Australian Prime Minister John Howard Backs Tony Blair in British Election

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has expressed his desire to see Tony Blair win the upcoming British election, citing concerns that the Conservative Party has not done enough to achieve victory. In a transcript of an interview released by his office, Howard stated that he believes Blair has been "gutsy" in his reforms, particularly over Iraq, and that he would like to see Blair win with a reduced majority. This stance contrasts with the work of Lynton Crosby, the former Australian federal Liberal Party director who is now working as campaign director for Michael Howard, the leader of the British Conservative Party.

Key Takeaways:

• Australian Prime Minister John Howard has publicly endorsed Tony Blair in the upcoming British election.
• Howard believes that the Conservative Party in the UK has not done enough to secure victory, stating that "you can't fatten the pig on market day in politics."
• Howard thinks Blair has been "gutsy" in his reforms, particularly over Iraq, and that he would like to see Blair win with a reduced majority.
• The Conservative Party's campaign director, Lynton Crosby, has applied techniques developed in Australian elections to the British contest.
• Howard linked his own political success to having a clear policy agenda, a characteristic that he believes Kim Beazley, the leader of the Australian Labor Party, lacks.
• Howard stated that when he became leader in 1995, voters could clearly associate him with policy positions such as industrial relations reform, privatisation, and family tax reform.

Statistics:

• None.

Sources:

• [1]Transcript of interview with News Limited journalists (exact date not specified)
• [2]"John Howard refuses to offer view on British election" by a Canberra journalist (exact date not specified)
• [3]Lynton Crosby's biography (exact publication date not specified)