LONDON: Judged by its outcome, Britain’s general election lacked suspense and surprise. Throughout its four years in power, Tony Blair’s New Labour government enjoyed a large and steady lead in opinion polls. When Blair called for new elections, victory was taken for granted. Yet the election was revealing, not only of problems within British politics, but also of similar stresses in political systems across the West.
LONDON: Judged by its outcome, Britain’s general election lacked suspense and surprise. Throughout its four years in power, Tony Blair’s New Labour government enjoyed a large and steady lead in opinion polls. When Blair called for new elections, victory was taken for granted. Yet the election was revealing, not only of problems within British politics, but also of similar stresses in political systems across the West.