Howard promises to remain party leader

LONDON, May 1 (UPI) -- Michael Howard, the Conservative who hopes to become Britain's next prime minister, says that, win or lose, he will remain leader of the party.

The Labor Party is widely tipped to win Thursday's general election, giving Prime Minister Tony Blair his third electoral triumph. The Scotsman reports that Howard told his senior staff that he does not want Conservatives to have a leadership crisis on top of another electoral defeat.

After the last two elections in 1997 and 2001, Conservative leaders resigned immediately. But Howard promised that he will remain at the helm for a year or two.

All polls have put Labor ahead in the election, while also showing widespread dissatisfaction with Blair and many of his policies.