YouGov - 71% of Labour members want Blair to go before Autumn 2007

A YouGov poll of Labour party members, commissioned by Michael Meacher's LabOUR Commission and published in Saturday's Guardian suggests that 71% of Labour party members want Tony Blair to step down before the 2007 conference. 37% of Labour members want him to step down before this year's party conference.

However members want Blair to go of his own accord; there is little support for action to oust him against his will. Only 27% think Labour MPs should act to precipitate a contest, while 66% think Blair should chose his own time to stand down.

There was considerable disenchantment with the government - only half of Labour's members that the governmnent had remained completely or mostly true to Labour's values and aspirations. Asked what the government's six worst mistakes were, the Iraq war was cited by 52%, followed by subservience to the US second on 49%. Next were reliance upon privatisation in the public services on 46%, and refusing to raise the top rate of income tax (36%). Members thought that Labour's greatest positive achievements in office were economic stability, helping the poor, cutting waiting lists and improving education.