2007年VOA标准英语-Local British Election Losses Hit PM Blair's La

By Tom Rivers
London
04 May 2007

Britain's ruling Labor¹ Party has suffered local election losses in England and Wales and a swing to the pro-independence Scottish National Party in Scotland. Prime Minister Tony Blair is widely seen as the reason behind Labor's electoral downturn. For VOA, Tom Rivers reports from London.

Analysts² say a government out of touch with the electorate³ over Iraq has translated into a large loss for the Labor Party in local elections in England, Scotland and Wales.

Projections⁴ show that the Conservatives took 41 percent of the vote nationally, with the ruling Laborites winning about 27 percent.

In balloting⁵ for municipal councils, Labor lost hundreds of seats. The vote apparently⁶ signals widespread disquiet⁷ that many blame on Prime Minister Blair and his decision to go into Iraq, considered a major part of his legacy⁸.

Conservative Party leader David Cameron gives the thumbs up during a visit to Chester city center,04 May 2007

Where there are losers, there are also winners. The Conservatives, the main opposition⁹ party, gained hundreds of local council seats and are back on top by a significant margin¹⁰.

Conservative Party leader David Cameron says it points to a strong run in the next general election.

"There is no doubt that the government is unpopular," he said. "It has run out of steam. It is very tired. It is divided. There is no doubt that that has had an impact but you know, the votes do not have to come to the Conservatives, they can go to other parties but I think we have shown in our defense¹¹ of the National Health Service and our championing of the environment and the changes we have made to the party, getting it back into the center ground, that it is there for people and we have won positive support."

Trying to make the most out of poor results, Mr. Blair says his party's numbers were not as bad as some had predicted.

Tony Blair speaks about the various elections, at Labor Party's headquarters in London, 04 May 2007

"I think that yes, of course, it is a mid-term, you always take a hit in the mid-term," he said. "But these results provide a perfectly¹² good springboard to go on and win the next general election."

While acknowledging the wide gap, Mr. Blair says the numbers can be turned around before the next general election.

"I think people will understand that if we could come from worse results in 2004 and go and win a general election, there is no reason why we cannot go on and do that," he said. "Now, we have got to work hard and should not be complacent¹³ about it. We have got masses to do, a lot of big challenges ahead, but I think that for those people who said we were going to get hammered, it has just not turned out like that."

The vote comes a week before Mr. Blair says he will announce when he will formally resign as prime minister. Political observers expect the prime minister to step down by July and be replaced by Finance Minister Gordon Brown.

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

3 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

4 projections   

预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物

参考例句：

• Their sales projections are a total thumbsuck. 他们的销售量预测纯属估计。
• The council has revised its projections of funding requirements upwards. 地方议会调高了对资金需求的预测。

5 balloting   

v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clark took a commanding leading in the early balloting. 在最初投票时，克拉克遥遥领先。 来自辞典例句
• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句

6 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

7 disquiet   

n.担心，焦虑

参考例句：

• The disquiet will boil over in the long run.这种不安情绪终有一天会爆发的。
• Her disquiet made us uneasy too.她的忧虑使我们也很不安。

8 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

11 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

12 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

13 complacent   

adj.自满的；自鸣得意的

参考例句：

• We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。
• She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。