London bombings boost Blair's leader rating, poll shows

Tony Blair has been strengthened by the London bombings despite an overwhelming view that Iraq fuelled such attacks, a poll revealed tonight.

The British Prime Minister scored his second highest rating with a significant proportion of voters suggesting he reconsider his decision to stand down.

The boost comes despite two thirds (64%) saying the war had “increased the risk of terrorist attacks like the ones in London”, Populus found.

The findings will feed the secret fears among some supporters of Chancellor Gordon Brown, who is set to succeed Mr Blair when he stands down as promised before the next election.

Some believe the PM will look for a reason to stay on beyond the deadline he set last year when he underwent a heart procedure.

Almost a third of voters, 30%, and 48% of Labour supporters now want him to reconsider, the survey for The Times discovered.

Only two-fifths of all voters say he should stand down now or by the end of next year, down from a half in early June.

His leader rating now stand at 5.55 out of 10, up from 5.07 in January. It has only been higher, 5.75, when Baghdad fell in May 2003.

Outgoing Tory leader Michael Howard has roughly flatlined on 4.44 while Liberal Democrat chief Charles Kennedy is up from 4.95 to 5.22.

There is an increasing public nervousness about travelling to Central London.

The 21% who said they would change their travel plans a fortnight ago has now risen to 27%.

While there is support for tough action against the terrorists, there is also a tolerant view of Muslims.

Just 38% said the fact that three of the London bombers were British-born Muslims showed “multiculturalism has gone too far” with 53% disagreeing.

:: Populus interviewed 1,506 adults by phone between July 22 and 24.