By Walter Jayawardhana

Britain’s ruling Labour Party has lost exactly half of the voters who voted for it at the last general elections, the country’s highest circulated freesheet , the Metro announced bringing ominous signs to any hope of the party coming back to power in next year’s parliamentary elections.

Publishing an exclusive Metro/Harris poll results the newspaper said, “52 per cent of those who voted Labour in 2005 are considering backing another party, compared with only 15 per cent of Conservatives who are thinking of defecting.”

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The poll results claimed that one in ten of those leaving Labour is planning to vote Conservative while one in five plans to support one of the minor parties.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Those who voted Liberal Democrat at the last elections, the Metro said, are also wavering with only 50 per cent sure they will back the party again.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ According to the poll results the electorate appears to be punishing members of Parliament for the expenses scandal, with more than one in five young people (22 per cent )saying they would vote for a minority party.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Overall , 30 percent of those polled said they would vote Conservative, 17 per cent Labour and 14 per cent Liberal Democrat. “When 15 percent of undecided voters , or those who definitely will not vote , are removed, this puts the Conservatives 35 per cent , Labour 20 per cent , the Liberal Democrat 16 per cent and other parties 29 per cent.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Metro newspaper said , ” The 15 per cent lead would translate into 158 more seats for the Tories (Conservative Party) than Labour and an overall majority of 62 – the same majority as Labour holds at present.. Labour on 349 currently has 156 more seats than the Conservatives.”