UK polls likely on May 5

Published April 1, 2005

LONDON, March 31: British Prime Minister Tony Blair held a special ministerial meeting on Thursday to sign off on an expected May 5 election date and a manifesto putting the economy at the heart of his bid for a third term in power. Mr Blair will announce the polling date early next week before parliament is dissolved, party sources say, formally launching a campaign that has in practice been under way for months.—Reuters