Tony Blair in London. (Reuters)

London, Aug. 31 (Reuters): Fresh from a five-week summer break, British Prime Minister Tony Blair returned to work today to face a series of political hurdles on the path to next year’s expected general election.

Blair, whose public trust ratings have plummeted since the Iraq war, used his first day back on the job to promote a crackdown on anti-social behaviour — a key concern to voters and a battleground for the election expected in May or June.

But rowdiness within his ruling Labour Party and malaise at the party’s grassroots could prove a bigger headache, with Labour’s annual party conference and a by-election where it could lose a safe parliamentary seat both looming. Blair's unwavering support for US President George W. Bush over the Iraq war angered many Labour parliamentarians and voters and prompted calls for his resignation.

Polls put Labour on track to win the next general election and the Opposition Conservative Party has failed to capitalise on Blair's strife, but the Prime Minister remains highly vulnerable over Iraq.

One Labour MP today backed a call — first made last week by an Opposition politician — to impeach Blair for lying to the House of Commons and the public over the threat from Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

“That the Prime Minister has misled the Commons is not in doubt in most people's minds,” said anti-war Labour MP Peter Kilfoyle.

Given Labour's massive parliamentary majority, the move is likely to do little more than embarrass Blair but, as parliament resumes next week, it keeps the focus on an issue that refuses to go away.

To appease Labour rebels, the government is expected to push through parliament a bill to abolish fox hunting, something it has promised but failed to deliver since taking power in 1997. Blair also has the chance to win back some political capital if he manages to keep the Northern Ireland peace process alive.

Parties are scheduled to meet on September 16-18 for talks and Blair's spokesman was optimistic today that a deal could be reached to kick-start the stalled peace process.

“We are going to put all our energy into getting a deal,” the spokesman said.

But with instability in Iraq keeping that country in the headlines, Blair's enemies and anti-war MPs may give him a rough ride at the Labour Party conference at the end of September. Blair is also expected to address trade unions at their conference next month.

A further test will come when the northern England constituency of Hartlepool votes for a new MP, prompted by the appointment in Brussels as EU Trade Commissioner of the previous incumbent, Peter Mandelson.