Seven resignations over Blair's future
Tom Watson has previously been loyal to Tony Blair
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Wednesday, 06, Sep 2006 02:38
One junior minister and six parliamentary aides have today handed in their resignations after demanding that Tony Blair steps down.
The first to go was junior defence minister Tom Watson and he was quickly followed by Khalid Mahmood, a parliamentary aide to Home Office minister Tony McNulty.
And five more junior aides, Wayne David, Ian Lucas, Mark Tami, Chris Mole and David Wright, followed suit soon after as the row over the Labour leadership moved up a gear today.
Mr Watson, the Labour MP for West Bromwich East, was one of 17 backbenchers who yesterday signed a letter calling for the prime minister to quit and their positions were always thought to be untenable after making such a public criticism.
And today, he took the decision to stand down his position, although Mr Blair has since said he was planning to sack him anyway.
"I share the view of the overwhelming majority of the party and the country that the only way the party and the government can renew itself in office is urgently to renew its leadership," Mr Watson said in his resignation letter to Downing Street.
"For the sake of the legacy you have long said is the only one that matters - a renewed Labour party re-elected at the next general election - I urge you to reconsider your determination to remain in office.
"As you know, I had a conversation with the chief whip [Hilary Armstrong] last night, in which she asked me to withdraw my support from the 2001 intake's letter calling on you to stand down, or my position would be untenable as a government minister.
"I have reflected on this overnight. I cannot withdraw my name, and therefore I accept her judgement."
Yesterday's letter, believed to be orchestrated by the formerly loyal MPs Sion Simon and Chris Bryant, was countered by a letter with the backing of 49 Labour MPs supporting Mr Blair, but the clamour for the prime minister to quit has continued unabated today.
In response to today's events, Mr Blair said in a statement that he had only been informed of Mr Watson's decision through the media.
"I had intended to dismiss him but wanted to extend to him the courtesy of speaking to him first," the underfire Labour leader said.
He added: "It would be impossible for him to remain in government."
Transport minister Derek Twigg is reported to have taken over Mr Watson's job at the Ministry of Defence, while Tom Harris is thought to have been promoted from the backbenches to take over from Mr Twigg.
Widespread speculation dominating this morning's newspapers has only increased speculation about Mr Blair's future plans, with the Sun claiming that he plans on resigning on May 31st next year, the tenth anniversary of his premiership.
But Mr Blair's supporters have rallied round the beleaguered leader, with former home secretary David Blunkett particularly forthright in his hostility to the current speculation.
"It is now in Gordon Brown's - and the Labour party's - best interests for those seeking the prime minister's immediate departure to back off," he told the BBC.
Health secretary Patricia Hewitt, work and pensions secretary John Hutton and environment minister David Miliband have all also called on Labour's parliamentary party to cease pressuring Mr Blair over his eventual departure.