Poll: Ditching Brown would not help Labor

LONDON, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- A new poll finds no likely replacement for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown would improve the Labor Party's electoral prospects.

Only former Prime Minister Tony Blair, more popular now than when he left office last year, would cut the Conservative Party's projected lead, The Independent reported. The poll was done for the newspaper by ComRes.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband or Justice Secretary Jack Straw would not boost Labor's popularity, the poll indicated. The party's standing would be worse under Deputy Party Leader Harriet Harman, Health Secretary Alan Johnson or Schools Secretary Ed Balls.

Blair, no longer a member of Parliament, is ineligible to become party leader. If he did, the projected Conservative parliamentary lead over Labor if an election were held now would drop from 182 to 20, which might be enough to keep the Conservatives out of power.

ComRes interviewed 1,013 British adults Wednesday and Thursday.