As Tony Blair leads efforts to topple Iraq's dictator only 25 per cent of the British public can name the "butcher of Baghdad", finds a poll.

A survey for Whitaker's Almanac reveals greater public knowledge of soap operas than of global affairs.

And even as the world braces itself for a second Gulf war only a quarter of the 1000 Britons quizzed identified Saddam Hussein as a world leader worthy of note.

While Tony Blair topped the world leadership stakes at 83 per cent - one point ahead of US president, George W Bush - other senior members of Labour's government barely figure.

Nearly half the public - 46 per cent - can name five members of the BBC's soap EastEnders but only 10 per cent can manage five ministers.

Outside the prime minister the government's best performers are Labour's big guns John Prescott and Gordon Brown - level pegging at 24 per cent each.

Jack Straw and David Blunkett spark recognition in a fifth, Robin Cook manages 14 per cent and Margaret Beckett six per cent.

The editor of Whitaker's Almanac, Lauren Hill, has written to the culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, asking for a rethink of how news and current affairs is presented.

"We can only conclude from this report that Britain is dumbing down," she said.

"At a time when much of the British population has become fanatical about celebrities, we believe the government has a major role to play in encouraging people to become more interested in current affairs and the world around us."