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Blair urged to go by Labour MPs Blair urged to go by Labour MPs
(about 1 hour later)
A group of normally loyal Labour MPs have written to Tony Blair urging him to quit as prime minister, the BBC understands. A group of normally loyal Labour MPs has written to Tony Blair urging him to quit as prime minister, the BBC understands.
Seventeen MPs, mostly elected in 2001, are understood to have made the call. It adds to the pressure on Mr Blair to set out a departure date. The 17 MPs, who were elected in 2001, made the call as the prime minister faced mounting pressure to name his departure date.
The news prompted Cabinet minister David Miliband to say he expected Mr Blair to quit in a year's time.The news prompted Cabinet minister David Miliband to say he expected Mr Blair to quit in a year's time.
It follows a leaked memo detailing a farewell tour for Mr Blair. It follows a leaked memo detailing plans for a farewell tour by Mr Blair.
Mr Miliband's intervention is the first time a senior minister has given a definite timescale.
But Mr Miliband stressed he did not have the planned timings from Mr Blair's own mouth - just that he agreed with the "conventional wisdom" that it would be 12 months.
Uncertainty fearsUncertainty fears
The prime minister has said he will step down before the next election but is refusing to give more details about his plans at this month's Labour conference in Manchester. The prime minister has said he will step down before the next election but has refused to give more details about his plans at this month's Labour conference in Manchester.
Now Labour MPs have acted to try to force Mr Blair's hands. Now Labour MPs have acted to try to force his hand.
The BBC has not seen the contents of the correspondence sent to No 10 by members of the 2001 intake of MPs.
He should be the star who won't even play that last encore Leaked memo from Blair allies In full: leaked memo Analysis: How will Blair go?He should be the star who won't even play that last encore Leaked memo from Blair allies In full: leaked memo Analysis: How will Blair go?
But a senior Cabinet source told BBC political editor Nick Robinson that it effectively calls on the prime minister to go. A senior Cabinet source told BBC News the correspondence from the 2001 intake of MPs effectively calls on the prime minister to go.
The source said the letter was seen for the first time on Monday and is likely to convince Mr Blair of the need to say something more about plans for his departure. The source said the letter was seen for the first time on Monday and was likely to convince Mr Blair he needed to say more about his departure plans.
It is not yet been decided whether he will spell out that this is his final year in office, said the source. It is not yet been decided whether Mr Blair will spell out that this is his final year in office, said the source.
Alternatively he could start a process of working with Chancellor Gordon Brown to make clear that a "stable and orderly transition" is under way. Alternatively he could start a process of working with Chancellor Gordon Brown to make clear that a "stable and orderly transition" was under way.
The letter is understood to have been co-ordinated by Blairite MPs Chris Bryant and Sion Simon but the pair have not been willing to speak about it on the record. 'Misconceived'
Mr Bryant told BBC Wales that if he had sent the prime minister a private letter "then it's a private matter". Blairite MPs Chris Bryant and Sion Simon are understood to have coordinated the letter.
Several 2001 intake Labour MPs have told the BBC they have not seen the letter and one, Wolverhampton South West MP Rob Marris, said he did not think it existed. But Mr Bryant told BBC Wales that if he had sent the prime minister a private letter "then it's a private matter".
A year to go? Dai Havard, who became in an MP in 2001, said he would have signed the letter had he been asked - but its real significance was that it came from the prime minister's closest allies.
"They have been saying things like this for a long time in private. They are now doing the right thing," he told the BBC News website.
Sir Jeremy Beecham, chairman of Labour's national executive committee, said the letter was misconceived.
"Tony Blair is conscious of what needs to be done and I'm sure he is entitled to be able to depart in dignity and I'm sure that will happen in time for a new leader to be in place for the conference next year," he told BBC News 24.
Leaving in triumph?
MPs elected only last year are also understood to have drafted a separate letter which praises Mr Blair's achievements but says it is time for him to go.MPs elected only last year are also understood to have drafted a separate letter which praises Mr Blair's achievements but says it is time for him to go.
Mr Blair's critics will also seize on a leaked memo obtained by the Daily Mirror newspaper. Meanwhile Mr Miliband, speaking earlier on the Today programme became the first senior minister to give a specific timescale for Mr Blair's departure.
The memo, reportedly drawn up by a group of his allies, including his pollster Philip Gould, says the prime minister's departure should promote the "triumph of Blairism". He had not been given a date by Mr Blair, he said, but agreed with the "conventional wisdom" that it would be in about 12 months.
"He needs to go with the crowd wanting more," the memo reportedly says. In a separate development, a leaked memo suggesting a farewell tour to promote the "triumph of Blairism" has been published by the Daily Mirror.
"He should be the star who won't even play that last encore." The memo, reportedly drawn up by a group of his allies, including his pollster Philip Gould, says: "He needs to go with the crowd wanting more."
'Substance, not image'
It says Mr Blair has plans to appear on Blue Peter, Songs of Praise and Chris Evans's radio show in the lead-up to his retirement.
Downing Street says neither Mr Blair nor any senior No 10 staff have seen the memo.Downing Street says neither Mr Blair nor any senior No 10 staff have seen the memo.
The prime minister's official spokesman said Mr Blair was interested in addressing the issues and knew that people would make up their own minds about what the government has achieved. Poll standings
The spokesman added: "He's interested in substance not image." Mr Blair laughed off talk about his leadership in a speech in York about social exclusion, joking about how he had visited healthcare workers discussing "what leadership challenges remain for me".
Mr Blair laughed off talk about his leadership as he began a speech in York about social exclusion. Conservative policy director Oliver Letwin said the government was now in "near paralysis" and the Liberal Democrats said Mr Blair must stop "dithering".
He joked about how he had visited healthcare workers who were having a meeting entitled "what leadership challenges remain for me". The reports come as a Populus poll suggested the Conservatives would have a strong lead over Labour whether Mr Blair stayed on, or was replaced by Gordon Brown or John Reid.
Conservative policy director Oliver Letwin said the government was now "near paralysis".
Senior Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb said Mr Blair's "dithering" meant the public could not be sure the government was concentrating on policies rather than politics.
The reports come as a Populus poll suggested David Cameron's Conservatives would have a strong lead over Labour whether Mr Blair stayed on, or was replaced by Gordon Brown or John Reid.
The poll of 1,504 people also suggested 30% of Labour voters and 51% of the general public wanted Mr Blair to step down this year.The poll of 1,504 people also suggested 30% of Labour voters and 51% of the general public wanted Mr Blair to step down this year.