`Blair should go before general election' say 46% in poll

Tony Blair should step down before the next British General Election, almost half of voters said in a poll published today.

Unprecedented speculation about the Prime Minister’s future was today fuelled by comments from Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

And 46% say Mr Blair should quit before the poll, expected in 12 months’ time, according to the YouGov survey.

Another 22% want him to go soon after, while just 20% say he should stay on, the poll for The Sunday Times shows.

Voters distrust him by a margin of nearly two to one, with just 36% saying they trust him and 61% saying they do not.

More than half, 59%, said the PM “bends the truth”, while 33% agreed “he is slippery and lies a lot”.

Chancellor Gordon Brown is runaway favourite to succeed him with 40% support, more than his Cabinet rivals combined.

Mr Brown’s impact at the polls would be marginal, with 15% saying they would be more likely to vote Labour with him in charge, while 11% said they would be less likely.

The full effect of Iraq on Mr Blair’s standing is again highlighted by the survey.

More then nine out of 10 people, 93%, said the conflict had damaged him and 62% said it had “hugely” hurt him.

Support for the war appears to have slipped, with 51% saying they believed it was justified at the time compared with 41% now.

At the same time, 45% say they opposed the invasion at the time, but 51% say they now believe it was not justified.

Almost half, 49%, want more public criticism of US President George Bush.

Another 23% want that kept private, while almost the same number, 22%, want Britain out of the coalition and Iraq.

Mr Blair is still seen as a stronger leader than the Conservative’s Michael Howard by 42% to 29%.

But in terms of voting intentions the Conservatives are on 37%, Labour 34%, the Liberal Democrats are on 20% and other parties 9%.

:: YouGov questioned 2,014 adults online from May 13-15.