43% of British Think Blair Should Quit, Poll Finds

A new poll has found that for the first time more Britons are against Tony Blair than are for him as the prime minister remains embroiled in a scandal over his government’s case for going to war in Iraq.

A poll in the Mail on Sunday newspaper showed 43% of respondents believed Blair should resign over the scandal involving the suicide of a weapons expert, 42% believed he should stay in office and 15% were undecided.

The poll was taken the day after the judicial inquiry into the death of David Kelly adjourned for 10 days to allow Judge Lord Hutton to decide which witnesses to recall for cross examination. Kelly committed suicide after testifying before a parliamentary committee in an inquiry about whether the government doctored a report on Iraq’s weapons.

The poll will come as a further blow for Blair, who has seen his once sky-high personal trust ratings slump since the war. He is also facing criticism over his policies on education, health and crime.