Kerry win will test Blair's position

IT'S said we should all have a vote in the American presidential election as it affects us all. For Tony Blair, this must ring particularly true at the moment.

After his close relationship with a fellow proponent of the middle way, Bill Clinton, he has successfully ingratiated himself with a president from seemingly the opposite end of the political spectrum, even to the extent of joining him in war.

Now he faces the prospect of natural allies in America, the Democrats, basing their bid on opposition to two central tenets of Blairism multilateral free trade and the war and subsequent occupation.

Given the importance attached in British political circles to the so-called "special relationship" with the United States, should we be asking whether a democratic victory and subsequent repudiation of at least some of George W Bush's policies would make Blair's position untenable? His opponents within his own party must be salivating at the prospect of further undermining their one-time saviour.

Barry Hanley

Beara Bar

Castletownbere

Co Cork