布莱尔执政十年 民怨加剧 Blair fails to improve Britain

Prime Minister Tony Blair

A recent newspaper poll of Britons' views of Prime Minister Tony Blair's ten years in power painted an unflattering picture of his premiership, with 57 percent saying he has stayed in office too long.

According to the Observer newspaper, many people now believe the country is more dangerous, less happy and less pleasant than it was in the pre-Blair era.

Some 61 percent disagreed that it is now more pleasant than in 1997, when a fresh-faced Blair won his first election victory.

A further 69 percent thought it was more dangerous and 58 percent disagreed it was happier.

There was some cheer for Blair, though -- 51 percent thought Britain had become a better place for ethnic minorities under his leadership, while 61 percent said the situation for homosexuals had improved.

The findings seem to dash the hopes of Blair's advisors that he should "go with the crowds wanting more."

Blair has said he will step down as prime minister before September.

His final months in office have been dogged by a police investigation into allegations of impropriety over party funding -- the "cash for honours" probe -- and wrangles over who should take over from him.

Finance Minister Gordon Brown is favourite but faces bitter opposition from elements loyal to Blair within the ruling Labour Party.

The poll of 2,034 adults was conducted from March 16-19.

英国一家报纸日前开展的一项调查显示，布莱尔首相的十年任期并没有讨得英国民众的“欢心”，57%的受访民众认为布莱尔的任期过长。

《观察家》报的调查表明，很多民众认为与布莱尔任首相之前相比，如今的英国更加危险、民众变得不快乐、舒适度也不如从前。

约61%的人说，自从1997年大选冒出了个布莱尔，英国就变得越来越不适合居住。

69%的调查对象称如今的英国更加危险，58%的人认为不如从前快乐。

不过，布莱尔也得到了一些肯定。51%的民众认为布莱尔在布莱尔的领导下，英国的少数民族问题有了改善；另有61%的民众称布莱尔执政期间，同性恋者的境况得到了改善。

这些民调结果似乎会让那些认为布莱尔应“继续为民众谋福利”的执政顾问的希望破灭。

布莱尔表示，他将在今年9月之前离任。

而布莱尔首相任期的最后几个月则因在党内政治资金问题上处理不当而被卷入“权钱交易”的警方调查之中，在有关谁接任他的问题上也是纠缠不清。

目前来看，财政大臣戈登·布朗是下任首相的最佳人选，但他遭到工党内部一些忠于布莱尔的人士的强烈反对。

这项共有2034名民众参加的调查从3月16日持续至19日。