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Tony Blair Warns Jeremy Corbyn He is Being Lured Into an ‘Elephant Trap’ By Boris Johnson

© REUTERS / Jeremy SelwynBritish Prime Minister Boris Johnson takes questions from children aged 9-14 during an education announcement inside Downing Street in London, Britain, August 30, 2019.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson takes questions from children aged 9-14 during an education announcement inside Downing Street in London, Britain, August 30, 2019.  - Sputnik International
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Tony Blair became leader of the Labour Party in 1994 and led them to a landslide election victory three years later. He remained Prime Minister until 2007 when he handed over to Gordon Brown, who lost a general election three years later.

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has been warned by Tony Blair that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is setting an election "elephant trap."

Mr Blair, who led the Labour Party to three successive election victories, said: "Boris Johnson knows that if no-deal Brexit stands on its own as a proposition it might well fail but if he mixes it up with the Corbyn question in a general election he could succeed despite a majority being against a no-deal Brexit because some may fear a Corbyn premiership more.”

Mr Blair, who repositioned Labour further to the right than it had been previously, said Mr Corbyn "should see an election before Brexit is decided for the elephant trap it is."

The latest poll from Yougov, carried out last week, has the Conservatives on 33 percent, far ahead of Labour on 22 percent, and with the Liberal Democrats just behind on 21 percent.

​Mr Johnson’s hardline position on Brexit, and his prorogation of Parliament, is likely to have drawn voters back from the Brexit Party, who earlier this year were threatening to beat the Tories in many constituencies.

The polls suggest that if Mr Johnson was to call an election between now and Christmas he would win and could get a big enough majority that he could dispense with the support of the Democratic Unionist Party.

​Labour could also lose seats in pro-Remain areas to the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Blair has been a long-time supporter of the European Union, while Mr Corbyn has frequently said he wanted to respect the outcome of the 2016 referendum, as long as it did not mean a no-deal Brexit.

During Mr Blair’s premiership Mr Corbyn was a sulking backbencher, who frequently rebelled on issues as varied as the Iraq War and PFI (Private Finance Initiative) funding of hospitals and schools.

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