Blair to face Labour backbenchers
Blair to face Labour backbenchers
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Tony Blair is the victim of an Old Labour plot to oust him as prime minister, home secretary John Reid said today. |  |
Monday, 08, May 2006 07:21
Tony Blair is facing Labour backbenchers this evening in the first parliamentary party meeting after last Friday's disappointing local election results.
Expectation that he will encounter calls for a clear timetable for his departure is rife among politicians and journalists in the Palace of Westminster, with many believing that ex-Blairite ministers will join the usual throngs of old Labour MPs in calling for a power transition to occur sooner rather than later.
Facing journalists at his monthly press conference earlier today, Mr Blair insisted that any announcement about a specific date for his exit would "paralyse" the government, put New Labour's reforms in jeopardy and "damage the country".
But he stood by his pledge to ensure there was "stable and orderly transition" to his successor as Labour leader, widely expected to be chancellor Gordon Brown.
"I have said there is to be a stable and orderly transition, and I will see that done because it is in the interests of this country, but it is also in the interests of the country that we get on with the business of governing," the embattled prime minister said.
"We need to focus resolutely on jobs and living standards of the British people because that is what they expect us to do, having elected us for a third term."
Mr Blair's determination to stick to his guns comes as the calls for him to step down get louder.
Following his dramatic Cabinet reshuffle last week, Labour rebels have reportedly put together a letter demanding that Mr Blair clarifies his position, but the prime minister insisted such a move was "politically very dangerous" for his party.
"Although there are those who want me to honour my commitment to a stable and orderly transition – and I will – there are also those whose desire is to change radically the direction of policy and not to renew New Labour but to reverse it," he added.
"That way lies not a fourth term victory but defeat and return to opposition and I will fight that all the way."
But Mr Blair's insistence that he still has much to do at Number 10 does not appear to have washed with Tory leader David Cameron, who believes his counterpart's departure should be imminent.
"We have this great uncertainty and I think the sooner he goes the better," Mr Cameron said.
"It is ludicrous what is taking place…there is a state of civil war at the highest level of government. We need a succession plan but there's not going to be one – it's shambolic and as soon as we get to the new election the better."