Embattled Blair says he will leave office "within 12 months" By Anna Tomforde

Deutsche Presse Agentur
Published: Thursday September 7, 2006

By Anna Tomforde, London- British Prime Minister Tony Blair Thursday sought to quell an unprecedented party rebellion against his leadership by saying that he would step down "within 12 months." But in a statement during a visit to a primary school in London, Blair refused to set a precise date for when he would resign as leader of the Labour Party and prime minister.

Gordon Brown, his Labour Party rival and likely successor, as well as a growing number of MP's (members of parliament), have urged Blair to go sooner, possibly by Christmas or early in 2007, to ensure a "smooth and stable transition."

Blair's announcement followed 48 hours of bitter feuding and a string of resignations from junior government ranks.

Commentators said the vagueness of Blair's statement was unlikely to satisfy his critics.

Conceding that he had come under pressure to make his intentions clear, Blair, 53, said: "I would have preferred to do this my own way."

But he did spell out that the forthcoming Labour Party conference at the end of this month would be his "last."

"I am not going to set a precise date now. I don't think that's right. I will do that at a future date and I'll do it in the interest of the country and depending on the circumstances of the time," Blair said.

In a clear attempt to reassert his authority after days of turmoil, Blair added that he wanted to "apologize on behalf of the Labour Party for the last week."

"It has not been our finest hour, to be frank," he said.

Brown, with whom Blair was reported to have had a series of "acrimonious exchanges" over the leadership issue, Thursday publicly displayed support for the prime minister.

"It is for him (Blair) to make the decision. I make it clear again today that I will support him in the decision he makes," Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said.

Recalling how the two men had "worked together for 20 years in difficult times as well as good times," Brown said he shared Blair's determination "to do our best for the people of the country."

However, reports said Brown had urged Blair privately to hand over the reins by Christmas, and to install a kind of "joint premiership" in the interim.

Blair, in turn, was said to have accused the "Brown camp" of "blackmail" by attempting to force him out of office.

Earlier Thursday, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw hinted that he believed Blair would go next May, when he will have achieved 10 years in power.

Blair, who won an unprecedented third successive election victory for Labour in May 2005, has stated publicly that he would not stand for a fourth term.

That pledge, made in the autumn of 2004, has haunted Blair ever since and triggered the turmoil that has now engulfed him.

Brown, for his part, insists that Blair, as long ago as 1994, promised him that he would move aside to allow him to take over as leader.

"We are in the unique situation in our country where the prime minister has said, as he has said on a number of occasions, that he does not want to lead our party and our government into the next general election," Brown stated pointedly Thursday.

There were early signs Thursday that Blair's announcement would not satisfy his party critics.

Doug Henderson, a former state secretary in the Foreign Office, said: "It does not seem to me that the public know any more about the prime minister's retirement plans."

The Labour Party needed "a clear direction forward with clear priorities and a new leader," said Henderson.

Peter Hain, the Northern Ireland Secretary, said he hoped the party could now proceed towards an "orderly handover and not a chaotic putsch."

"Both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown are class acts, and I have no doubt that when the time comes next year, the party will choose Gordon to succeed Tony - and it's right that he should," added Hain.

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur