Tony Blair urges tactical voting to stop a Tory or Labour majority government
2 min read
Tony Blair is urging people to vote tactically and prevent either Labour or the Conservatives getting a majority – saying they both “pose a risk it would be unwise for the country to take”.
The former Prime Minister delivered a scathing verdict on the two main parties, one of which he led for 15 years and won three general elections at the head of.
He told an audience in London he would still be voting for Labour, but called on voters to look at the election “seat-by-seat” and back moderate candidates.
"There is one General Election but 650 mini elections and each one matters,” said Mr Blair at the Reuters event.
"There are good, solid mainstream, independent minded MPs and candidates in both parties.”
He said: "The polls predict a Conservative victory and put the chances of an outright Labour victory as negligible.
“But I wouldn’t trust Boris Johnson with a blank cheque."
The ex-PM said of Labour and the Tories: “The truth is: the public aren’t convinced either main party deserve to win this election outright.
“They’re peddling two sets of fantasies; and both, as majority governments, pose a risk it would be unwise for the country to take.”
He was also critical of the current state of UK politics in general, saying: “Britain is home to a unique political experiment.
“We are testing – hopefully not to destruction – whether it is possible for a major developed nation to turn its politics into chaos and survive without serious economic and social damage to its essential fabric.”
He added: "Round the world where political leaders are gathered, there is often a conversation about whose politics is crazier.
“I agree that right now the competition is fierce. But I still believe British politics is unfortunately ahead of the pack.”
Mr Blair concluded: "The result is an election where, despite the headline polls, there is unprecedented volatility and indecision, born both of uncertainty in the electorate as to what they want, and uncertainty as to how on earth they get it."
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