Red is the color of the British Labor Party. Last week, British voters were a little too red for Prime Minister Tony Blair. The election of Mr. Ken Livingstone, known as "Red Ken" for his feisty leftwing politics, as London's first directly elected mayor, left Mr. Blair with a nasty black eye, but that was only the most visible bruise. His Labor Party was battered in local elections throughout the country. Mr. Blair's honeymoon is over. British voters want tangible results from the Labor government.
In one sense, Mr. Blair owes Mr. Livingstone. "Red Ken" was the most visible member of "the loony left" when he led the Greater London Council during the 1980s. When then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, out of frustration, abolished the council in 1986, she paved the way for Mr. Blair to take control of the Labor Party and steer it back toward the center.
In a manner of speaking, Mr. Blair has returned the favor. Part of the effort was deliberate. The prime minister has supported the devolution of power. Direct election of the mayor of London was a basic part of that program, as was the creation of assemblies in Wales and Scotland. At the same time, Mr. Blair's efforts to ensure that "his" candidate won the Labor Party nomination for the post were heavy-handed. They alienated most voters and virtually guaranteed that Mr. Livingstone would win last week's vote.