total votes cast, Labour came in a humiliating third place behind the two main opposition parties, in an especially harsh drubbing which Blair conceded was due in part to his policy on Iraq.
"In part" -- um hmm. The projections appear to be correct, in which case this is the first time a party in government has finished third in terms of national share of the vote in the U.K. local elections. Indeed, it appears that this is the worst performance ever by a governing party in these elections.
Blair's response?
Learning of the results while attending former US president Ronald Reagan's funeral in Washington [...] Mr Blair appeared sanguine.
"Of course it is a difficult time and these things happen to governments," he said.
"In respect of the basic performance of the Government, I think our response should be to make sure we carry through and implement the radical program we have introduced."
What you mean "we", Kemosabe? Honestly, the extent to which supposedly "elected" officials feel free to ignore the voices of their constituents is really quite astonishing. No doubt such insouciance is an indication of who Bush and Blair are really working for.
One of the few bright lights in Labour's trouncing was the reelection of Ken Livingstone as London Mayor. No comfort here for Blair, however, since Livingstone vehemently opposed the war in Iraq.
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