Blair to leave office in 2007?

[Sayhey]

From Reuters:

UK's Blair to resign next July: report
Tue Sep 5, 2006 6:44pm ET
By Peter Graff

LONDON (Reuters) - Tony Blair will leave office on July 26, the Sun newspaper reported in its Wednesday edition, as the increasingly unpopular prime minister faced growing pressure to quit from within his own Labor Party.

The report comes a day after a top Blair ally said the prime minister would probably leave office within a year.

The Sun said Blair would step down as head of the Labor Party on May 31, 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....

As much as I'd rather it happened sooner, this would be a relief. Sometimes I envy parliamentary systems.

[iGav]

Can't the Labour Party see the damage they're doing to themselves over this little escapade? haven't they been paying attention to what happened to the Lib Dems earlier this year? The way they're going... at the next election the Tories are going to get back into power and we'll all be ********* doomed because they're a bunch of ********* morons.

What really pisses me off a treat though, is all this crap about "People in the country want a change"... like really???? is this the same country that voted Blair in again for a 3rd term just over a year ago on the premise that he was going to serve a full 3rd term?

I'd rather Blair stayed in power until 2009, then handing over the reins then... does anyone seriously think that Gordon Brown is better able to try and solve the current problems facing the government than Blair?

[Sayhey]

OK, now it looks as if Blair is trying to put off any timetable for his resignation.

7 British Officials Resign in Revolt Over Blair

By ALAN COWELL
Published: September 6, 2006
LONDON, Sept. 6 — Prime Minister Tony Blair sought to face down a revolt within his Labor party today as seven junior aides resigned to protest his refusal to set a date to leave office.

The spectacle of Mr. Blair fighting off such challenges, in such sharp contrast to the euphoria of his rise to power nine years ago, recalled the memory of Margaret Thatcher’s final days as her authority seeped away in 1990. Even as the chorus of dissent mounted, however, Mr. Blair was still scheduling Middle East diplomacy, with a planned visit to Lebanon next Monday.

Mr. Blair has dismissed challenges in the past — he was once nicknamed Teflon Tony — but British political analysts said the mood seemed more venomous this time. Some depicted the latest moves as a renewed effort by supporters of Gordon Brown, Mr. Blair’s heir apparent, to force the prime minister from office within the next few months.

The day’s events seemed to indicate that the rivalry between the two men was moving toward a showdown over what Mr. Blair depicted as the future of Labor.

“We are three years from the next election,” Mr. Blair said in a letter to one of the defectors, Tom Watson. “We have a strong policy platform. There is no fundamental ideological divide in the Labour Party for the first time in 100 years of history. For the first time ever, we have the prospect not just of two but three successive full terms. To put all this at risk in this way is simply not a sensible, mature or intelligent way of conducting ourselves if we want to remain a governing party.”

His adversaries saw it differently....

NY Times

[OnceUGoMac]

I always liked Blair. I understand how many of my British cousins may have been put-off by Iraq, but would you rather have had Major in there? In the U.S., the question asked is "are you better off now than before?" Well, are you, punk?

[Agathon]

I've sent Blair a sympathy card

[Scarlet Fever]

maybe he's going off to see the love of his life

[skunk]

No, he's off to collect his pay-off: that fat seat on the board of Carlyle Group, profiting from the worldwide instability and inbsecurity he has done so much to promote.

He should be strung up.

[Applespider]

Originally Posted by OnceUGoMac

I always liked Blair. I understand how many of my British cousins may have been put-off by Iraq, but would you rather have had Major in there?

Yes... he didn't have the smug air that Blair has. Don't trust Tony as far as I could throw him... I don't trust David Cameron much either mind you probably because he's a similar 'play to the media' type clone in many ways

[iGav]

Originally Posted by Applespider

Yes... he didn't have the smug air that Blair has.

He didn't really have any 'air' about him.

That, and he was really inept at his job.

[Queso]

Originally Posted by iGav

He didn't really have any 'air' about him.

That, and he was really inept at his job.

I think history is rather unfair on Major. He was unfortunately in charge of the Tory party whilst the Thatcherites were throwing their childish tantrums about The Great Leader being overthrown. They undermined Major at every turn simply because the poor little lambs weren't getting their own way for the first time in a decade, and until the old witch finally dies and therefore stops meddling in how any successive Tory leader can lead the party, it's best we don't put them back in office as the same thing will only happen again.

Personally, I'd like to string all the Thatcherite arms-dealing back-stabbing money-grabbing backhander-accepting ***** up once and for all. And you can add to that their cabal of lobbyists from various "public image challenged" industries and foreign Governments with atrocious human rights records.

Cameron does appear to be an Old Guard Tory rather than a Thatcherite, which is a plus as far as I'm concerned, but I still can't trust him to lead that party rather than be led by it. Which is a colossal shame, because if I had my way Bliar and co. would not only be kicked out, but kicked repeatedly up and down Whitehall before being shipped to The Hague to face trial.

Corrupt twisted c**ts, the lot of them. We'd be better off with a dictator in charge.

