'Most voters' back quick election

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Most voters believe there should be general election soon after Tony Blair steps down as prime minister, a poll for BBC Newsnight suggests.

Of 1,001 adults surveyed, 73% backed a snap election, including more than half of those who said they voted Labour.

At the weekend Gordon Brown, widely tipped to succeed Mr Blair, rebuffed calls for an early election.

The survey also suggested that 27% of voters consider Mr Blair to be trustworthy, down from 51% in 2003.

The poll by Communicate Research was carried out between 27 and 29 April, just before Mr Blair's 10th anniversary of coming to power.

Brown defence

It found that 52% of Labour voters backed an early election, along with 88% of Tory voters and 70% of Liberal Democrat supporters.

There had been speculation Mr Brown might want to call a snap election to give his leadership a mandate.

But on Sunday he told GMTV: "I didn't hear Mr Cameron or the Conservatives calling for a general election the minute that John Major took over in 1990."

The survey also suggests that, in several categories, public opinion of Mr Blair has slipped over the past five years.

The proportions of those who thought him trustworthy, competent, respected internationally, right on Iraq and having firm principles, have all declined.

Mr Blair has said he will announce his resignation next week and "in all probability" Mr Brown will succeed him.

Currently only two challengers from the left of the Labour Party, Michael Meacher and John McDonnell, have announced their intention to run for leader.

They have agreed that the one who gets the fewest nominations from MPs will step aside.