Disillusionment 'nature of the job' says Blair

Sunday, 13 March 2005 12:00 AM

The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has said voter disillusionment with Labour policies is part and parcel of the electoral cycle.

However, Mr Blair insisted there was overall improvement since 1997, calling for people to look at the wider picture.

Mr Blair's comments follow an ICM poll which found that 29 per cent of women voters felt the Prime Minister should quit immediately, with only 9 per cent believing he should fulfil a third term in office. Despite this, Mr Blair remained more popular among female voters then either Michael Howard or Charles Kennedy.

Speaking on ITV's 'Jonathan Dimbleby', Mr Blair said: "One of the difficulties is . it is very hard when you come in after 18 years of Opposition, and people have this tremendous sense that everything suddenly is going to be put right.

"I suppose in a sense we, even me myself, were sort of swept along with that."

Despite disillusionment eight years on, Mr Blair added: "I just hope in 2005 if you do a balance sheet it's not all bad.

"Some things I hope are better. The economy is stronger, there are things like unemployment we don't talk about any more . There is more investment in our public services".

Mr Blair concluded: "I think it's in the nature of the job that I do that none's expectations are ever completely fulfilled, including my own. But I do hope the country is a better country than it was in 1997."

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