Low poll casts shadow over Labour win

The turnout could be the lowest since 1918

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Voter turnout in the UK general election on Thursday plumbed historical lows, undercutting Labour's landslide victory.

With fewer than half of eligible voters bothering to cast ballots in some constituencies, initial estimates suggested participation could be the lowest since 1918, before women got the vote.

The extent of voter abstention became apparent soon after voting ended, when exit polls suggested the turnout would fall far short of that in 1997, when voting levels were the lowest since World War II.

Pollsters were predicting that the average turnout would be around 60 percent -- down more than 10 percent from the 1997 level. The early trend was for fewer than 50 percent of voters taking part in the election.

If confirmed, that would be the lowest turnout in a general election since the end of World War I.

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The low turnout blunted the air of triumphalism that marked Prime Minister Tony Blair's resounding victory five years ago.

Robin Oakley, CNN's European political editor, suggested Labour could have better engaged the electorate.

"There was one big trick that Tony Blair missed. What we don't have in a British general election is TV debates between the leaders.

"They cause a great interest in the United States, they enable the presidential candidates to get together and really debate the issues in depth and to bring the contest alive.

"The last time we saw the leaders of Britain's political parties in a room in a debate together was at prime minister's question time on May 9.

"Since then, we've never seen them in debate together in this election. Next time we've got to have proper debates on television between the political leaders and that will help the turnout."

Ironically, the two times that the Conservatives have beaten Labour in the popular vote since 1997 -- in the European elections of 1999 and the local elections of 2000 -- the problem was not Labour voters switching sides, but Labour supporters refusing to take sides.

Across Scotland, the figures were also cause for concern.

John Swinney, leader of the Scottish National Party, said the low turnout was a "worrying factor." He added: "Politicians have got to take careful heed of the turnout."

The turnout in Dunfermline East, where Chancellor Gordon Brown successfully defended his seat, was also low at 57 percent, compared with 70 percent in 1997.

"When people think a result is not close the turnout is lower. It is something we all have to look at," said Brown.

Labour veteran Tam Dalyell blamed his party's campaign for voter apathy.

"I am absolutely dismayed about the turnout but not surprised. All politicians, especially those of us with substantial majorities, ought to take note.

"The profession of politics, in my view, has been demeaned by the nature of the campaign.

"When a government party is reduced to putting up posters of Mrs Thatcher's hair on the leader of the opposition's face this is a political message, but a political message which says 'to hell with the lot of you.'

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott admitted he was a "little sad" about the low turnout which he blamed on the Conservatives' warning to voters not to give Labour a big majority.