Papers look to life after Blair

Version 0 of 1.

Thursday's papers continue to be dominated by the fate of Tony Blair, as well as looking ahead to his successor.

The Daily Mail says Gordon Brown, if he wins, will face challenges in five areas when he takes office.

The new prime minister will have to tackle Iraq, constitutional issues like the House of Lords, cash-for-peerages, the heavy tax burden and crime.

On the Independent front, the headline reads "The Endgame". It says the crisis will only stop when Mr Blair goes.

Cabinet factions

The Daily Telegraph's front page is dominated by a picture of a grinning Gordon Brown in Downing Street.

The paper splits the Cabinet into Blairites like John Reid and Tessa Jowell, pro-Brown Blairites like David Miliband and Brownites like Des Browne.

Chess is the metaphor in the Times with the suggestion being that Mr Blair has lost his endgame in just one move.

Political analyst Philip Webster says Brownites are laughing at the proposals for Mr Blair to stand down in May.

'Gang of weasels'

The Sun does not pull its punches describing Gordon Brown as the "silent man" and directly accusing him of orchestrating the wave of resignations.

It dubs the departed government members a "plotting gang of weasels".

In the Daily Mirror, the latest prediction is that Mr Blair will only last until March, rather than holding on to May.

Its leader says that only the public revealing of the timetable can restore the public's trust in politicians.

The Sopranos

Gordon Brown has demanded that Tony Blair go by Christmas, the Guardian says. It also suggests the meeting of the two men became a "shouting match".

The paper quotes left-wing MP John McDonnell comparing the infighting in the party to an episode of the American gangster drama The Sopranos.

Along with many of the other papers, the Guardian highlights Alan Johnson and John Reid as possible candidates.

The Daily Express says Mr Blair thinks a crisis could still keep him in power.