[skunk]

Originally Posted by dynamicv

Corrupt twisted c**ts, the lot of them. We'd be better off with a dictator in charge.

You feeling better now, dear?

[Queso]

Originally Posted by skunk

You feeling better now, dear?

Yep. Needed to get that off my chest, but back to my usual equilibrium again.

Stand by every word though

[skunk]

Originally Posted by dynamicv

Stand by every word though

Couldn't agree more.

[Sayhey]

Originally Posted by dynamicv

Corrupt twisted c**ts, the lot of them. We'd be better off with a dictator in charge.

Nah, believe me, you wouldn't like it. The last six years here prove that.

[Queso]

Originally Posted by Sayhey

Nah, believe me, you wouldn't like it. The last six years here prove that.

I was thinking someone far more sensible and well balanced than Bush. Napoleon perhaps?

[solvs]

Originally Posted by Sayhey

Nah, believe me, you wouldn't like it.

I don't know. Might work with the right one. What's that Prince's name? The good one, not the drunken Nazi. Proof that not all of those who come from powerful family have to be terrible people. Dunno, maybe he gets it from his Mom. Unfortunately, based on what I've heard Babs Bush say, GW gets it from his too.

You'll see Vista in stores before you see Blair stepping down of his own volition.

[zimv20]

a friend of mine, a brit, thinks blair will be gone within two weeks. anyone here feel the same way?

[Blue Velvet]

Originally Posted by zimv20

a friend of mine, a brit, thinks blair will be gone within two weeks. anyone here feel the same way?

Unless he's planning on standing down before he delivers the party leader's address at the Labour Party Conference (24-28 of September), I don't think so.

Odds are it's going to be more like March-May 07. Gordon Brown is keen to establish a parliamentary timetable before the summer recess, not that it's a sure thing that he'll be PM anyway.

[Glen Quagmire]

If he does go soon, he'll go at the Labour party conference at the end of the month, not before. He'll make a grand speech, announcing he's stepping down as leader and as Prime Minister and go out to tears (of joy?).

Charles Clarke aside (has anyone ever seen an uglier man?) Labour seem to be trying to put a lid on all the infighting (about time too). There have been a number of ministers cropping up, asking for calm and people to keep quiet.

Personally, I find it fascinating. Blair bought it all upon himself - he didn't have to say that he would quit mid-term - and is reaping the consequences. I don't think there is any other viable candidate than Gordon Brown - Alan Johnson is too inexperienced and John Reid is a nutcase. Brown would be a strong Prime Minister, despite his dullness and serious nature. I would much prefer him to David Cameron, who is even more slick and smarmy than Tony Blair (Blair's slickness has become tarnished - no-one buys it any more).

As much as I disliked John Major at the time, I can't see him - assuming he would have survived as Prime Minister until 2003 - putting British troops in to Iraq. Iraq has been Blair's biggest mistake. I can (probably) forgive him everything else (in time), but Iraq (and the Bush love-in that accompanies it) will be his lasting political legacy.

[iGav]

Originally Posted by zimv20

a friend of mine, a brit, thinks blair will be gone within two weeks. anyone here feel the same way?

I hope not... I still think he should do what I, and the majority of voters, voted him to do e.g. serve a full term. I reckon he'll scrape into 2007, though only just, then we'll be saddled with Mr Charisma himself, who'll never be voted in as PM. So that leaves David Cameron, and I bet he's laughing his arse off right now, I can just see them getting back into power, and ********* the country over again, well at least everyone other than the fat, old, racist, homophobic contingent that makes up the attendence of your average Conservative Conference.

[iGav]

Originally Posted by Glen Quagmire

As much as I disliked John Major at the time, I can't see him - assuming he would have survived as Prime Minister until 2003 - putting British troops in to Iraq.

I wouldn't be so sure... he did after all do it before.

[Nickygoat]

Originally Posted by zimv20

a friend of mine, a brit, thinks blair will be gone within two weeks. anyone here feel the same way?

No - May the 4th. That lets him carry the can in the local elections, and lets the new leader (we'll assume ATM it'll be Gordon) have a relatively clean start.
Any earlier and GB runs the risk of being associated with a putsch, any later and he becomes ineffectual for 3 months while Parliament is on holiday - not the best start.
On the subject of Gordon - has anyone really answered the West Lothian question?
@ dynamicv - I agree with your thoughts but are our current masters any better?
@ iGav - yes the PLP can see the damage but most of those who aren't Blairites just don't care - it's descended into a free for all, a chance to give Blair and his cronies a good kicking before going quiet again.
EDIT: How sad that at 7.45 Saturday night most of the London MR members are at home

[iGav]

Originally Posted by Nickygoat

How sad that at 7.45 Saturday night most of the London MR members are at home

I have a fractured ankle.

[Nickygoat]

Originally Posted by iGav

I have a fractured ankle.

I have no life

[Blue Velvet]

Originally Posted by Nickygoat

EDIT: How sad that at 7.45 Saturday night most of the London MR members are at home

I know. Even worse, I'm working right now on some spreads to free up time on Tuesday for some R&R... and it's all Tony Blair's fault, of course.