Iraq will cost Blair votes, says ministerial ally

Iraq will cost Tony Blair votes, a close ministerial ally of the British prime minister said, six months before an expected general election.

"There is a significant number of people who would regard themselves as friends of the Labour government who have been virulently opposed to the intervention in Iraq," Charles Falconer, a member of Mr Blair's cabinet, said in an interview.

"I recognise for some of them they won't be able to vote for the government because of it," said Lord Falconer. "I don't know what the size of that bit will be but I recognise that as a fact."

Opinion polls show that Mr Blair, US President George W. Bush's closest ally on Iraq and a major troop contributor, is on track to win a third term at an expected May election but that his huge parliamentary majority is at risk.

Britons tend to vote on domestic issues but analysts say more British military casualties in Iraq or a failure to carry out Iraqi elections set for January could turn more voters against Mr Blair.

"I believe this to be a significant issue that effects significant numbers of people," Lord Falconer told Reuters.

A slide in Mr Blair's public trust and popularity ratings, primarily over the US-led war in Iraq, sparked a flurry of speculation earlier this year over his future, prompting him to take the unprecedented step of setting his own departure date.

Mr Blair said he would step down after a full third term. Lord Falconer, a long-time friend of Mr Blair, rejected suggestions the prime minister's move had turned him into a lame duck leader and denied it had opened the door to a bitter leadership battle part of the way through Labour's expected third term.