LONDON, May 5 (UPI) -- Exit polls indicate British Prime Minister Tony Blair will win a historic third term but will see his majority slashed drastically.
A joint BBC/ITV poll suggests Labor could see its majority reduced from 160 to around 70.
It forecasts Labor will take 356 seats with 37 percent of the vote, the Conservatives will win 209 seats with 33 percent of the vote, and the Liberal Democrats will win 53 seats with 22 percent of the vote. The rest of the seats are scattered among minority parties.
A Mori/NOP poll also forecast 356 seats for Labor but 208 seats for the Conservatives and 56 for the Liberal Democrats.
At the end of the last parliament Labor held 410 seats, the Conservatives 164 and the Liberal Democrats 54.
However experts warned against relying on exit polls, saying the final outcome depended on key battleground seats.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, reacting to the BBC/ITV poll, told press he was "a little suspicious" Labor's majority would be that low.
"I haven't got that impression, but it's too early to tell, too difficult to call. I want to see a Labor government and there's going to be one, there's no doubt about that."
