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azzuri · 'Our Scotland' Fossil Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 3776

see - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4981532.stm

Rebel MPs in bid to topple Blair

Prime Minister Tony Blair's efforts to relaunch his government have run into trouble as some backbench Labour MPs launch a bid to remove him from office.

About 50 Labour MPs are thought to have signed a letter calling for Mr Blair to set a timetable for his departure to end "debilitating" speculation.

Senior Labour sources have denounced the letter and the MPs behind it.

But Conservative shadow chancellor George Osborne said the Labour Party was now "in near terminal collapse".

As details of the letter emerged, Gordon Brown called for a renewal of the Labour Party.

He also said it was necessary to "set down" how the transition to a new leader of the party would take place.

The prime minister has said he will stand down before the next general election but refuses to set a timetable.

'Debilitating speculation'

Details of the letter appeared in Sunday newspapers.

The document said Labour's record in office was being overshadowed by "debilitating speculation over the future leadership and direction of our Party".

"A pre-requisite of any orderly democratic change is a clear timetable and transparent procedures," the letter said.

It urged Mr Blair to set a timetable by the end of the current Parliamentary session this summer.

Mr Brown said last week's poor local election results had been a "wake-up call" for Labour and that it was time for the party to renew itself.

"There is policy renewal and there is party organisational renewal and the two things go hand in hand," he told GMTV's Sunday programme.

New leader

The chancellor is widely expected to replace Mr Blair as Labour leader, but he refused to discuss his own ambitions.

"There is going to be a transition to a new leader, whoever that leader is," Mr Brown said.

"I think the important thing is that we set down how we are going to bring about that renewal."

The pressure on the prime minister has grown since Thursday's elections.

However, Mr Blair signalled his intention to stay on by making sweeping changes to his Cabinet last week, including replacing his beleaguered home secretary and his foreign secretary.

Critics of the prime minister have called for him to stand down soon.

Former minister Frank Dobson said he knew many voters who would not back Labour with Mr Blair in charge.

"So long as Tony Blair remains prime minister, the Labour Party's position will not recover," he told BBC Breakfast.

But Hilary Benn, the international development secretary, appealed for calm amid the current leadership speculation.

"Frankly I think the best thing that everybody can do is concentrate on the job in hand which is being the government to the country," Mr Benn told Radio Five Live.

"There are many challenges we face, there's a lot of good things the government has been doing. On the economy, investment in health and education, and I think we just need to get over this hysteria."

'Terminal decline'

Conservative Party leader David Cameron said last week's Cabinet reshuffle showed that the government was in "terminal decline."

He claimed that voters wanted a replacement government, not a reshuffle.

"The MPs are plotting rather than thinking about policy, they're attacking each other rather than standing up for the country," said Mr Cameron.

"We've got ministers who've been kept in office even though they've failed, some who've been kept actually with all the trappings of office in the case of the deputy prime minister, but without any real ministerial power."

In a further sign of a backlash against Mr Blair's reshuffle, it has emerged a health minister quit over NHS reforms.

It was initially thought Jane Kennedy had been sacked in the reshuffle but she said she left due to concern about the impact on her local children's hospital of the changes.

I really hope that Blair stays in power until after the 2007 Elections. The worst thing for the SNP and the other parties would be if Brown took over and had a 'honeymoon' period, therefore eradicating the anti-Labour protest vote in 2007 with it.

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SLG · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 10:00 am Post subject:

I can see why he doesn't want to set a date. As soon as he sets a date, he loses some authority as folk start looking to the next man. He probably will have to set a rough date soon though.

azzuri · 'Our Scotland' Fossil Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 3776

It's all in the balance.

Another scandal or two could topple him. I think he'd rather leave on his own terms though, so I think he will probably stick it out until late 2007/early 2008, though I wouldn't place a bet on it.
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"Every single person on this planet is unique. Just like everyone else..." - Random Guy in Edinburgh Pub

Possibly the funniest site in the world, 'The Daily Mash' - http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/

Reluctant Hero · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 7:00 pm Post subject:

There has been that many "crisis'" in the Labour government over the last nine years not least the Iraq debacle and Bliar has just rode over the top of everyone.

Therefore I don't see this time being any different no matter how many Labour MPs sign this letter. He will go at a time of his own choosing, no sooner and no later.

I think he may be trying to hold out to beat Maggie's record.

wisnaeme · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 8:16 pm Post subject:

IF Convenor · Posted: Sat May 13, 2006 2:12 pm Post subject:

I think Reluctant Hero means her record for length of time in office. I also believe that's Blair's ambition; he'll take his party and country to Hell in a handbasket but he'll get his spot in the record books. It's all about him, in the end.
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