ENGLAND: British newspapers report Prime Minister Tony Blair aims to quit within a year

Record ID: 1527345

  • Title: ENGLAND: British newspapers report Prime Minister Tony Blair aims to quit within a year
  • Date: 7th September 2006
  • Summary: (EU) LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 6, 2006) (POOL) BRITISH CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER, (FINANCE MINISTER) GORDON BROWN, DEPARTING HIS OFFICE AT 11 DOWNING STREET AND GETTING INTO CAR CAR DRIVING AWAY
  • Embargoed: 22nd September 2006 17:50
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5G48DKIBO67QYEOCEJM3XJMH4
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: British Prime Minister Tony Blair faced a growing rebellion over his leadership on Wednesday (Seotember 6) after reports he planned to stay in office until mid-2007 prompted seven former loyalists to quit their posts.
    A junior minister and six government aides, part of a group of once-loyal Labour lawmakers now calling for Blair to step aside, resigned saying an urgent change of leader was needed to revitalise the Labour Party's flagging fortunes. The departures came the day British newspapers reported that Blair planned to quit on July 26, 2007, after more than a decade in power -- effectively kick-starting a battle for leadership of his ruling Labour Party and the country.
    The Sun newspaper said Blair would step down as head of the Labour Party on May 31,2007 less than a month after his tenth anniversary in office. He would resign as prime minister eight weeks later, after an election to choose a successor as party leader, expected to be his finance minister, Gordon Brown.
    Blair, winner of a record three consecutive elections for Labour, has already said he will not stand for a fourth term.
    His popularity has plunged after a series of government scandals over sleaze and mismanagement, as well as controversy over the Iraq war. Opinion polls put Labour well behind the opposition Conservatives -- resurgent under their youthful, pro-environment leader David Cameron.
    Speaking in York on Tuesday (September 5), Blair joked about the latest reports, saying: "Guess what the title of their tour is: blazaning across it was: 'what leadership challenge remains for me," referring to the headline of a social seminar he visited that day.
    Blair's office declined to comment on the Sun story: "We have no intention of commenting on any speculation of the timetable," a spokeswoman said.
    But on Wednesday, Junior Defence Minister Tom Watson quit the cabinet, telling Blair the party needed a new leader urgently if it wanted to win a fourth term.
    Khalid Mahmood, another Labour MP, also quit on Wednesday.
    "If there is a private document that is in the ownership of the people that want to keep it private, if there is an issue within the party it doesnt need to be dealt within the media it should be dealt amidst the party," Mahmood said.
    The right-leaning Sun tabloid, Britain's largest-selling daily newspaper, has a reputation for accurate political scoops.
    Blair has said he would leave enough time for a transition to his successor, but has angered many in his party by refusing to name the date he would leave.
    The speculation reached a fever pitch over the past 24 hours after newspapers reported that once-loyal Labour members of parliament had signed a letter calling on Blair to step aside.
    Environment Minister David Miliband, a loyal Blair ally, responded on Tuesday by suggesting he would be gone within a year, remarks taken as authorised by Blair.
    "I am not going to discuss the leadership election today, because there isn't a leadership election underway and I think it is of no interest to the public who I will or won't be supporting.now in any leadership contest that might take place in some months time. That is an irrelevance to what I am trying to say today," cabinet minister John Hutton said on Wednesday.
    Former home secretary David Blunkett added:
    "Well I say is that without the strength of the Prime Minister being clear that he is in charge, it's very difficult for ministers to do their job. Now I don't know that the exact dates of announcements are correct. It is presumed that the Prime Minister has made his mind up about next year, the issue now is that we have one Prime Minister, that we have process of transition".
    Blair, 53, won his first term on May 1, 1997. A decade in power would leave him a year short of Margaret Thatcher's record as the longest-serving prime minister in more than a century.
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