With possibly less than six months before general elections, British Prime Minister Tony Blair looks set to win a third term despite low popularity and credibility as a result of his rush into the Iraq War.

He and his ruling Labor Party are on track to win thanks to weak opposition, which has failed to benefit from the row over the Iraq War, and stable economic growth, local analysts say.

The past 18 months saw Blair, US President George W. Bush's staunchest ally on Iraq, painfully grilled by one inquiry after another in links with allegations that his government had misled the public on the case for war. Although he was exonerated in the probes, he failed to recover public faith in him.

Many analysts warn that more British military casualties in Iraq or failure to carry out Iraqi elections set for January could turn more voters against Blair and those belligerent Labor lawmakers. The Labor's current huge parliamentary majority is at risk in the elections widely expected in May.

"Iraq has broken the bond of trust between him (Blair) and the British people," claimed John Rentoul, a political writer with The Independent newspaper.

Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs Charles Falconer said: "I believe this (the Iraq war and aftermath) will be a significant issue that affects a significant number of people."

A November opinion poll suggested that only 24 percent of British voters now thought the Blair government is honest and trustworthy. The figure was 51 percent at the time of the last general elections in 2001.

However, only 20 percent of the quizzed thought a Conservative government will be honest as the main opposition also supported the war. The ruling Labor is now ahead of the Tories by between two and eight points in various opinion polls, signaling a gloomy prospect for the main opposition in next year's election.

The Conservatives ruled Britain for much of the 20th century but have struggled to renew a cohesive identity since the landslide Labor victory in 1997. A change of leader offers no magic solution and a radical re-branding has been urged.

This year's four parliamentary by-elections demonstrated a surge of support for the second largest opposition Liberal Democrats because of their opposition to the Iraq war. But there is little sign in the opinion polls that the Liberal Democrats can be strong enough to push the Tories into third place in the general elections.

By highlighting tough policies against terrorism, illegal immigration and crime while pushing forward the market-oriented public service reforms, the Blair government has actually occupied much of Tories'traditional political terrain and thus successfully forced the Tories out to the right.

A Yougov poll suggested in autumn that most British voters situate themselves somewhere in the center as the prime minister reiterates his belief from time to time that he can keep his job at Downing Street "if the Labor Party claims the center ground and claims the future."

Labor support is also thought to be boosted by the fact that the Blair government has managed a stronger economy than many of its international partners for years.

The country now enjoys the lowest unemployment rate and the steadiest economic growth among the most industrialized nations.

After all, Britons tend to vote on domestic issues as people elsewhere, local analysts observe.

Source: Xinhua