British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Tuesday named May 5 as the country's parliamentary election day.  (Xinhua photo)

British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Tuesday named May 5 as the country's parliamentary election day.  (Xinhua/AFP photo)

Some policemen guard in front of the British Parliament. (Xinhua photo)

A man wearing traditional clothes stands in front of the British Parliament. (Xinhua photo)

    LONDON, April 5 (Xinhuanet) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Tuesday named May 5 as the country's parliamentary election day.

    The announcement, which was made at Downing Street 24 hours later than expected, will kick off serious election campaigns nationwide among major political parties -- the Labor, the Conservative and the Liberal Democratic. Enditem

Blair pledges to ensure economic stability

    LONDON, April 5 (Xinhuanet) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair said here Tuesday that his "mission for the third term" was to ensure economic stability and public service investment.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair leaves No. 10 Downing Street en-route to Buckingham Palace in London. (AFP)

    He made the remarks to reporters at Downing Street after announcing the election date slated for May 5.

    "I've just been to Buckingham Palace to ask the queen to dissolve the parliament. There will be a general election in Britain on May 5," Blair said.

    Blair's call on the Queen is a procedural step to call a new election. As a rule, the parliament is dissolved one week after the Queen's approval.

    The announcement, which was made 24 hours later than expected, will kick off serious election campaigns nationwide among major political parties -- the Labor, the Conservative and the Liberal Democratic, among others.

    Elections for 34 county councils across England, three unitary authorities, Northern Ireland will also take place on the same day.

    Major opinion polls published Tuesday indicate that Labor has led the Conservatives by 2 to 5 percent, whereas the Liberal Democrats trail the Tories by between 10 and 16 points.

    The current parliament was elected on June 7, 2001, with Blair's Labor Party garnering 413 of the 659 seats of the House of Commons, or the lower house, whereas the Conservative and the Liberal Democratic party secured 166 and 52 seats respectively.

    According to the British Constitution, leader of the party that won the majority seats in the parliament in the election will be named prime minister by the Queen.

    Blair became prime minister in May 1997 and won a second term four years later. If he were re-elected this time around, Blair will be the second person after Margaret Thatcher in the last 100 years who had won three terms in a row. Enditem