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| Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie walk to their local polling station in Trimdon. (AFP) |
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| Tony Blair stands beside his wife and two sons before voting at a polling station in Trimdon. (AFP) |
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| Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie, left, celebrate Labour's third term in office at a party at the National Portrait Gallery in central London May 6. (AP) |
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| Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair is greeted by Russel Brown Labor candidate for Dumfries and Galloway May 4. (Reuters) |
LONDON, May 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Britain's ruling Labor
Party won its historic third-term in Thursday's general election, with Tony
Blair appealing to the nation for unity and to look to the
future.
In his victory speech, Blair
said it was clear that "the British people wanted to return a Labor government
but with a reduced majority".
With most results in, the Labor has garnered so far
351 of the 645 seats in the new parliament, more than the 324 seat needed fora
victory. Blair thus becomes the first leader to win three successive terms for
Labor.
While congratulating Blair on his victory,
Conservative leader Michael Howard urged him to "deliver on his promises".
"I am proud of the campaign we have fought. We have
taken a stand on the things that really do matter to the people of this country.
We have sent Mr. Blair a message," said Howard, adding that Tories' result was a
"significant step toward our recovery".
Charles Kennedy, leader of the opposition Liberal
Democrats, hailed that voters had ushered in a new era of three-party politics
as he was returned as a member of parliament (MP) by an overwhelming majority.
"I think it is going to be a very different House of
Commons from the one we have had over the past eight years, and I think that is
going to be very healthy," he noted.
An interlude to the election was the "sensational"
victory of George Galloway of the anti-war Respect party over the Labor in
Bethnal Green, east London.
Galloway, who based his campaign blasting Iraq war,
said after his victory, widely deemed as one of the most bitter contests in the
2005 election, "This is for Iraq and the other defeats that New Labor has
received this evening are for Iraq."
Galloway's success means there are more small party
and independent MPs than in any parliament since 1945.
Election analysts here predict that with a much
reduced majority in the parliament, Blair will have a hard time in gettinghis
policies and programs through Parliament.
Later on Friday, Blair is expected to be at the
Buckingham Palace for an audience with the Queen to get ready for shaping the
new cabinet. Enditem | 
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