Labour Sleaze Resonates on Election Night

An election night opinion poll for the BBC Newsnight programme showed that Mr Blair, who broke records for popularity when he became Prime Minister in 1997, was leaving office with Labour’s reputation deeply tarnished.

The Communicate Research poll showed that fewer than one in five (18 per cent) thought the Labour Party could be trusted to keep its promises. Fifty-nine per cent said they saw Labour as “sleazy".

That has to be difficult for Blair to hear despite being true but then again it is probably why he is running off tail between legs and planning to stand down as an MP immediately after he resigns as Prime Minister.

As Blair's wife Cherie reportedly said to friends, ""Now is the time for us to go and make some money." I'm sure that sounds a much better option than facing the music for the broken promises, cash for honours scandal and disastrous election results ,but I think it is a bit pathetic to run away.

As details of Mr Blair's escape plan seeped out, there was surprise among some Labour MPs that he was "deserting" the party.