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Blair put off U.S. visit over Iraq?

Hasan Suroor

LONDON: In a sign of continuing public hostility to Prime Minister Tony Blair's alliance with U.S. President George W. Bush over the Iraq invasion, a planned visit by Mr. Blair to Washington is reported to have been put off because of fears that it would not go down well with British voters ahead of crucial local elections on May 4.

According to The Times, the visit was "swiftly'' postponed when his aides realised that being seen with Mr. Bush would reinforce "negative'' perceptions of Britain's role in Iraq war and alienate the voters in the run-up to the elections.

"I think we have had enough on our plate without getting the Bush-Blair thing going again,'' a source was quoted as saying.

The Labour Party is braced for a drubbing in the council elections amid threats by even traditional party supporters not to vote for it in protest against Mr. Blair's policies.

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