Blair – ‘tremendous prize’ awaits Labour
Prime Minister Tony Blair has told Labour MPs not to forsake the “tremendous prize” of an historic Labour third term.
Most agree the credibility and popularity of the PM have been damaged by the furore over the “dodgy dossier” and the unpopular US-led Iraq war.
Add to this Labour’s apparent failure to deliver promised radical changes in public services and it is easy to see why the Tories have crept into the lead in recent opinion polls.
With this in mind, Mr Blair told a private meeting of the parliamentary Labour party that it must unite to ward off a possible Tory revival under Iain Duncan Smith.
With the Blair government poised to become the longest serving Labour administration in British history next month, the PM does not want to give up the ghost just yet.
He warned MPs that Labour risked years of political oblivion if it splintered and fragmented on Iraq, NHS foundation hospitals and student top-up fees.
On Tuesday, backbenchers made their feelings known on the controversial introduction of semiautonomous foundation hospitals.
Labour’s majority in the Commons was cut to 35. It was the biggest rebellion in Mr Blair’s six-year reign.
A party source said Mr Blair had told the meeting: “If you look back at our history, we are better at putting ourselves out than the Tories.”
