The latest opinion poll puts Labour eight points ahead of the tories with only 44 days to the expected May 5th election day. Despite the various anti-Blair campaigns, the poll finds that 67% of Labour supporters say they prefer Blair to Howard, while only 47% of tory supporters say the opposite. That means that Blair is the more popular leader! It seems that, as is usually the case, the antis have the louder voice in the current debate. There are many voters out there quite happy with the Government. Even 19% of tories say they’d prefer Blair as Prime Minister.

The biggest risk to Blair and his unprecedented aim for a Labour third term is complacency. 89% of Labour voters think they will win the election. In the remaining weeks Labour need to get the message across that every vote counts, while many on the left will use the latest poll as proof that tactical voting would only serve to reduce Blair’s majority, rather than open the way for a Howard Government.

It often seems as though Blair has no friends on the left, right or down the middle. And yet he looks poised to achieve something no other Labour leader has previously. Win three elections on the spin. Backing Blair anyone?