Red is the colour for UK election

Football, not foot-and-mouth, may be the real reason why British Prime Minister Tony Blair postponed the date of the UK's general election from May 3 to June 7.

Because forget having the right tax and spending plans, the outcome of a General Election is decided on which colour the FA Cup winners' home strip is, pollsters Mori have discovered.

If the current Cup holders play at home in red or yellow, Labour triumph on polling day, while if they play in blue or white there will be a Conservative win, Dr Roger Mortimore, Mori's senior political analyst said today.

A combination of both will mean a hung Parliament - Sunderland, who play in red and white, were the holders when the February 1974 election was a score draw.

When Conservatives won the election in 1992, 1991 winners Tottenham Hotspur, who play in white at home, were the holders of the FA Cup.

While on May 1 1997, when Labour swept to power, 1996 winners Manchester United - the Red Devils - were still the holders. Had polling day been held after the May 17, 1997 Cup Final - when the blues of Chelsea triumphed - Labour's landslide victory may never have been.

This year, if polling day had gone ahead on May 3, 2000 winners Chelsea would still have been Cup holders, and the Tories would have won. Last weekend's Cup Final could have been won by either Liverpool or Arsenal - both teams play in red at home - making a second victory for Labour on June 7 a near-certainty.